So you’ve got the ring, you’ve told the family and close friends now its time to start thinking of the logistics of your wedding. Time for you to lock in the big 3 of wedding planning; the date, the venue and your all important Marriage Celebrant – hopefully me!
We’ve all attended wedding ceremonies in the past however it is not until you plan your own wedding (or become a celebrant yourself) that you begin to realise the journey involved to obtaining your ‘Happily Ever After’. As your celebrant it is my job to make this journey as smooth and stress free as possible, but so you are aware of what to expect let me walk you through the process, step by step.
- Get in Contact – Get in touch with me, via phone, email or Facebook and tell me about yourselves, your dates and any information you already know about your upcoming nuptials. At this point I can confirm my availability and arrange a no obligations initial meeting.
- Meet with me, in person, via phone or on skype – “There is nothing more exciting than meeting new people, hearing their stories and being inspired”
That is what this meeting is all about. In this obligation free meeting we can discuss your plans, your story, and I can run you through my services as a celebrant and all the legalities of formalising your marriage. No question is too small, or request too large.
Your celebrant plays an important role in your wedding day, and they must be someone that you feel comfortable around and whom you can trust to understand and best portray the style of ceremony you imagine for yourselves.
By the end of this meeting you will be equipped with all the paperwork, ideas and knowledge you will require to make an informed decision about whether you want to lock me in as your celebrant. – I would be honored if you did!
- Lock it in – Once you have weighed up your options and wish to lock in your wedding date with me as your celebrant, get back in touch and let me know to lock that date in by crediting your deposit into my nominated account. From here we will arrange a time to finalise your legal requirements and complete the Notice of Intention to Marry (NOIM). You will need some ID to complete this document, namely birth certificates (if possible) or passports and some photo identification.
NB: My fees, which will have been discussed at our first meeting, are very reasonable and in the overall context of your wedding day are a small price to pay.
- Draft – At this point we work together to draft a ceremony to reflect your relationship and personalities. I will provide access to a portfolio of ceremony elements for you to select ideas from, or will happily work together with you both to create a wonderful bespoke (personalised) ceremony for you. Throughout this process you are allowed unlimited communication with me via whatever means are most appropriate to obtain your ideal ceremony.
- Final approvals – Once we finalise your ceremony wording and ensure that all legalities are met, we are ready to go.
- Second Meeting/Rehearsal – this is an optional inclusion that is of no additional cost. At this time we go over a detailed plan of your wedding day and ensure that no stones are left unturned. You dictate how formal or informal this meeting is. This meeting can be an ideal opportunity to brief all key players in your ceremony (bridal party, parents, etc) as to their roles, or it can be simply just between us. It is also a final opportunity to ensure that important legal elements to your ceremony are accurately completed.
- Tie the knot – it’s your wedding day! – Today is the first day of the rest of your lives, and while you may have lots of things on your mind, the actual logistics of the ceremony are in safe hands. I will be there early to set up, greet guests, ease the nerves of anxious groomsmen (!!) and when the bride arrives; will officiate the meaningful ceremony that we have worked so hard to create. With a big kiss and the whisk of a pen for a few signatures it’s finally official – You’re married!
- Celebrate – While you head off into the sunset to your reception or honeymoon, I will submit all of your documents to your relevant Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) on your behalf. Your official certificate will be delivered from your registering body in the weeks that follow.
Your journey is complete, from two friends in love; you are now husband and wife. While this is the end of the road for your wedding, you are always welcome to stay in touch, I have made some wonderful friends in my past clients. Please feel free to pass on photos/reviews of your ceremony to me, or extend my name on as a referral to other friends you know getting married.
Most importantly let your wedding be only the first of many remarkable milestones in your long and happy future together.
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