Blog Category - Wedding  Planning

Getting Married via Skype - Possible or Not?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Legals  | Wedding Planning |
(24/03/2020)
Is it legal to get married over Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or other videoconferencing technology? ...  Read on...

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 ...  Read on...

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...  Read on...

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... Read on...

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? ... Read on...

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? ... Read on...

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. ... Read on...

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 ... Read on...

You Just Got Engaged. Now What?

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(15/02/2020)
So, the question was popped. You said yes. Everyone got excited. Now What? Well, everyone will start asking the When? and Where? and How? questions. Here are my top three picks for 1, 2, and 3, on your We're Engaged, What Next To Do List... Read on...

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. Read on...

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 ... Read on...

When Disaster Strikes - Plan D - How to Get Married Legally When your Venue and your Celebrant are Unreachable

Categories: | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(03/01/2020)
The one thing that is required to make any Plan B work is the capacity to communicate. When disaster strikes, and communications are cut, even the most detailed and multi-faceted Plan B is useless. So what can you do if you've planned your wedding (and a viable Plan B), and now your venue and your celebrant are within one of the disaster zones ... Read on...

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. ... Read on...

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 ... Read on...

How Many Toilets Does Your Wedding Need?   

Categories: |  Wedding Planning |
(20/11/2019)
The ratio of toilets to guests at your wedding is incredibly important. Here's how to do the maths to make sure that the venue you choose has sufficient ...    Read on...

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. ...    Read on...

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 ...    Read on...

Making Sure Your Wedding Service Providers are Legit     

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(04/11/2019)
Checking out your other service providers to make sure they are legit is a bit more complicated than ensuring your celebrant is duly authorised, but definitely worth the effort if you want to not only avoid disappointment on your wedding day, but ensure that they are going to meet your expectations...  Read on...

Genius Wedding Planning in a Nutshell     

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(30/10/2019)
It's easy and simple to build your own wedding planner and checklist based on the reality of your wedding. What this means is that you create your own list of deadlines in conjunction with your own To Do list to create an infinitely scalable planner, suitable for big weddings, small weddings, and microweddings regardless of how much lead time you have...  Read on...

Don't let FOMO wreck your budget ... or your wedding     

Categories: | Wedding Budget| Wedding Planning |
(27/10/2019)
Fear of Missing Out can prompt you to spend money without due consideration or sign up to wedding services in a hurry, leaving you with Buyers Remorse, or worse...   Read on...

Wedding Insurance

Categories:  | Wedding Planning |
(12/10/2019)
However good your Plan B is, it may well not be adequate where a catastrophic natural disaster, severe illness, or vendor non-performance is concerned. Having to cancel or postpone your wedding can be financially very costly,
unless you are insured.....  Read on...

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 ....  Read on...

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?...  Read on...

More than one Plan B for your wedding is a must!

Categories:  | Wedding Planning |
(26/09/2019)
You need Plans B1, B2, and B3 to cover all eventualities and to make sure your wedding can go ahead on the day ...  Read on...

Saying I Do in Secret (it's legal!)

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |Wedding Planning |
(18/09/2019)
If you choose to be married with a civil celebrant in Australia you can be married in secret ...  Read on...

7 Surprising Facts about Getting Married in Australia

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |Wedding Planning |
(16/09/2019)
Getting married in Australia is easier than many people imagine - here are some little known facts that confirm that. ...  Read on...

Balloons and Bushfires 

Categories:  Naming Ceremonies | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Planning |
(12/09/2019)
Balloon releases can cause or spread bushfires  Read on...

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... Read on...

20 things you can do in a backyard wedding
that you most likely won’t be able to do anywhere else

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(15/08/2019)
Hosting your own wedding in your own backyard opens up a wide range of possibilities, not only to save money, but also to make your wedding totally unique because you have complete control over every aspect of the day in a way you don’t if you marry in a wedding venue, or even in a public park   Read on...

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.   Read on...

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.. ...   Read on...

Showcasing Wedding Photographers

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(05/05/2019)
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.   Read on...

Surprise Weddings - How to have 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 ...    Read on...

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 ...    Read on...

Your Wedding Scentscape: 7 top tips to a planning a memory-making wedding

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(08/03/2019)
Science tells us that smells trigger more vivid emotional memories and are better at inducing that feeling of “being brought back in time” than images.  Science also tells us that fragrances can have a powerful calming effect. When planning your wedding, plan for the memories. One of the simplest ways to do that is to plan not only how your ceremony, and the celebration afterwards will look and feel, but also how it smells....  Read on...

Weddings are rife with bullying – and its got to stop

Categories:  Wedding Planning | Wedding Traditions |
(22/02/2019)
There are many forms of common wedding bullying and it is not all about the bride bullying the bridesmaids...  Read on...

Has Marriage Equality Changed Weddings? – My Predictions Revisited

Categories: Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(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?   Read on...

How to have a Gracious Wedding

Categories:  Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Planning |
(22/11/2018)
Most couples today host their own weddings. Here are 35 ways to make sure that everyone feels welcome, appreciated, and both physically and emotionally comfortable.  ...    Read on...

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.  ...    Read on...

Reduce Your Wedding Stress

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(16/11/2018)
8 easy ways to take control of your wedding and reduce your wedding stress  ...    Read on...

You, Your Wedding, and Trans-Gender and Non-Binary Inclusivity

Categories: Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Planning |
(27/10/2018)
If you’re a Cis-gender couple planning your own wedding, issues of gender identity may not be front and centre in the process. However there are good reasons why they should be. Here are some tips on how to make sure your wedding is a comfortable and inclusive experience for everyone who attends, regardless of their gender identity.    Read on...

8 Simple Ways to Keep Within your Wedding Budget

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
(23/10/2018)
One of the most difficult aspects of wedding planning is keeping within your wedding budget. Here are 8 simple things that will make that a breeze ...    Read on...

The Importance of Wedding Invitations ... and other Wedding Stationery (16/02/2018)

Categories: Wedding Planning |
Of all the "must haves" attached to a wedding, the two that seem to be pushed to the bottom of the budget are the celebrant (without whom you'd just be having a very expensive party) and the invitations (without which none of the people you want to be there would know the important where and when facts).... Read on...

How Marriage Equality Will Change Wedding Ceremonies (17/01/2018)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Planning |
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.
Read on...

Multicultural Fusion Weddings (08/01/2018)

Categories: Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Traditions |
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 .... Read on...

8 Things I've Learned Over 11 Years of Being a Marriage Celebrant (04/01/2018)

Categories:  Wedding Planning |
Some of the things I've learned include it is never too early to book important vendors, the most common questions asked, the most common fear, and more .... Read on...

Your celebrant is NOT ripping you off (it is more than just half an hour) (10/07/2017)

Categories:  Celebrant | Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
There is an awful lot that goes into the half-hour the ceremony lasts - and that's what you are paying for .... Read on...

The Drones are Coming (24/01/2017)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning
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...

How to have an Environmentally Friendly and Socially Conscious Wedding (25/10/2016)

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
Environmentally friendly celebrations do not have to lack style. As well as ensuring that you do not start your married life by unwittingly contributing to climate change or environmental damage, making socially conscious choices can save you money – and provide a defensible justification for not breaking the bank!  Here's how: ...Read on ...

Great Wedding Photos Start in the Mind (22/09/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning
Mindset and mind-power can make or break your wedding photos ...Read on ...

How much does a wedding cost? (18/09/2016)

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
While other parts of the retail sector are seeing a downturn, even though the number of weddings in Australia per year is dropping, the wedding industry is flourishing - and that is costing couples big time. But it doesn't have to ... Read on ...

How to Train your Flower Girl for a Brilliant Petal Toss (14/09/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning
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 ... (14/09/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning
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 ...  Read on...

How to avoid getting less than you paid for ... or more than you bargained for ... when booking your ceremony (04/09/2016)

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
Insider tips about what to look at when considering a ceremony package...   Read on...

Don't Forget This One Simple Thing When Choosing a Ceremony Venue
(23/08/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
There is a very simple thing that makes all the difference when choosing your ceremony venue. Forgetting to do it is a serious oversight ... Read on...

How to Avoid the #1 Wedding Embarrassment (15/08/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |

The most feared wedding embarrassment is something that nobody wants to do in public, let alone at their wedding ... Read on...

6 Good Reasons to Celebrate when Something Goes Wrong at your Wedding

(updated 26/07/2017)
Categories: Wedding Planning |

Bali Weddings (27/07/2016 updated 25/09/2019 to reflect changes in Indonesian law)

Categories: Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
Everything you need to know about getting married with an Australian celebrant in Bali ...  Read on...

10 Things we "Know" about Getting Married that Ain't So (26/07/2016)

Categories: Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
As Artemus Ward said 'It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. It's the things we know that ain't so.' In wedding land there are a lot of common beliefs that just aren't true ...  Read on...

How to get the best "getting ready" photos (23/07/2016)

Categories: Wedding Planning |
Ensuring that your 'getting ready' photos are fantastic requires not just a photographer with skills and a good eye, but some preparation on the part of the bridal party.   ...  Read on...

How to create a talking logo for your wedding  (23/07/2016)

Categories: Wedding Planning |
Borrow a tool from business networking for effective communication about your wedding  ...  Read on...

10 lessons learned from 700+ weddings (21/07/2016)

Categories:  Wedding Planning |
Ten years of officiating weddings, both legal and non-legal, have dished up some  pretty interesting lessons, some of which might surprise  ...  Read on...

Scottish Islamic Tartan (19/07/2016)

Drone and GO  (06/08/2016)

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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 ... Read on...