on The Inclusive Celebrant Blog...

Blog Posts in order of posting (newest first)

7 Things your Celebrant does NOT need to know ... and 3 things they have to be sure about

Categories: |  Wedding Legals   |
(29/07/2021) 
There are certain things that the Marriage Act requires that your celebrant must know in order to make sure your marriage will be lawful. There are also things that they don't need to know... 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 ...

The "Worst Days for Weddings" might be the Best Day for Yours

Categories: |   Wedding Planning   |
(13/06/2021) 
In this blog post I revisit the usual suspects on worst days lists, unpack why they are on those lists, and discuss whether ignoring the warnings and going for one of those days might actually be the smart choice for your wedding. ... More ...

Should you Invite your Celebrant to your Reception?

Categories: |   Wedding Planning   |
(28/05/2021) 
Whether or not you should/must invite the person who officiates your wedding ceremony to your reception is a question that no longer has a clear, one-size-fits-all, answer. There are a number of things that come into play, not the least being what type of wedding ceremony you are having ... 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 ...

What if you change your mind? Annulment or Divorce in Australia

Categories: |  Wedding Legals |
(11/05/2021) 
In Australia there are very limited circumstances in which you can get a marriage annulled. Buyer's Remorse (change of mind) isn't one of them. ... 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 ...

8 Ways to Choose Your Wedding Date

Categories: |  Wedding Planning |
(12/01/2021)
While some people have no problem picking a date - usually an anniversary that just happily falls on the weekend - for most couples choosing a date that everyone will be happy with turns into a nightmarish juggling act. On top of that, 2020 sure gave us all a heads-up about all the pitfalls of getting your hearts set on a particular date for your wedding. More ...

Jennifer Cram, The Inclusive Celebrant: My Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Categories: |  Celebrant | Inclusive Weddings |
(09/01/2021)
As a secular humanist whose calling, commitment, and passion is creating and performing fun, relaxed, inclusive ceremonies, I believe with my whole heart that all people are worthy and should be equally valued and treated with equal respect. Neither diversity nor inclusion is optional ...  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 ...

5 Good Reasons to Propose Before you Shop for an Engagement Ring

Categories: | Wedding Traditions |
(17/12/2020)
Proposing with a ring is a very new tradition, and like all traditions, not law. Waiting to choose the ring as a couple has lot going for it. ... 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: | Animals and Weddings  |  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 ...

Strategic Wedding Planning for 2021

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(19/11/2020)
With so many weddings rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 because of COVID-19, if you've just got engaged and hoping to be married in 2021, whether you can pull off the wedding you want, within the time frame you want, will depend on how flexible you are prepared to be. You're going to need to be very strategic about your wedding planning, or very lucky!   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 ...

Valentine's Day - Pros and Cons of Getting Married on the Official Day of Love

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(14/10/2020)
Would Valentine's Day, the Official Day of Love, be a great day to marry, or should you avoid it? There are pros and cons to weddings on that day.  More ...

Let's hear it for Negatives First Wedding Planning

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(13/10/2020)
Kickstart your wedding planning, and ensure you don't blow your budget down the track, by starting with some negative thinking.  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 ...

Your Easy-As Guide to Organising a Naming Ceremony

Categories: | Naming Ceremonies |
(18/09/2020)
Like any celebration, working your way through a series of questions will help focus your minds on what you want for and from your child's naming ceremony, and will also point you to what you need to do to make sure that you pull off an experience that your friends and loved ones will talk about for years. ... More ...

Your Wedding Vows: Legal, Personal, Private? What's the Difference?

(12/09/2020) Categories: | Vows | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |
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

(04/09/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
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

(27/08/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

 (19/08/2020) Categories: | Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony |
There are so many ways to include both fathers in your ceremony.. ... More ...

You Absolutely Should Plan Your Wedding with Anniversaries in Mind

(18/08/2020) Categories: | Vow Renewals | Wedding Ceremony |
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

(14/08/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |
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

(11/08/2020) Categories: | Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

 (07/08/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
Marrying in bare feet is an ancient Celtic tradition, easily translatable to the Australian environment. ... More ...

6 Good Reasons to Hold a Naming Ceremony

(06/08/2020) Categories: | Naming Ceremonies |
Why hold a naming ceremony? Apart from celebrating your child's arrival, a naming ceremony accomplishes some important things, all of which are good reasons for holding one ... More ...

Something Old Something New Something Borrowed Something Blue

(03/08/2020) Categories: | Wedding Traditions |
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue is a rhyme and a tradition that has been part of the wedding scene in English speaking countries since Victorian times. These are the things that a bride is advised to wear or carry on her wedding day to ensure the success of the marriage and her own happiness ... More ...

Masked-Up and Married - How to Rock a Mask on your Wedding Day

(31/07/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Attire |
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 ...

32 Ways to Incorporate Tartan in Your Wedding Ceremony Without Wearing a Kilt

(26/07/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
There are many ways to incorporate family tartans into your wedding ceremony apart from the men wearing kilts ... More ...

Redesigning Wedding Ceremonies for 2020

(19/07/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |
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

(15/07/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Traditions |
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

(12/07/2020) Categories: | Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

(03/07/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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?

(28/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

(26/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
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?

(23/06/2020) Categories: | Naming Ceremonies | Wedding Ceremony |
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

(19/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Attire |
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

(17/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

(15/06/2020) Categories: |Vows| Wedding Ceremony |
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?

(14/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Traditions |
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

(12/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
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

(09/06/2020) Categories: |Vows | Wedding Ceremony |
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

(03/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |
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

(02/06/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
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

(30/05/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
A successful wedding ceremony will achieve six things ...  More ...

The Most Important Step in Your Wedding is Free!

(27/05/2020) Categories: | Wedding Legals |
Did you know that the most important part of your wedding happens after it is all over - and that it doesn't cost you a cent? ...  More ...

The Groom is Getting Married Too!

(23/05/2020) Categories: | Wedding Ceremony |
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 ...

Let's Talk About Averages and Wedding Budgets

(23/05/2020) Categories: | Wedding Budget |
What is the average wedding budget? What does average mean? Averages normalise, and that
matters ... ...  More ...

When Coronavirus Forces You to Un-Invite People to Your Wedding

(18/05/2020) Categories: | Wedding Planning |
Social Distancing restrictions, together with the flow-own effect of rescheduled weddings competing with previously booked weddings for limited venue and vendor availability, is forcing couples to change plans, and this may require cutting guest numbers ...  More ...

Dressed for the Occasion: Personal Thoughts About What the Celebrant Wears for Your Wedding

(16/05/2020) Categories: |  Celebrant |
What do I have in my celebrant wardrobe? And how do I decide what to wear on the day? These are
important questions,  What your celebrant wears matters ...  More ...

How to have a Non-Legal Wedding Ceremony

(14/05/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |
Getting married and having a wedding can be a two-step process.. ...  More ...

Celebrate Your Mothers in Your Wedding Ceremony

(10/05/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Inclusive Weddings |
There are so many ways to include both mothers in your ceremony. ...  More ...

Contact Tracing and Your Wedding

(09/05/2020 - Updated 17/05/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |
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 in 2021

(06/05/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
Double weddings are great fun, budget friendly and likely to make a comeback in 2021 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?

(30/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
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

(28/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |
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

(23/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |
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

(21/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |
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

(18/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals |
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

(15/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Rituals|
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 ...

18 Romantic Things to do while in Lockdown

(08/04/2020)
Coronavirus self-isolating rules need not put a dampener on romance. Here are 18 ways to up the romance while in lockdown with your partner...  More ...

12 Things Coronavirus Won't Stop You Having in Your "Rule of Five" Wedding

(04/04/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |
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

(30/03/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |
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?

(24/03/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
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?

(23/03/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
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?

(19/03/2020) Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
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 ...

Giving Notice of Your Intended Marriage when You Live at Opposite Ends of the Country (or the Earth)

Categories: | Wedding Legals |
(24/02/2020)
Giving Notice of your Intended Marriage when you are not together in the same state or country is not as difficult as it might seem at first. ... 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 Instagrammable 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 ...

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... More ...

Rain On Your Wedding Day - Good Luck or Bad Luck?

Categories: | Wedding Traditions |
(13/02/2020)
Is rain on your wedding day good luck or bad luck? In multiple cultures rain represents fertility, cleansing, and renewal, and, extrapolated from those beliefs, in relation to weddings, unity and tears.... More ...

Proposal Do's and Don'ts

Categories: | Wedding Traditions |
(11/02/2020)
Dos and Don't of proposing learned over many years of hearing proposal stories from couples I have married... 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 ...

What is a month? 

Categories: |  Wedding Legals |
(25/01/2020)
What is a month? is an all-important question because you can't legally be married less than a full calendar month from the day you give Notice (on the Notice of Intended Marriage) ... 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: | Inclusive Weddings |  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 ...

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 ... 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 ...

The Gift of a Good Name 

Categories: | Naming Ceremonies |
(09/12/2019)
Celebrating the gift of a good name with a naming ceremony is a wonderful way to acknowledge the person your child is, and will become. ... 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 ...

Choosing the Right Time for your Naming Ceremony 

Categories: | Naming Ceremonies |
(03/12/2019)
Achieving a happy and successful naming ceremony for your child has a lot to do with how and when you schedule the ceremony ... More ...

The When, Why, How, and Who of the First Look

Categories: |  Wedding Traditions|
(01/12/2019)
The incredibly romantic moment when a couple first locks eyes on their wedding day is a must-have photo opportunity. First look wedding photos have been topping the wedding wish lists for some time now ...    More ...

The When, Why, and How of Renewing Your Vows

Categories: Celebrant | Vow Renewals |
(26/11/2019)
There is a growing trend for couples to renew (reaffirm) their wedding vows. More and more couples are doing it, and they aren't waiting for the traditional milestone Silver or Golden wedding anniversaries because there are many more good reasons to renew your vows  ...    More ...

Can Guests Sign Your Marriage Certificate?

Categories: Celebrant | Wedding Legals |
(25/11/2019)
Your Presentation Certificate is a legal document, therefore only your two legal witnesses may sign it, along with you and your celebrant. But there are other lovely options for guests to sign  ...    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 ...

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 ...    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: | 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 ...

I Won't Judge You or Your Choices (unless the Law makes me do so)

Categories: Celebrant | Wedding Legals |
(12/11/2019)
There are some things which the law, and my obligations under the law as a Marriage Celebrant, requires me to make judgements about. But there are many things that people fear being judged about that I definitely don't and won't judge you for ...    More ...

1st Birthday Naming Ceremonies are Extra Special  

Categories: | Naming Ceremonies |
(09/11/2019)
A naming ceremony has much in common with a birthday celebration, so celebrating the two at the same event makes a great deal of sense, symbolically, emotionally, and financially ... More ...

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... More ...

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...  More ...

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...   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 ...

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.....  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 ...

Being a Godparent at a Naming Ceremony - What you need to know

Categories:  Naming Ceremonies |
(28/09/2019)
Being asked to be a godparent for a child is a huge honour. While there are many similarities between being a godparent at a religious Christening and being a godparent at a Naming Ceremony, there are also some significant
differences  More ...

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 ...  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 ...

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 ...  More ...

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. ...  More ...

Balloons and Bushfires 

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

The Heart Moves On - Using Ceremony to Mark the End of a Relationship

Categories: | Vows | Divorce Ceremonies |
(02/09/2019)
How to plan a positive divorce or end of relationship ceremony ...  More ...

"You May Now Diss the Bride": How NOT to Plan a Divorce Ceremony

Categories: | Vows | Divorce Ceremonies |
(02/09/2019)
A divorce ceremony can be a positive way of formally acknowledging the past and moving forward into single life, so it is best to avoid negativity in the ceremony ...  More ...

Adult Naming and Gender Affirmation Ceremonies   

Categories: | Vows | Naming Ceremonies |
(01/09/2019)
An important part of transitioning is choosing a new name and transitioning socially, letting other know your true gender. A formal naming ceremony can be a significant part of the process and a way to gather those who support you round you in celebration of your preferred name.  More ...

Will your overseas destination wedding be recognised in Australia?

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |
(28/08/2019)
While Australia generally recognises overseas marriages, as long as those marriages would be legal if solemnised in Australia, there are a number of things you need to do to make sure your destination marriage overseas is recognised in Australia ...  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 ...

Jumping the Broom

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals |
(17/08/2019)
Jumping the broom is a joyful transition ritual that ends a marriage ceremony on a high note. Hand-in-hand the marrying couple move into married life by jumping over a decorated broom at the beginning of their walk back up the aisle... More ...

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   More ...

Will your Australian marriage be recognised overseas?

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |
(06/08/2019)
Will a marriage registered in Australia will be recognised overseas? Generally speaking, legal marriages solemnised in Australia are recognised world wide, but that's not the whole story  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: |Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony |
(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 ...

Wedding Budget Blow-outs - how to avoid them

Categories: | Wedding Budget |
(21/07/2019)
By far the most significant cause of wedding stress is money. Aligning your wedding day dreams with what you can afford is not an easy task. Creating a budget and sticking to it takes time, concentration, and commitment when there is so much choice of ways to spend on your wedding, and so many unintended and unexpected ways in which your budget can blow out.    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 ...