Why A Celebrant?
Having a civil celebrant allows you the freedom
to choose your venue, your time, your theme and
the chance to write your own vows, in fact you
can have as much input as you like. |
Can
A Friend Or Family Member Be Part Of The
Ceremony?
Absolutely! In
fact nothing makes a ceremony more personal than
when someone you know sings or recites a poem, a
reading or gives you a blessing. There are lots
of ways to involve your guests. |
We
Would Like A Small Religious Content, Is That
Okay?
Certainly, the
laws have changed and it is now fine to include
some religious material, perhaps a prayer,
blessing or a hymn.
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What
Should We Look For In A Celebrant?
Most importantly
someone you feel relaxed and comfortable with.
This is the person you are asking to convey your
feelings and thoughts on your special day. Are
they offering you help when you are unsure?
Remember to be open to suggestion, your
celebrant is a professional and they are there
to help make your day go smoothly. |
How
Do We Begin?
On your first
visit you will be asked to bring your birth
certificate If you’ve been divorced, your decree
absolute. And if you are a widow of widower the
death certificate of your deceased spouse. If
you have trouble assembling these documents talk
to your celebrant, they will be able to tell you
where to get copies or give you a statutory
declaration to sign.
Now you will
fill in your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM).
This must be done at least one full calendar
month before you can legally marry; e.g. if you
fill in your NOIM on 1st March you
can then marry on 2nd April.
You will now
talk about your wedding – the size, style,
format and content. There are a lot of decisions
to make but your celebrant will help you by
offering you samples of readings and lists of
suitable music. Nothing needs to be cemented on
this day but you will be well on the way. You
will organise a second meeting to view the
ceremony and you may request to have a
rehearsal.
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What
Will The Celebrant Charge?
There are no set
charges. It will depend on how big your ceremony
is, travel time and what else the celebrant is
supplying e.g. PA system, signage table etc.
Compared to other costs of your wedding the
celebrants’ fee is very reasonable.
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When
Do We Pay?
You will be
asked to pay a lodgment fee for your NOIM. This
will also ensure your booking of your celebrant
for the day of the wedding. This is payable when
filing your NOIM and is non-refundable, but the
NOIM can be transferred to another celebrant if
need arises. The cost of the celebrant
performing the ceremony is usually paid at least
a week before the
ceremony. This is much more dignified for both
parties, leaving no money transactions to be
completed on the day.
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