Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs - Weddings

What is my availability?

Please give me contact me for my availability. To comply with the legalities of the Marriage Act, you will need more than a month to book you wedding, this is part of the Notice of Intent to Marriage form which must be submitted to the Births, Deaths and Marriages office between 18 and 1 month prior to the wedding. I submit this form 

What are my costs and will I travel?

I can be involved as much or as little as you like with your wedding, however before the vows are said, I must by law say: “I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of 2 people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”; or words to that effect.

Do I need witnesses?

To make your marriage legal, you require two witnesses over the age of 18. Being a witness can be seen as quite and honour and it is nice to choose two people who have shared experiences with both of you.

Can we include some religious practices into the service?

I am happy to work in any practices into your ceremony. I am respectful of everybody’s right to follow the religion of their choice as much as I acknowledge those who are not religious.

Do you also MC?

As an experienced Toastmaster, I can MC your reception or both post-ceremony party. This will include me liaising with your speakers, musicians and food providers

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

What do I need to include in my vows?

What do I need to include in my vows?

I warmly encourage you to write your own vows that express you love and adoration for each other, if you struggle with finding the right words I can help you with this. By law to make the marriage legal, you must include the following:

“I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, A.B. (or C.D.), take thee, C.D. (or A.B.), to be my lawful wedded wife (husband or spouse)” . . . or words to that effect.

Words to that effect may include:

·              ‘husband’, or ‘wife’ or ‘spouse’ may be changed to ‘partner in marriage’

·              ‘call upon’ may be changed to ‘ask’

·              ‘persons’ may be changed to ‘people’

·              ‘thee’ may be changed to ‘you’

·              ‘persons here present’ may be changed to ‘everyone here’ or ‘everybody here’ or ‘everyone present here’ or ‘everybody present here’, or

·              the couple may leave out either ‘lawful’ or ‘wedded’, but not both.

You cannot use nicknames or shortened names in the formal part of the vows, but you can for the other parts of the service”

Can you help us chose a place to get married?

Choosing a location to get married is a decision you need to make together. Keep in mind if you chose to get married in a public location, such as a beach or park, you will need to consult your local council for this. If the location is outdoors, I encourage you to have a backup location in-case of inclement weather

Readings, vows and music

I encourage you to choose your own music, readings and write your own vows however I can help you out with these. I will have hard backup copies of the spoken words and readings for all those involved which can be added to your wedding album

How long should I plan for our service?

Most ceremonies take between 20 – 30 minutes. Long enough to create complete the legal requirements and to publicly share your love, but short enough not to overwhelm yourselves and your guests

LGBTQIA+

I have worked with many people and couples are who are LGBTQIA+ and celebrate that love does not discriminate. If you have committed to each other to formally share your lives together, I would be delighted to be part of your marriage ceremony.

What if I need a translator and interpreter?

Having worked with many interpreters and translators I am very happy to include them in the service. All translators should be accredited with National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NATI) and must complete the Certificate of Faithful Performance by Interpreter form. The Interpreter must provide a Statutory Declaration, prior to the wedding, stating their fluency in the relevant language. This must be witnessed by the Celebrant. Immediately after the ceremony the Interpreter must provide a Certificate of Faithful performance of their services. This must be witnessed by the Celebrant. The certificate must be in the approved form which is available on the Attorney-General’s Department’s website

Requirements

For any wedding, there are two legal requirements of the service that are need to make solemnise the marriage to make it legal according to the Marriage Act (1961).  The first of these is that the Authorised Celebrant must say:

“I am duly authorized by law to solemnize marriages according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

The second of these is your vows. Whilst I encourage you to write your own vows, by law, you must include the following lines in a civil marriage:

“I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, A.B. (or C.D.), take thee, C.D. (or A.B.), to be my lawful wedded wife (husband or spouse)” . . . or words to that effect.

Words to that effect may include:

·       ‘husband’, or ‘wife’ or ‘spouse’ may be changed to ‘partner in marriage’

  • ‘call upon’ may be changed to ‘ask’

  • ‘persons’ may be changed to ‘people’

  • ‘thee’ may be changed to ‘you’

  • ‘persons here present’ may be changed to ‘everyone here’ or ‘everybody here’ or ‘everyone present here’ or ‘everybody present here’, or

  • the couple may leave out either ‘lawful’ or ‘wedded’, but not both.

You cannot use nicknames or shortened names in the formal part of the vows, but you can for the other parts of the service.

dream without fear, love without limits…

FAQs - Funerals & Memorials

Can you include religion into our funeral?

Whilst I am not officially appointed as an official to any religion, I am respectful of everybody’s right to follow their own faith and can incorporate aspects of your faith into your ceremony under your direction

How long should a funeral service take?

This is a question that requires a lot of consideration. Considerations include the number of people you would like to speak, music, poetry and film/slideshow options, the distance from the service to the post service refreshments and nature of guests e.g. young children will find a long service difficult and may struggle to stay still for long periods of time

Can you speak on our behalf?

Speaking at a funeral can be difficult and whilst I encourage you to have those close to the deceased to speak, I am happy to speak for you as well

How much do funerals & memorial services cost?

Funerals and memorial services start at $650.  These costs include meeting with the family and friends, creating an order of service, delivering the service and liaising with the Funeral Directors and funeral location

Are there any legal requirements for a funeral?

In NSW, anyone can conduct a funeral, there are no legal requirements. However, as funerals can be emotional experiences, I encourage you to use an experienced person, or someone who knows the deceased’s family or close friends, so they can speak with heart but without becoming overwhelmed themselves..