Whether you have a small informal wedding or a large gathering, I would love to make it "really special" for you.  I offer an obligation-free, first meeting at which time we get to know one another and you can ask me any questions you wish.  I am happy to travel to you or alternatively, we can do some or all of the necessary paper work by fax, e-mail or by 'snail mail' (Post Office).  My interaction with you is designed to save you time, energy and expense and unnecessary hassles.

There is no set amount for a Civil Celebrant to charge for a ceremony. Most ceremonies cost between $450 and $770 depending on the time, travel, situation and requirements. This can be discussed at first point of contact as it depends on how far I have to travel and the type of ceremony you require. All the following are also included in the price:

• All administration costs associated with the ceremony
• Lodgement of all relevant paperwork to Births, Deaths and Marriages
• A range of ceremonies to select from - or we can design one suitable to your needs
• All consultations to collate the ceremony that the bride and groom are happy with
• Tablecloth, table and chair for signing of register/certificates.
• A PA system if required.
• A rehearsal.
• A keepsake copy of your ceremony.
• Presentation copy of Marriage Certificate.
• A Professional Presentation.

As soon as the date is finalised for the ceremony. This can be up to 18 months in advance.

Choosing your Marriage Celebrant is very much a personal matter.  It may be that a particular Marriage Celebrant has been recommended to you by family members, friends or by venue coordinators.

If you are not so fortunate and do not know, or have not heard of a "good" Marriage Celebrant, searching the web is a good place to start.  Why not try to locate a Marriage Celebrant who lives in your general area or perhaps in a location close to where your ceremony is to be held. Here is a link to the authorised marriage celebrants from the Attorney General's Department...http://www.ag.gov.au/mclisting

Armed with your short list of possible Marriage Celebrants, contact can then be made with each of them either by phone or by email to ascertain if they are available for the time and day of your wedding and what the costs would be for all services they provide.  Please note that costs from one Marriage Celebrant to the next vary as there is no standard charge and legally, they are not permitted to price fix.  You may also wish to enquire whether the Marriage Celebrant conducts multiple weddings on any particular day or limits the number they are prepared to do to one or two per day.   And furthermore, whether the Marriage Celebrant can assist you to obtain the registered copy of your Marriage Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).

Many Marriage Celebrants offer an obligation free interview.  This enables you to see at first hand what each Marriage Celebrant can offer you, what is included in their fee and what are the likely additional charges, given your requirements and circumstances.  Marriage Celebrants differ in this regard - some give an all inclusive cost whilst others charge extra for the use of, for example, their own Public Address system.

Irrespective of how you make your choice, it is important for you to feel comfortable and confident that your ceremony will be conducted professionally, competently and with a sense of occasion by a Marriage Celebrant who will compliment your special day.  Engaging the right Marriage Celebrant for you makes all the difference to the quality of your ceremony.  Cost, therefore, is not the only factor to be considered.

A good tip is to avoid a Marriage Celebrant who makes you feel uncomfortable in any way.   For example, the one who, when you phone or who, at your first meeting with him/her even though it is on an obligation free basis, pressures you into signing up on the spot.   In this case, politely extract yourself from the phone conversation or walk away (as the case may be) and find another Marriage Celebrant.

That’s a difficult one, but ‘gut feeling’ is a good guide. Ask yourself: do they present well and have a good speaking voice, are they able to give good advice and prepare a ceremony that reflects what I/we want? In short, does he/she inspire confidence that you won’t be disappointed? You could also ask about their experience and their qualifications. But please note: in recent years celebrant training courses have varied greatly in length and content, so having completed a training course and calling oneself 'qualified' are not in themselves measures of good quality.  Pre-appointment courses only became compulsory for Marriage Celebrants in 2003, so there are many experienced celebrants who would not have a formal qualification.

You’ll need to ask each one, there is no set fee. It is unwise to simply shop-around for the cheapest price – remember that you are not buying an appliance you can return later if you’re dissatisfied. The Celebrant is the most conspicuous service-provider for your very special life-event, and you’ll want that event to be presented in a way that is memorable only for all the 'right reasons'.

Again, you’ll need to ask. For example, some Celebrants may charge travel expenses over a certain distance, or for assisting with Intended Spouse Visa applications. Celebrants are expected to advise clients of all foreseeable ‘above-fee extras’ before accepting a booking. Most Celebrants will ask for an advance payment of part of their fee at time of booking.

It means that although you book just one Celebrant, he/she can call on a team of well-trained and dedicated colleagues to help provide you with the best possible service. Whether that means helping to find a specific poem you request, advice on an ethnic custom or even finding a last-minute replacement in case of illness, our membership of a vibrant professional association ultimately benefits all of our clients.

A Marriage Celebrant, as a qualified trained and professional person, is authorised to conduct your marriage ceremony in a manner that meets the legal requirements.  This includes a range of matters - such as ensuring that your ceremony contains certain mandatory words; the correct completion of your Notice of Intended Marriage (NIM) and all other marriage documents;  and the lodging of your marriage documents with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - is done in such a way that they comply with the Marriage Act 1961.

Apart from ensuring that your ceremony contains the things that makes it legal, your Marriage Celebrant will also assist you in personalising your ceremony and, to this end, will offer some choices as to what you may like to consider for inclusion in your ceremony.   Your Marriage Celebrant can also offer you a range of resources to assist you in this process.  This is not to say that you cannot write your own vows and indeed, if you would prefer to write your own ceremony, there are a number of celebrants who would be pleased to help you in this endeavour, and most importantly, would still ensure that your ceremony complies with all the legal requirements.

The obligations placed on Marriage Celebrants are outlined in a Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants which is to be displayed by them.  Some Marriage Celebrants may even provide you with a copy of this document.

You do have obligations to your Marriage Celebrant once he/she is engaged by you.  Most Marriage Celebrants will have you sign an Agreement which sets out these matters.   This Agreement is actually a contract between you and your chosen Marriage Celebrant.  A typical Agreement would include the following: (a) The payment of the full amount of his/her fee by the required date which will, in all situations, be prior to your wedding.  (b) Advising your Marriage Celebrant prior to making any change to the time of your wedding - as it is quite possible that your Marriage Celebrant may have another commitment at this new time and will be therefore unable to perform your ceremony at the new time. (c) Advising your Marriage Celebrant of any change to the location of your marriage ceremony as soon as such a decision is made.  The same applies if you are planning an outdoors wedding.  In this case, however, your Marriage Celebrant - during the planning stages - will have enquired as to what contingency plans you have in place in the event of wet weather.  Nevertheless, you should never assume that your Marriage Celebrant can read your mind - so in the case of an 11th hour switch of venue owing to bad weather conditions or anything else, you must always contact your Marriage Celebrant, or have someone contact him/her on your behalf as soon as you make the decision to switch.  The onus for this rests with you.

No, your Marriage Celebrant does not have to belong to a professional Marriage Celebrants' association.  Having said this, however, there are many advantages to be gained by choosing a Marriage Celebrant who is a member of a professional association.  For example, they may have the facility to pass on quickly all relevant and important information from either the Attorney-General's Department or from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages regarding changes to legislative requirement or other news and information.  They may also have access to on-going professional training for celebrants as well as attending regular meetings which afford its members many opportunities to network for the purpose of exchanging ideas and so keep their knowledge and practice as current and relevant as is possible, and to provide back-up support when necessary.

If for some reason you need to change your Marriage Celebrant you will need to obtain the NIM that you lodged with the original Marriage Celebrant and give it to your new Marriage Celebrant,  or you may fill in a new form and wait a further month.  You should note, however, that in the majority of cases if not all, you would have paid your original Marriage Celebrant a non-refundable fee and if you are completing a second NIM, the new Marriage Celebrant, by right, will also charge you a non-refundable fee to repeat this process.

Should you find that you do wish to change your Marriage Celebrant, needless to say, you should be advising the first Marriage Celebrant as soon as possible that you are no longer requiring his/her services and also of the reason for your change of mind.

Yes. I will help you to find and/or write the vows and will compose a ceremony which reflects your wishes and input. Please note that Federal law imposes some minor inclusions in the ceremony wording, on which a Celebrant has no choice.

Together you and I will put together your own personalised ceremony. I have samples of various ceremonies that I have done for you to start with and then we can work through the ceremony that makes your ceremony unique for you and your fiancé.

Yes, I have all the legal documents required and will help you complete them and will submit them to the relevant authorities. You will need your Birth Certificates and perhaps other documentation depending on your situation. I will advise you of all the required documentation.

To be married in Australia you will need to fill out a Notice of Intended Marriage form (NIM) and sign it on the back in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a police officer or myself.  If you are both living outside of Australia you will need to fill out the Notice of Intended Marriage form (NIM) and sign it on the back in the presence of one of the following: an Australian Diplomatic Officer, an Australian Consular Officer, a Notary Public, an employee of the Commonwealth authorised under para 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1995 or an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under para 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1995.  It only needs to be signed by one of you to start the clock ticking.  It is valid for 18 months from the day I receive it.  I can send you a copy by snail mail if you give me your home address or you can download a copy of the NIM from the Attorney General's Department .

You can download a copy of the NIM from the Attorney General's Department.

The completed NIM must be returned to me as soon as possible.  The date I receive it is the date from which the Australian calendar month (and a day) waiting period rule is determined.  You can fax a copy to me at 02 4389 1359 and then send the original signed (preferably in blue pen) copy to me by “snail mail”.

The date the fax copy arrives will be the date that it is “Officially Lodged” and then the month (and a day) waiting time starts "ticking' if it is followed by the hard copy, as you will have given me proper notice on the proper form and have subsequently provided me with the original.

It is possible to shorten the minimum notice time for a marriage to less than the stipulated period of one month and one day if special circumstances set out in the Regulations to the Marriage Act 1961 are met.  This will involve you first meeting with your Marriage Celebrant for the purpose of completing as much as possible of the Notice of Intended Marriage (NIM).  You then take the NIM with you to either your Local Court or the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, either of which are  the Prescribed Authorities in this regard.

A list of Prescribed Authorities may be found at the following web address: http://www.ag.gov.au/mclisting

A Prescribed Authority can shorten the required period of notice if they are satisfied that circumstances stipulated in the Regulations are met. For your convenience, the following are the five categories of circumstances as set out in the Regulations:

1. Employment related or other travel commitments.
2. Wedding or celebrant arrangements, or religious considerations.
3. Medical reasons.
4. Legal proceedings.
5. Error in giving notice.

The reason for seeking a Shortening of Time for notice must fall within one of these categories before an application can be considered.  There is no capacity to grant a Shortening of Time outside these circumstances.  Even so, a Shortening of Time is not automatic.  When making a decision, the Prescribed Authority will weigh up the information provided in support of the application and may seek additional information as outlined further in the Regulations.

It is possible.  You and your fiancé will each have to provide a letter stating the reasons why you wish to get married at a date sooner than the usual month wait to a person known as a  “Prescribed Authority”.  Any documentation that you can provide as evidence for your reasons will be most helpful.  There is a list of reasons available which the Commonwealth Attorney General has promulgated as a guideline to Prescribed Authorities to help them utilise their discretion in granting or refusing Shortening Permission.

I am often asked this question. This is a Civil Ceremony so you are facing your guests who are sharing your joy and commitment on your big day. I will discuss all of this with you and on the day will be your guide.

Yes, I offer many choices of symbolism for your Ceremony. Unity Candle, Rose, Celtic Handfasting and Wine Sharing are just a few of the possibilities available to you. If you have any ideas? Let’s discuss them.

Usually between 20-30mins.

Yes you do and they must be over the age of 18 years.

You can download the form from the Attorney General's Department or the Celebrant can post you one and you can have it filled out and signed by an appropriate person in that state and then post it off to the Celebrant.

No. No more than 10 mins past the scheduled time is the most acceptable in these modern times.

Basically you must be over 18. If one of you is under 18 but over 16 you should speak to a celebrant regarding the requirements. Other important things you need to know are:

• A ‘Notice of Intended Marriage’ must be completed by both parties and lodged with a Celebrant at least a month (and a day) before your proposed wedding date. If less than this, you’d need to seek ‘Shortening of Time’ permission from the relevant Government body. I can assist with this, if required.
• I will need to see your birth certificate (if born in Australia) before the wedding. If you were born overseas and don’t have a birth certificate a current overseas passport will suffice. I can advise on what to do in those cases where neither of these documents is obtainable.
• Documentation proving the dissolution of any previous marriage must also be shown to the Celebrant.
• Your witnesses must be over 18.

We recommend holding a rehearsal close to the day. This enables potential problems to be identified and participants to know their role, helping to ensure your ceremony will run smoothly.  While it is often advisable, it is not always necessary for the rehearsal to be held at your venue.

Almost anywhere! If that is in an outdoor public space it is wise to check with the local Council to see if you need to book it. For outdoor weddings I generally advise to also have a Plan B 'just in case' location in the event of wet weather or extreme heat.

Yes of course, although ‘simple’ can cover a range of things. A 3-minute ceremony would be simple, but it may lack the dignity and style you’ll probably want for such a significant life-event. The art of the Celebrant is to compose a ceremony which balances simplicity with the right sense of occasion. Most ceremonies last about 20-25 minutes.

No, this is not a legal requirement - but celebrants are legally required to inform you about Relationship Education courses. These courses aim to help couples identify and develop the strengths of their relationship, and to recognise strategies that will help them avoid potential problems. They are well worth your consideration and can be done even after you are married. To put one old furphy to rest - the courses do not aim to tell you whether you are 'right for each other'.

Yes, but not if the second ceremony is represented as ‘your wedding’. It is illegal to do this. The alternatives are that you can have a civil ceremony with some religious observance, or that the second ceremony be presented as a celebratory event with family and friends in which you re-affirm the vows previously taken.

• taking a public role in your ceremony.
• identifying him/herself at your ceremony as the celebrant authorised to solemnise your marriage.
• being responsible for ensuring the validity of your marriage according to law insofar as saying the mandatory words contained in the Marriage Act 1961.
• being able to hear clearly and see you exchange your vows in the manner prescribed in the Marriage Act 1961.
• being available to intervene (and exercise the responsibility to intervene) if events demonstrate such a need within your ceremony
• being a part of the ceremonial group or in close proximity to it.
• signing the papers as required by the Marriage Act 1961.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and should you wish to obtain more detailed information on the full extent of the legal requirements, your Marriage Celebrant can advise you further.

Yes, you may lodge your NIM with your Marriage Celebrant prior to your fiancés divorce proceedings being finalised - and have it completed once the awaited divorce is finalised.  Needless to say, your marriage cannot be conducted until the divorce is finalised either.   This is not to say that the effective date of the NIM has to await the divorce being finalised, as it is activated once it is signed and dated notwithstanding that your fiancés divorce is only pending at that time.

The number of meetings is not stipulated and Marriage Celebrants differ in this regard.  However, from a reasonable perspective, you would need to meet a minimum of two times with your Marriage Celebrant.

The first meeting concerns the signing of the Notice of Intended Marriage, the provision of contact details etc and various other matters such as a preliminary exchange of ideas about the type of wedding you would like to have and what your Marriage Celebrant can provide.

The second of these meetings would be held quite close to your wedding date at a mutually convenient time.  At this meeting you will be required to sign a document referred to as Form 14 in which you declare that there is no legal impediment to your marriage to one another.  Apart from this, this second meeting allows you to perhaps refine your ceremony and/or any of its staging aspects as well as practicing certain parts of the ceremony (e.g. the exchange of vows and the exchange of rings), to pay the balance of the Marriage Celebrant's fee (if you have not already done so), and generally attend to any other outstanding matters.

Yes, I travel to Wollongong, Newcastle, Sydney, Northern Beaches and the Central Coast. However, you may have to pay an additional charge for mileage depending on the distance to be travelled, please contact me to discuss your needs further.

The number of guests at your wedding and its location will determine whether a PA system is necessary. Having said this, I am obliged to ensure that all guests can adequately hear the ceremony and therefore I do have a PA system to use on the day.

According to the Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants, your Marriage Celebrant should arrive at the venue for your ceremony no later than the time that had been agreed with you in your discussions with me prior to your wedding. Usually this is 20 – 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.

I must allow sufficient time for laying out the required paperwork and for setting-up and testing of my equipment (if it is to be used) in a timely manner.

Yes this is correct.   The Marriage Certificate presented on your wedding day is merely proof that your marriage took place.  The reverse side of the Marriage Certificate advises of this situation. 

What you will need for change of name purposes is the registered version of your Marriage Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).  BDM charge a small fee which normally is over and above the fee you pay to your Marriage Celebrant.

I am happy to facilitate your application to BDM if you wish, and act as a conduit between yourself and BDM by submitting your application (and payment for same) at the same time as they lodge the other marriage documents. 

Additionally, you should also be aware that you will need the BDM registered version of your Marriage Certificate to change your name on your passport and on your driver’s licence.  Professional Registration Boards (e.g. Medical, Nursing) and some employers also will only accept the BDM version for change of name purposes.  Please check with your employer what is the case in your situation.

If none of these situations present (for example you are not changing your name), you are not obligated to obtain the BDM registered Marriage Certificate.  This would then become a matter of choice.

No, this is not permitted.  The Marriage Act 1961 is very clear in stipulating that a marriage is "... the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others ...".

However, it is possible for a Marriage Celebrant to act as a generalist celebrant and conduct a love commitment ceremony for you and your partner.  This is permitted provided the ceremony does not purport to be a legal marriage.   In such a case, your Marriage Celebrant would prepare a Certificate of Commitment for you and your partner to be signed by yourselves and your witnesses during the ceremony.

There is now a case law precedent (arising from the case of "Kevin" heard in the Family Court of Australia) to the effect that a post operative trans-sexual female to a male person is a "man" for the purposes of the Marriage Act 1961 and as such, is able to enter into a valid marriage with a woman. 

The decision of the Family Court does not affect the definition of marriage in Australia - it remains as "... the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others ...".  The parties to a valid marriage must be a man and a woman.  The issue in the case was the status to be assigned to "Kevin" who had undergone sexual reassignment surgery and had been issued with a new birth certificate in New South Wales to reflect his reassignment as a male.  The decision is only applicable in a post-operative trans-sexual situation.

This decision means there are circumstances in which a person who has undergone sexual reassignment surgery may be able to marry in their reassigned gender as long as they fall within the parameters set down in the decision in the case of “Kevin“. 

Any where you and your family feel comfortable and safe.  The family home is often convenient and personal.  But other fantastic locations include; you’re favorite park, beach or any other location that has a significant meaning to you and your family.

It is totally up to you.  But as a guide usually 10 to 20 mins is enough. Any longer ceremony with a lot of reading children tend to get wiggly.  Especially if you have other children present as guests and you want your child to still be happy for a little while for the photos and cuddles.

No, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have spiritual content.  Name Giving ceremonies offer you the flexibility to include what you want.  Naming Ceremonies in no way inhibit the person seeking there own religion at any stage should they chose to do so.

There are no rules.  I personally design the ceremony to suit the family and individual/s being named.

Not always. Another reason for a Name Giving Ceremony is for adults who have outgrown their birth names. They may find a new sense of identity through choosing their own name which has more significance for them.

Because there are so many styles of funerals, there is no simple answer to that question.  In general terms, a funeral that is more elaborate will cost more than one that is simple in its structure.   It is normal for the cemetery or crematorium costs and the various disbursements (such as doctors fees, clergy or celebrant fees, registration costs, press notices, flowers etc.) to be included in one account, along with our service fees.

This style of funeral begins with a service at a church or funeral chapel (or other place), followed by a procession to the cemetery or crematorium, where there is a final committal ceremony.

A single service funeral can take place at a funeral home chapel, church, crematorium chapel, at the graveside or a special place, such as a park or community hall. This service incorporates a final committal process, and there is no procession to the cemetery or crematorium.

A memorial service takes place after a private burial or Cremation at any of the places referred to above at a time determined by the family.

Normally a Cremation will cost less than a burial depending on the location chosen for the burial.

There are no set guidelines.  Generally children, in the company of their parents and other family members, are comfortable participating in this family occasion and may even be curious as to what will happen.  Use the funeral to help the child learn about the impact of death and the rituals we use to help us respond to bereavement.  Children can often contribute creatively to a funeral, perhaps by placing a special flower on the coffin or casket, or reading or writing something that can be incorporated into the service.