Blog
Category - Wedding Ceremony
Jennifer Cram asserts her right to be identified as the author of this blog and of the individual blog posts.
Read Your Vows Like a Pro
Categories: | Vows |
Wedding Ceremony | (29/11/2021)
On your wedding day you can repeat your vows after your celebrant, or you can read them. Or you can do both! In Australia, each of you must speak a specific contractual statement. It is this statement that creates your marriage. If you choose to read this statement (perfectly legal to do so) and/or your personal promises, there are several things you can do to make sure that you read with confidence ... More
How to Rock Rose Petals in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Traditions | (27/11/2021)
There are many ways to include rose petals in your wedding ceremony that will both surprise and delight your guests because they won't have experienced them before ... More
Traditions and Your Wedding: Tweak Old Ones and Make
New Ones!
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Traditions | (25/11/2021)
All traditions were invented by someone for some reason that was good, socially acceptable, or in line with a social norm at the time. So it follows that traditions can be comforting. but they can also be a burden if they've outlived their usefulness or express values that are at odds with your own. In the 21st century, there are good reasons to reexamine traditions that are nearly 200 years old, and tweak them or make new ones ... More
21 Good Reasons to Have a Celebrant Wedding
Categories: | Celebrant
| Wedding Ceremony | (20/11/2021)
A celebrant-led wedding gives you so much more flexibility and choice than marrying in either a religious ceremony or a registry office ceremony while not restricting the content of your ceremony ... More
8 Legit Ways to Use Smart Phones in your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(06/11/2021)
Smart phones are a largely ignored and definitely under-exploited resource in wedding ceremonies ... More
Weddings and Weaponry in Queensland
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(03/11/2021)
Carrying a knife (sgian dubh) is part of the traditional male Scottish Highland Dress. But in many
places, including Queensland, carrying a knife in a public place can land you in trouble with the law. Read on to find out about the rules and what you can do to get round them .... More
The Six Stages of Ceremony Development
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(02/11/2021)
A personal and authentic bespoke ceremony doesn't just happen. By following my unique six steps of ceremony development we will make your vision for your ceremony a reality ... More
How to Hold Your Wedding Bouquet
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Dresses |(29/10/2021)
How you carry your bouquet can make a world of difference to your photos, and to how much your guests see of your beautiful dress and, potentially, your face ... More
Dot Point your Vows for Ease and Effect
Categories: | Vows | Wedding Ceremony |(21/10/2021)
Succinct vows can be very effective. And you can't get more succinct than dot points. If you are planning to read your vows, dot pointing them will make them easy to read and so much easier to write! ... More
14 Ways to Include Lucky White Heather in your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(12/10/2021)
White heather, a Scottish tradition that has spread far and wide, is considered lucky in weddings. While it is traditional to include a sprig in a bride's bouquet, there are many other ways to incorporate it in your wedding ... More
Could a Tandem Wedding be Your Thing?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |(10/10/2021)
A tandem wedding ceremony is one that is officiated by two people, working in concert, but only one of whom is authorised to solemnise legal marriages ... More
What Does The Marriage Act Do?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(26/09/2021)
The Marriage Act applies to all marriages solemnised in Australia. It lays down the framework, creates offences, and deals with the recognition of foreign marriages ... More
Why Border-Straddling Weddings Are a No-No
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(25/09/2021)
Marriages in Australia must be registered in the state or territory in which they take place... More
Everyone Present at Your Wedding is a Guest
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(27/07/2021)
Everyone present at your wedding is a guest, including the two of you! This is something to take to heart. It's not just about being kind and considerate, it is also about social media use. . ... More ...
Vows, Personal Promises, and what goes first
Categories: | Vows | Wedding Ceremony |(07/07/2021)
Out in celebrant land there are differing opinions about whether your personal promises must follow the legal vows, or whether they can be said before you make your legal vows. Here's why I believe that personal promises can be made anywhere in the ceremony - or not at all, if you so choose. ... More ...
Can you all hear me?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(21/06/2021)
How successful your wedding ceremony is depends very largely on your guests being able to hear
every word. That can mean your celebrant needs to use a PA system. However, the choices you make early in your planning, and the unexpected challenges your chosen venue throws up, can have an immense impact on how well your guests will be able to hear the
ceremony. ... More ...
Declutter your Vows: 3 Vows are Better than One!
Categories: | Vows | Wedding Ceremony |(21/05/2021)
There is a simple solution to the struggle to write your personal vows. Instead of trying to fit it
all into one vow, write three vows. And there is a rational reason why this is a great idea ... More ...
Wedding Ceremony Anxiety and How to Deal with it
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(17/05/2021)
It is the very rare bride or groom who doesn't develop some level of wedding ceremony anxiety in the lead up to their wedding. It's common, but, by understanding what it is and why you might be feeling that way can go a long way to damping it down. ... More ...
Pimp up your wedding ceremony program to the max
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(04/05/2021)
Wedding programs have fallen out of favour. They are no longer a must-have. However, done well, your wedding program can serve as a guide to your ceremony, an introduction that adds to the anticipation and excitement ... More ...
Yes! You CAN have a gender-neutral, stereotype-free, wedding ceremony
Categories: | Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Ceremony |(20/04/2021)
The Marriage Act permits couples to have a totally gender-neutral marriage ceremony. Regardless of how much pressure others may apply to try to make you confirm to gender stereotypes, you are legally entitled to ignore them. ... More ...
Including Your Brothers and Best Mates in Your
Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Inclusive Wedding |
Wedding Ceremony | (04/04/2021)
There are so many ways to include all of your best mates and brothers in your ceremony, even if you want to keep your wedding party small ... More ...
Unplugged Wedding: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(30/03/2021)
Having an unplugged wedding has benefits, but it also has drawbacks. A compromise position might be the best strategy.. ... More ...
How to Deal with Unsolicited Wedding Advice
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(16/03/2021)
Unsolicited wedding advice from well-meaning friends and loved ones can feel like criticism and be stressful. In this blog post I discuss how to deal with it. ... More ...
Warming of the Rings - a Powerfully Inclusive Ritual
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals |(28/02/2021)
In the Warming of the Rings ritual your wedding rings are infused with the love, energy, strength, and commitment to support your marriage of friends and loved ones. In this blog post I discuss the charm and the challenges of this ritual, one of my favourites, particularly since COVID ... More ...
False Origin Claims about Three Wedding Rituals
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals |(24/01/2021)
There is no need to attribute invented traditions to long ago and far away to give them authority. Misattribution is both disrespectful and unnecessary. These ceremony enhancements are enough, as they are. They can stand alone. ... More ...
Pairing up your Wedding Party: Who Walks with Who?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |(21/01/2021)
How do you pair up your wedding party when you've tossed the idea of a a strict division along
gender lines and your I Do Crew is made up of your besties with no regard for equal numbers or matchy matchy on gender. ... More ...
How to Avoid Ugly Crying During Your Wedding
Categories: | Vows | Wedding Ceremony |(15/01/2021)
Are you nervous about ugly crying during the most emotional parts of the day (the ceremony and the speeches)? There are tried and true ways to make sure you feel the emotions but avoid the ugly part of the crying ... More ...
Plan X - The 2021 Wedding Must Have
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(05/01/2021)
Plan X is the plan you have ready to guide you when your wedding, as planned, can't go ahead on the day because of restrictions imposed in response to COVID-19 outbreaks ... More ...
Fund your Wedding and Include your Loved Ones with a
Wedding Registry
Categories: | Wedding Budget
| Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Planning |(05/12/2020)
Rethinking what you might put on your wedding registry list and/or substituting a Wedding Wish List for a Wishing Well can be great solutions to two of the big dilemmas 2020 has created for couples planning to marry More ...
Ramp Up the Fun with Wildlife at your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(22/11/2020)
An emerging trend is that couples are thinking beyond their own fur kids and exploring the idea of adding a wildlife element to their wedding. It is also a growing area in wedding-related businesses, so you are spoiled for choice. However, to successfully include wildlife in your wedding requires some thought and preparation More ...
Celebrate Your Grandmas in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Inclusive Weddings | Wedding
Ceremony | (15/11/2020)
There are so many ways to include your grandmothers in your ceremony. More ...
No Wedding Ceremony Is Boring ... However ...
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | (12/11/2020)
Weddings and wedding ceremonies have acquired the reputation of being boring even though no wedding is boring if you've never been to a wedding before. The problem isn't that weddings are boring, but that they are predictable, which is both comforting and boring. And that's the challenge. More ...
White Weddings are uh, White
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | (26/10/2020)
The traditional white wedding, still seen as the norm in Australia, is culturally white, through and through More ...
Like First Impressions, the First Line of Your Wedding Ceremony Matters
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(26/09/2020)
The first line of your wedding ceremony can be captivating and intriguing. It can make your
guests lean forward, eager to participate. It does not have to be boring. Unfortunately, it often is... More ...
Guest Blog Post on the Wedlockers site:
Louder than Words: The Potent "Hidden" Messages Your Wedding Ceremony Can Send
(24/09/2020)
As the saying goes, the little things are the big things. In weddings, subtle messages sent by both actions and words speak volumes about your relationship. Whether accurate or inaccurate, subtle “hidden” messages can influence the way your relationship is perceived and the marriage itself ... Read it
Your Wedding Vows: Legal, Personal, Private? What's the Difference?
Categories: | Vows| Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(12/09/2020)
What's the difference between legal vows and personal vows (personal promises) and can you keep
them private?... More ...
12 Wedding "Rules" to Kick to the Curb for a Modern Marriage
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
(04/09/2020)
Your wedding is a personal occasion, but a personal occasion that lays a critical foundation
for your future together. There are no rules, other than minimal legal requirements. But there are plenty of tyrannical traditions that you can skip with a clear conscience ... More ...
Give your Dog a Starring Role in Your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(27/08/2020)
Dogs being themselves make for magic moments. All you need to do is to give your dog the
opportunity by including them in your wedding every way you can. ... More ...
Celebrate Your Fathers in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Inclusive Weddings |
Wedding Ceremony | (19/08/2020)
There are so many ways to include both fathers in your ceremony.. ... More ...
You Absolutely Should Plan Your Wedding with
Anniversaries in Mind
Categories: | Vow Renewals | Wedding
Ceremony | (18/08/2020)
Weddings are about making memories, and one of the ways to keep the memory of your wedding alive is to celebrate your wedding anniversaries. Planning your wedding with future wedding anniversaries in mind is particularly important at the moment, when COVID-19 has imposed so many restrictions on weddings. ... More ...
Love Locks: a Ritual with Ancient Relevance and
Contemporary Problems
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals |(14/08/2020)
The love lock unity ritual is a relatively new ritual inspired by the custom of lovers attaching a padlock to a public structure and throwing away the key. It offers numerous possibilities for meaningful personalisation, but needs to be mindfully prepared and performed on the day ... More ...
Breakfast Weddings - A Beautiful Budget-Friendly
Option
Categories: | Wedding Budget | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(11/08/2020)
Even on a weekend, having a breakfast wedding gives you more options and more chance of booking your chosen suppliers. And it is a very budget-friendly option .... More ...
Barefoot at Your Wedding - An Ancient Tradition
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Traditions |(07/08/2020)
Marrying in bare feet is an ancient Celtic tradition, easily translatable to the Australian environment. ... More ...
Masked-Up and Married - How to Rock a Mask on your
Wedding Day
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Dresses |(31/07/2020)
With COVID-19 compulsory mask-wearing anytime you leave your own home very definitely on
the agenda, it is time to do some forward planning and prepare to rock a mask on your wedding day if you are required to wear one ... More ...
34 Ways to Incorporate Tartan in Your Wedding Ceremony Without Wearing a Kilt
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |(26/07/2020)
There are many ways to incorporate family tartans into your wedding ceremony apart from the men wearing kilts ... More ...
Redesigning Wedding Ceremonies for 2020
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(19/07/2020)
While developing my own COVIDSafe plan for the ceremonies I officiate it became clear that many parts of the ceremony now need a different approach in order to keep everyone safe. The challenge is how to adapt the ceremony to make it safer without compromising the emotion of the occasion ... More ...
Wedding Cake Unity Ritual
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Traditions |(15/07/2020)
A wedding cake unity ritual, where you cut and share your wedding cake during your ceremony, works well, both symbolically and practically, and is a great way to deal with the new COVID-19 restrictions on sharing the cake with guests ... More ...
In 2020 Children Need to be Invited to Your Wedding
Categories: | Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(12/07/2020)
There are good reasons why it is particularly important in 2020, a year where their lives have been
disrupted, for children to experience wedding ceremonies ... More ...
How to Have a Plastic Free Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(03/07/2020)
Your wedding day is a great opportunity to share and showcase your values. It is also a day that presents multiple opportunities to either pile on the plastics or do your best to avoid that. So I've put together some suggestions, some simple, some straightforward, some the obvious,
and some a little bit cheeky! ... More ...
What Makes a Good Wedding?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(28/06/2020)
After 14 years and well over 1000 weddings (legal and non-legal), together with 11 books and 190+
blog posts about things wedding, I know a bit about weddings, and what makes a good wedding, and what doesn't. ... More ...
Can I sing my vows?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(26/06/2020)
Smaller, more intimate weddings mean that couples feel more relaxed about thinking outside the box. But are you allowed to sing your vows? ... More ...
Down the Aisle, Social Distancing Style
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(26/06/2020)
With restrictions on numbers at weddings being relaxed, the aisle is coming back. But how do you set up your ceremony space and walk down the aisle with style when social distancing is still required? ... More ...
Blowing Bubbles, Covid-19 Safe or Covid-19 Risky?
Categories: | Naming Ceremonies | Wedding Ceremony |(23/06/2020)
Is it safe to blow bubbles in your ceremony, or is there a risk of spreading COVID-19? ... More ...
How to be Gorgeous in Glasses on Your Wedding Day
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Dresses |(19/06/2020)
Marrying the person who fell in love with glasses-wearing you has got to be the best reason on the
planet to splurge on a new pair of luxury designer frames ... More ...
Cats and Weddings - A Melt Your Heart Combination
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(17/06/2020)
Whatever the temperament of your kitty fur baby including them in your wedding photos is something you'll never regret. All it takes is a bit of caution and some forward planning to make sure your baby is safe and comfortable ... More ...
7 Things to Do With Your Vows After Your Wedding
Categories: | Vows| Wedding Ceremony |(15/06/2020)
The promises you make to one another are the heart, soul, and centrepiece of your ceremony.
They come from your best and higher selves. They are also the blueprint for your marriage and a timeless reminder of what is important to you both. So don't pack them away... More ...
Left or Right? Which Side is Correct for Your Wedding?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |(14/06/2020)
Which side is correct in a wedding depends on what we are talking about - flowers, rings, or seating ... More ...
5 Good Reasons to have a Theme Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(12/06/2020)
Theme weddings are fun. They also tick all the boxes for a great experience for you and for your guests ... More ...
Till Death Do Us Part - Traditional Yes, Required Definitely Not
Categories: |Vows | Wedding Ceremony |(09/06/2020)
Why do we associate Till Death Do Us Part with weddings and do you have to say it in your vows? ... More ...
Let's Talk About Bubbles in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(03/06/2020)
Bubbles of both kinds (champagne and bubbles you blow) can add so much to a ceremony.... More ...
How to add Surprises to your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(02/06/2020)
A great way to make sure your guests are engaged and entertained by your wedding ceremony is to do the unexpected, to surprise them.... More ...
More than "I do": 6 Things Your Wedding Ceremony Should Achieve
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(30/05/2020)
A successful wedding ceremony will achieve six things ... More ...
The Groom is Getting Married Too!
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(23/05/2020)
On your wedding day, two people are getting married. It is time to give the groom equal billing, and here's how you can do that easily, without added expense, and without mystifying your guests ... More ...
How to have a Non-Legal Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(14/05/2020)
Getting married and having a wedding can be a two-step process.. ... More ...
Celebrate Your Mothers in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Inclusive Weddings |(10/05/2020)
There are so many ways to include both mothers in your ceremony. ... More ...
Contact Tracing and Your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(09/05/2020 - Updated 17/05/2020)
As we progressively relax restrictions on weddings and gatherings there is a new rule - contact records must be kept for all attendees ... More ...
Double Weddings are Fun, Budget Friendly, and Poised for a Comeback
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(06/05/2020)
Double weddings are great fun, budget friendly and likely to make a comeback because of extra competition for dates, venues and vendors that will flow on from weddings postponed in 2020 ... More ...
What's the Best Time of the Day to Get Married?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(30/04/2020)
The time of day you choose for your wedding will have a significant impact on your whole day, including on your budget, your photographs, your choice of venue, and possibly on the availability of your preferred vendors and whether or not guests can attend ... More ...
Your Wedding, Your Story
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(28/04/2020)
Sharing your love story with your guests is a common feature in a marriage ceremony, but how do you do that in the best possible way, particularly when many of your friends and loved ones are not going to be able to be at your wedding? ... More ...
ISO (Coronavirus) Weddings Can Be Oh So Romantic
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(23/04/2020)
Rule of Five weddings under the current Coronavirus restrictions, are limited to the minimum number of people needed to be present for a legal marriage, but this should not mean that your wedding is a second-best alternative ... More ...
Romantic Wedding Ring Ideas
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(21/04/2020)
One of the most emotional (and romantic) high points of your marriage ceremony is the exchange of your wedding rings. Why not make that moment even more romantic by adding something unique to the two of you, something that emphasises that your rings symbolise your love and unity ... More ...
Isolation (Coronavirus) Weddings FAQ
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(18/04/2020)
Current social isolation/social distancing restrictions on weddings are complicated because, while the Federal Government set the broad restrictions, the fine detail is controlled on a state by state basis..... More ...
How to Write a Love Letter
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Rituals|(15/04/2020)
What could possibly be more romantic than receiving a love letter? Writing one! Putting your love in writing is a way to have it endure for ever.... More ...
12 Things Coronavirus Won't Stop You Having in Your
"Rule of Five" Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | (04/04/2020)
Under current coronavirus restrictions you are only permitted to have a total of five people present at your wedding - the same five people that is the minimum number for the marriage to be legal. But the ceremony is not limited to the legal requirements only. You are free to make it as fun and fabulous as you wish ... More ...
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Your Rings
Categories: |
Wedding Ceremony | (30/03/2020)
The most common question about weddings under the new restrictions is about whether rings are
allowed. ... More ...
Getting Married via Skype - Possible in Australia or
Not?
Categories: |
Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | Wedding Planning | (24/03/2020)
Sorry, it is NOT legal in Australia to get married over Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or
other videoconferencing technology, or by proxy. And this is why... More ...
So Coronavirus Cancelled Your Wedding ... What Now?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Planning | (23/03/2020)
You've been thrown a curve ball that means your wedding can't go ahead on the day you've planned for, or, can't go ahead the way you've planned it. Closure of venues, restrictions on the number of people who can be in both indoor and outdoor spaces, travel restrictions, social distancing, and a lot of uncertainty because we have no idea how long this will last ... More ...
What Should We Tell Our Guests About Our Wedding in
the Time of the Coronavirus?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Planning | (19/03/2020)
With Government restrictions ramping up on a daily basis, concerns about flattening the curve, and worrying media reports about the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on weddings, you wouldn't be human if you weren't stressing about your wedding, or worrying about what you should tell your guests... More ...
Can You Have Two (or More) Weddings?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | Wedding Planning | (17/03/2020)
Can you, as a marrying couple, have more than one wedding? The answer is Yes, but also, That Depends... More ...
Coronavirus and Your Wedding - Some Suggestions
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | Wedding Planning | (11/03/2020)
How novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) might impact your planned wedding is a hot topic at the moment. So, should you be concerned? Or, in the words of that wonderful World War II advice, Alert but not Alarmed? ... More ...
You Are Never Too Old To Get Married the Way you
Want
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | (03/03/2020)
How do you, as a mature age couple, negotiate the whole process of wedding planning when most of the marketing, information, and focus out in wedding land is on the younger couple wanting the fairy-tale wedding experience? ... More ...
The Importance of Consent: Why no-one can force you
to marry, to kiss in your wedding, or to have sex
afterwards
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | (02/03/2020)
Celebrants in Australia have to be on the lookout for any indication that you might not be freely and willingly agreeing to marry, and if we are at all concerned, to pull the plug on the wedding. You can't be forced to marry, to kiss during the wedding, or to have sex after marriage ... More ...
Not "Just a Celebrant" (and Not "Just Half an Hour")
Categories: | Celebrant | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding
Planning |(28/02/2020)
What does a celebrant do? And why do they charge for more than the half hour the ceremony takes? The easy answer is that a celebrant changes your legal status from not-married to married. which is a pretty big thing. Life-changing, in fact. And they do that by creating and performing a ceremony. But it certainly doesn't stop there. When you hire me as a celebrant, you're getting a lot more than someone who will make sure you tick a few legal boxes, stand up in front of your guests, rabbit on for a bit, and then declare that you are married. ... More ...
May Love Be Your Umbrella: Using Umbrellas and Parasols in Your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(21/02/2020)
Umbrellas present fabulously Instagramable opportunities for your wedding, including many richly symbolic ways to feature them in the ceremony ... More ...
No Licence Needed
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | Wedding Planning |(21/02/2020)
Getting married in Australia is super simple. You don't need a marriage licence, and your venue doesn't have to have a licence to host wedding ceremonies ... More ...
Stand by Me - Or Please Be Seated: There are No Rules for Your Bridal Party, or for Guests at Your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |(18/02/2020)
There are no rules that require your wedding party to stand up in the front for the whole ceremony. It is your choice. However, deciding whether your wedding party will stand with you, or be seated, comes down to a number of things ... More ...
Your Grand Entrance: How to walk down the aisle with style
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |(08/02/2020)
Guests at weddings are very accepting of couples doing their own thing and making their own decisions about how to walk down the aisle. No-one bats an eye if you choose to do something other than walk down the aisle on the arm of your father. And most people no longer assume that, if you do walk down the aisle on your father's arm, the ceremony that follows will be ultra-traditional and totally predictable ... More ...
Your Marriage Certificate(s)
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(06/02/2020)
Every couple marrying in Australia will be presented with a certificate on the day. That certificate is proof that you are married, but it isn't proof that your marriage has been registered. So you need a second (and different) certificate as well ... More ...
How to have a Stress-Free Wedding in Your Own Backyard
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(05/02/2020)
The benefits of holding your wedding in your own backyard are many, and varied, but they all add up to two things - a backyard wedding is easy on the budget, and it gives you the ultimate opportunity create a more relaxed, more personal feel to your wedding. More ...
Love and Laughter make for an Unboring Wedding
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | (30/01/2020)
Other than getting the legal bits right, spontaneous and shared laughter is the most important ingredient for a wedding ceremony. It lifts the mood. It relaxes everyone. When everyone is laughing they are engaged in an experience. They are not merely an audience ... More ...
What's a Legals Only Wedding?
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | (28/01/2020)
You might be wondering what those Legals Only weddings you've seen advertised are. Simply put, Legals Only is marriage celebrant speak/shorthand for the bare minimum ceremony as required by the Marriage Act. But that's not the whole story ... More ...
When (soppily) romantic isn't your thing
Categories: | Wedding
Ceremony | (23/01/2020)
Your wedding ceremony doesn't have to be dripping with sentimentality to be meaningful, and special, and a real reflection of the commitment the two of you have to one another and to your marriage. If you don't do soppy, and don't feel comfortable with lovey-dovey poetry or extravagant vows, you can still have a personal ceremony that is everything you wish for." ... More ...
It's True - Your Marriage Ceremony can be
Unstructured!
Categories: | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Legals | (19/01/2020)
It might surprise you to learn that there is nothing in the Marriage Act that requires that your marriage ceremony has to follow a tightly structured script. As long as you meet the very minimal legal requirements, everything else is optional! ... More ...
Charitable Giving and your Wedding
Categories: | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Planning | (15/01/2020)
There are many ways to make charitable giving part of your wedding, including making it part of your ceremony, and it is always a good idea to give your guests a heads-up if you are asking them to give to a cause dear to you ... More ...
Your Wedding Party - Busting the Myths
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
|(13/01/2020)
Four myths about wedding parties persist, despite it being the 21st century, despite society more inclusive, and despite three quarters of wedding ceremonies in Australia being civil ceremonies where ceremony content is all about personal choice and ensuring that your wedding reflects who you are as a couple. ... More ...
How to Get Them to the Ceremony on Time
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Planning |(21/12/2019)
Guests arriving late to the ceremony is a common problem which puts you, your celebrant, your photographer, together with other guests in the unenviable position of having to decide whether you will exchange your vows in front of a lot of empty seats, have special people miss the ceremony, suffer disruptions caused by people wandering in half way through the ceremony, or become unwell because of a long wait in the heat. ... More ...
How to have a Hygge Wedding in a Heatwave
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Planning |(08/12/2019)
A hygge wedding is a perfect way to beat the heat and have a cosy and comfortable wedding ... More ...
Easy ways to Conquer Your Fears about Your
Vows
Categories: | Vows | Wedding
Ceremony |(21/11/2019)
One of the biggest fears couples share with me is about speaking in public and stuffing up their vows, but making your vows to one another is not like standing on a platform, facing an audience, and making a speech. So there are ways to avoid ugly crying ... More ...
Tree Planting Ritual
Categories: | Naming Ceremonies
| Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals
|(19/11/2019)
The planting of a tree during a wedding, naming ceremony, or memorial ceremony is a powerful ritual. ... More ...
Micro Weddings - Pluses and Opportunities
Galore
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Planning | (19/11/2019)
While a Micro Wedding is usually interpreted to be abbreviated on all fronts - a shorter, simpler ceremony and celebration with only a handful of guests - it allows greater flexibility and offers many wonderful possibilities not
possible in a larger wedding. ... More ...
10 Ways to Beat the Heat on Your Wedding Day
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Planning | (14/11/2019)
Australia is a hot place where outdoor weddings are popular. Heat can compromise your wedding in many ways, Doing these 10 things can help you beat the heat and have a fantastic day ... More ...
Religion in your Civil Marriage Ceremony
Categories: Vows | Wedding
Ceremony | (13/11/2019)
In Australia there is no prohibition on including personal expressions of religious or spiritual belief in a civil marriage ceremony, and there are many ways to do this ... More ...
Nail your Vows by doing these 3 simple things
Categories: Vows | Wedding
Ceremony | (21/10/2019)
I've never met a couple who didn't want their exchange of vows to go without a hitch on the day. The good news is, like everything else about your wedding, preparation is key. Doing 3 simple things before you start writing your vows will guarantee a flawless vow exchange ... More ...
Avoid pre-wedding dramas with a Witness Lottery
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |(02/10/2019)
Because being witness is an honour, not choosing someone who expected to be chosen can cause hurt feelings and a ongoing drama, including broken friendships and family rifts. Sidestep problems by having a witness lottery .... More ...
A Spontaneous Wedding? Yes you can
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |(29/09/2019)
Does that whole let's get married now vibe appeal to you? No big wedding, just running away and doing it without any fuss and bother?... More ...
7 Things to Read at your Wedding instead of a Poem
Categories: | Wedding Ceremony
| (21/09/2019)
While meaningful readings can add to the whole emotional impact of a personal ceremony, just inserting a standard reading or two adds little or nothing, and can detract. marrying with a civil celebrant opens up many more possibilities, as long as we think outside the box and don't feel constrained by (or obligated to follow) the tradition of including 3 readings More ...
Balloons and Bushfires
Categories: Naming Ceremonies | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Rituals | Wedding
Planning | (12/09/2019)
Balloon releases can cause or spread bushfires More ...
OMG! We forgot the rings ...
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | Wedding Rituals |(24/08/2019)
Forgetting the wedding rings happens. But it doesn't have to if you have strategies in place to avoid this. Worst case scenario? There are multiple creative ways to deal with being ringless on the day... More ...
The curious reasons why Marriage Documents are signed with black ink
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(04/08/2019)
Have you ever wondered why your marriage certificate must be signed in black ink? Or, indeed, why the Notice of Intended Marriage should be filled in using black ink (if you're filling it in by hand)? It has a lot to do with archival requirements - but also with status! More ...
Acknowledgement of Country
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals | (26/07/2019)
Starting your wedding or other ceremony with an Acknowledgement of Country sends a powerful message of respect and inclusion... More ...
Oathing Stone Wedding Ritual
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(26/07/2019)
The oathing stone is an ancient Celtic tradition that can add meaningful symbolism to your wedding ceremony - and can be used as a planned or emergency substitute for wedding rings... More ...
Sweet Wedding Rituals
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |(14/07/2019)
Honey and sugar are traditionally used in many cultures to wish a couple a sweet married life. These customs can add a beautifully romantic moment to a contemporary wedding ceremony... More ...
Coffee Unity Ceremony
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals | (11/07/2019)
A coffee unity ceremony can be a variation on the wine ceremony, or a variation on the sand ceremony, depending on whether you use liquid coffee or coffee beans... More ...
Booze, Pills, and your Wedding
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | (08/07/2019)
Being drunk or under the influence of other substances, legal or otherwise, can prevent you from getting married ... More ...
Showcasing Wedding Music Makers
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | (03/07/2019)
One of the joys of being a celebrant is seeing other wedding professionals "on the job", and working with them as a team. Recently, I took the opportunity to delve into what lies behind the skills of a couple of favourite wedding music makers, and what enables them to make the magic they do... More ...
Quick-fix hacks for unexpected wedding problems
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(30/06/2019)
There will always be something that doesn’t go to plan on the day. Some have the potential to derail the whole wedding... More ...
Wine ceremonies for vineyard weddings
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals |(19/06/2019)
A wedding in a winery or vineyard offers not only a wide range of settings for your ceremony - both indoors and out, depending on the facilities made available by the particular winery - but also creative inspiration for the ceremony... More ...
Realistic Wedding Readings
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |(09/06/2019)
If you're a down to earth couple, with a realistic view of what marriage really entails, the vast majority of the poems and poetic prose read at weddings are just not for you. I've gathered together a selection of more down-to-earth readings... More ...
Showcasing Wedding Photographers
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | (05/06/2019)
One of the joys of being a celebrant is seeing other wedding professionals "on the job", and working with them as a team. Recently, I took the opportunity to sit down with two photographers I always love working with to delve into what lies behind the skills, what enables them to make the magic they do... More ...
Ageist Judgemental Celebrants Make Me VERY Cross
Categories: Celebrant |
Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Ceremony | (05/06/2019)
A rant about celebrant advertising that is judgemental of clients and ageist about other celebrants ... More ...
Getting married when you don’t identify with a
gender
Categories: Inclusive Wedding |
Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | (23/05/2019)
Gender is now immaterial when getting married in Australia. When marrying you do not have to use gendered terminology or adhere to gendered role ... More ...
Children in your bridal party
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |(19/05/2019)
Including children in your bridal party can make for unexpectedly magic moments ... More ...
Getting the Author right for a Wedding Reading
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |(10/05/2019)
A popular poem claimed to be a translation of an original Persian poem by Sufi poet, Hafiz, is found not to be so. This is a problem because ... More ...
Wedding Reading - Epithalamium
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |(09/05/2019)
A beautiful poem read at the wedding of the first gay couple to legally marry in Scotland ... More ...
Surprise Weddings - How to have a successful one
without breaking the law
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals | Wedding Planning | (03/05/2019)
The Marriage Act is very clear. Surprise weddings are illegal - but only if one of the marrying
couple is being surprised. Which means there are plenty of legal ways to have a surprise wedding ... More ...
Unity Candle Ceremony
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals | (27/04/2019)
The Unity Candle Ceremony - what it is and how to prepare for it ... More ...
Unity Sand Ceremony
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals | (25/04/2019)
The Unity Sand Ceremony - what it is and how to prepare for it ... More ...
How Many Bridesmaids is Just the Right Number?
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning | Wedding Traditions |(13/04/2019)
There is a very fine line between an appropriate number of bridesmaids (and groomsmen) and just too many, and a wide range of factors that come into play when deciding how many is the right number for your wedding ... More ...
Writing your vows doesn't have to be hard
Categories: Vows | Wedding
Ceremony | (07/04/2019)
Writing your own vows is a wonderful way to personalise your ceremony - and it is not difficult if you remember one simple thing ... More ...
Civil Ceremony, Secular Ceremony,
Humanist Ceremony. What's the difference?
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |(02/03/2019)
All legal marriages in Australia are, in a sense, civil marriage, because they are registered and recognised by the state. Secular and Humanist marriage ceremonies differ in some profound ways... More ...
When are you actually legally married?
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals |(08/02/2019)
There are many incorrect assumptions about when in the sequence of the ceremony, the signing, and the registration of their marriage a couple is actually legally married. ... More ...
Has Marriage Equality Changed Weddings? – My Predictions Revisited
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Inclusive Wedding |(25/01/2019)
A year ago, I predicted that Marriage Equality would change all weddings in Australia, as more and more heterosexual couples, previously constrained by a wedding playbook that includes outmoded traditions and embedded roles defined by gender, experience the individual, meaningful, expressions of an equal relationship in the weddings of same-sex couples - and that every wedding, gay or straight, would be the better for it. So how accurate was I? More ...
The Drones are Coming
Categories: Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Planning(24/01/2017)
This year I predict that drones will be the must-have at a wedding. But there are some things you need to take into account to ensure disaster doesn't strike ... Read on ...
What if Someone Objects?
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals |(05/01/2019)
We've all seen it in movie after movie - If anyone knows any reason why these two should not be joined in marriage, speak now .... So what happens if someone objects at your wedding?
More ...
Witnesses and Weddings
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Legals |(05/12/2018)
In Australia, no matter whether you marry in church, the registry office, or by a civil celebrant, and no matter whether you have the big white wedding with a large wedding party, or choose just to elope, the one thing that every wedding must have is two witnesses... More ...
Friend or Professional Celebrant?
Categories: Celebrant | Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Legals |(02/12/2018)
Would choosing a friend instead of a professional celebrant to conduct your wedding ceremony be a good option for you? Everything you need to consider - and how you can have the best of both worlds ... More ...
Before you Meet Your Celebrant
Categories: Celebrant | Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Planning |(19/11/2018)
There are two distinct aspects to getting married - planning the ceremony and meeting the legal requirements. Without the ceremony, your wedding will just be an expensive party. And without meeting the legal requirements you will not be legally married! Here is a list of things to decide and things to do before you meet with me. If you can tick off all of these the process will go smoothly and efficiently. ... More ...
Wine Box or First Fight Box?
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Rituals |(20/09/2018)
Why an Anniversary Wine Box is a more appropriate ritual for a wedding than a First Fight Box ... More ...
Bride promising to obey until death? Not any more
Categories: Vows | Wedding
Ceremony | (09/09/2018)
A very common question from brides is "Do I have to promise to obey" More ...
'You may kiss your bride' - oh yeah? How to have the Perfect (and Perfectly Modern) Kiss
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
(updated 04/08/2018)
As a celebrant I not only see many many wedding kisses, I also have the responsibility of prompting them. Your first kiss as a married couple will be photographed and remembered by your guests (and everyone who sees the photographs) for years and years, so it is important to plan for the perfect kiss! More ....
How Marriage Equality Will Change Wedding Ceremonies
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Inclusive Wedding |(17/01/2018)
This is my prediction – wedding ceremonies will change, but it won’t be a case of the wedding industry merely accommodating same-sex couples. Rather same sex couples will influence, by example, all civil wedding ceremonies in Australia, and all weddings will be the better for it.
More ...
Same Sex Ceremonies - Negotiating the Gendered
Nature of Ceremony Traditions
Categories: Inclusive Weddings | Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |(09/01/2018)
Rather than assign roles, assign various customs .... More ...
Multicultural Fusion Weddings
Categories: Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony |
Wedding Rituals | Wedding Traditions | Wedding
Planning |(08/01/2018)
If you are an intercultural couple, how do you navigate your ceremony? It is not uncommon to have two ceremonies. But there is a third option - a fusion wedding ceremony that incorporates the traditions of what are important to you both ... More ...
Signing the Register and the Certificates
Categories:
Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |(updated 16/12/2017)
Everything you need to know about signing the Marriage Register and Marriage Certificates .... More ...
Your celebrant is NOT ripping you off (it is more
than just half an hour)
Categories: Celebrant |
Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning |(10/07/2017)
There is an awful lot that goes into the half-hour the ceremony lasts - and that's what you are paying for .... More ...
The Drones are Coming
Categories: Wedding
Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(24/01/2017)
This year I predict that drones will be the must-have at a wedding. But there are some things you need to take into account to ensure disaster doesn't strike.... More ...
Great Wedding Photos Start in the Mind
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning(22/09/2016)
Mindset and mind-power can make or break your wedding photos ...Read on ...
How to Train your Flower Girl for a Brilliant
Petal Toss
(14/09/2016)
There is nothing sweeter than a flower girl tossing petals with exuberant abandon. But achieving that takes a little training ... Read on ...
And the Flower Girl
wore a Backpack ...
Categories:
Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning(14/09/2016)
Give the children you want involved in your wedding ceremony the choice of what they will do and what they will wear and magic happens ... More ...
Everything you Learned about Wedding Ceremonies
from Married at First Sight is WRONG
Categories:
Wedding Ceremony (13/09/2016)
Married at First Sight is about the worst wedding manual on the planet ... and here's why ...
More ...
How to Remember and Honour Deceased Loved Ones in
your Wedding Ceremony
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals(09/09/2016)
Memorialising deceased loved ones is something many couples wish to include in their wedding. There are many ways to do this, and many things that need to be considered ... More ...
How to avoid
getting less than you paid for ... or more than you
bargained for ... when booking your ceremony
Categories: Wedding Ceremony
| Wedding Budget | Wedding Legals |
Wedding Planning |(04/09/2016)
Insider tips about what to look at when considering a ceremony package... More ...
How (Not) to
Stagger Down the Aisle (in 3 easy steps)
Categories: Wedding Ceremony(31/08/2016)
There is an art to walking down the aisle elegantly - and most of it relates to preparation ...
More ...
Don't Forget This One Simple Thing When Choosing a Ceremony Venue
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |(23/08/2016)
There is a very simple thing that makes all the difference when choosing your ceremony venue. Forgetting to do it is a serious oversight ... More ...
How to Avoid the #1 Wedding Embarrassment
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning
(15/08/2016)
The most feared wedding embarrassment is something that nobody wants to do in public, let alone at their wedding ... More .....
Wedding
Psychology: How and Where to Stand
Categories:
Wedding Ceremony(30/07/2016)
How and where the bride and groom stand during the ceremony not only impacts on photographs of the ceremony, it can have a far-reaching impact on the marriage, More ...
The
Problem with Wedding Readings
Categories: Celebrant | Wedding
Ceremony
(17/07/2016)
Most people assume that you have to have readings in a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, on the day they often don't work ... More ...
(17/07/2016)
Most people assume that you have to have readings in a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, on the day they often don't work ... More ...
Microphone Wars
Categories: Wedding Ceremony(17/07/2016)
Is a hand-held microphone the best choice? ... More ...
Food,
Flowers, and Furniture
Categories: Celebrant | Wedding
Ceremony(updated 30/07/2018)
Every now and then, someone asks me what I supply in terms of styling and other add-ons for a wedding ... More ....
Drone and GO
Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding
Planning(06/08/2016)
Drone and GO, sounds like the typical wedding ceremony, doesn't it - the celebrant drones on, and eventually you get to kiss and go. But that's not what this post is about ... More ....
Talking Heads
Categories: Wedding Ceremony(13/07/2016)
Let's face it. Most wedding ceremonies are pretty ordinary. And that's partly because they are all about words. Marrying Couple and Celebrant as Talking Heads, with the celebrant doing 98% of the talking ...More ....
