www.celebrationdownunder.com

Home		Getting Started
Weddings		Vow Renewals
Baby Naming		Naming
Home Ceremonies		Pet Funerals
Marriage Form		Contact Me

                      Getting Started  -  A Guide

 Step 1

When you decide to have a ceremony with a Civil Marriage Celebrant in Australia, how do you choose the right one for your ceremony?  

·         Is the marriage celebrant prepared to  give you a choice to meet at your home or office?  

·         Will the marriage celebrant conduct the ceremony where you want it?

·         Do you feel comfortable with the celebrant and communicate easily with each other?

·         Do the fees and services meet your expectations?

·         Will the marriage celebrant perform the type of service that you require?

·         Is the Celebrant registered to conduct weddings and have experience in conducting ceremonies?

Step 2

Contact the celebrant to discuss the type of ceremony you want, and the availability of the celebrant for the time and place you wish. If you wish to proceed, you and the celebrant arrange to meet each other at a mutually convenient time, usually at the celebrant's home or office,  at your place or maybe at a cafe nearby. If you are from overseas or live in the country an e-mail or phone call may be better for you.

Step 3

The celebrant then posts or e-mails you information about the Ceremony and or Marriage Licenses and and/or legislative requirements for your part of the world, helpful information, and a book or CD of information to assist you to create your own ceremony. He/ she will probably have his/her own form requesting your instructions and initial particulars; alternatively, you may give the celebrant this information at a meeting with the celebrant.  

                For Weddings Government officials at the Office of Births Deaths and Marriages, require

                       proof  of       birth (e.g. extracts of birth), passports). Where there has been a previous marriage, 

                      you must provide evidence of how it ended, usually a  Certificate of Divorce( in the case of a divorce0, 

                    or a Death Certificate if a previous partner has died.

Step 4

You then meet the marriage celebrant by arrangement. You should have access to your Birth Certificates or Passports for  the legalities.  You may start to compile your ceremony from the resources given. (choose from existing examples or cut and paste various ceremony elements). You can dialogue further refinements of the ceremony via  email or in any way that suits you. Important details include: the given names by which you wish to be called during the ceremony, and the exact time and address of the place for the ceremony. This is the best time to discuss any details regarding the arrangements, discuss any of your special needs, and also to get to know the celebrant.

Step 5

The marriage celebrant and the ceremony party should meet for a rehearsal, preferably at the place of the ceremony, or some other suitable venue at least one week prior to the ceremony.

Step 6

On the day, and at the place and time arranged, all parties, including the guests, meet and the ceremony takes place.

  

Choosing a Marriage Celebrant

The big advantage is that you can choose your marriage celebrant. Celebrants are not confined to areas. Different celebrants suit different people; not all celebrants are the same, and they differ in their approach. All celebrants should give you complete choice of ceremony. If you cannot decide on a celebrant - by seeing one conducting another ceremony or by personal recommendation - one way to find someone suitable without inconveniencing people is to make a phone call. Ask what the celebrant's procedure is for choice, consultation, planning, rehearsal and ceremony. If this is satisfactory to you, then ask about the celebrant's availability on the day and time you require. You can learn much from a phone call.

Your first meeting

If you have all your documents prepared in advance, you can spend the time with the celebrant discussing the details that concern you, and getting to know your celebrant as a person. It is also more convenient to pay the fee or a deposit at this time.

  

Making contact with the Celebrant

Sometimes it is necessary to phone or send   an email to a celebrant, especially when an interview is not possible or documents for the ceremony, which were not available at the time of the interview, have to be forwarded.