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30 November 2023
Thanks so much for choosing me as your celebrant, I am truly honoured to join you on The Marrying Journey, and hope to assist you wherever I can. Not only within the legal process but also to answer any questions you might have in The Planning Journey too. Think of me as your newest Aunty, you know that fun Aunty who lets you do all the fun things, and gives you the best honest advice? That’s me!
Once your celebrant has received your booking fee, you;’ve signed your contract and filled in your booking. Your Celebrant will send you a link to fill in the Notice of Intended Marriage. This forms the basis of your marriage certificate and advises of your intention to marry one another on your planned date.
You need to have the NOIM witnessed by an authorised party. Your celebrant is an authorised party and we can sign this online or in person. Or you can have a JP, a Medical Practitioner, a Police Officer or a Notary, witness this for you. If you are overseas then you need to find a Notary Public, or a consulate officer at the Australian embassy.
If you decide to sign this in person or online with your Marriage Celebrant then we can do this at the same time as designing your marriage ceremony.
Once this is witnessed you need to send this document to your celebrant, along with your IDs. Either 1) Both of your passports OR 2) your birth certificates and drivers licences. The NOIM needs to be received no later than one month from your ceremony date. This can be sent over email, or lodged in person. You also have the option to send this via snail mail or fax too but who even uses those services anymore?
Hot tip: if you’re super organised and you’ve booked your celebrant more than 18 months from your wedding date then just chill, you don’t need to do anything just yet. If you’re not as organised and planning your wedding within a month of your wedding date you will need some pretty special circumstances to apply for a Shortening of Time.
We organise a catchup to design your ceremony.
Here, we work out all the elements of your ceremony. Including your story, if there are any special people missing, who your witnesses are, whether you want to add in any seriously fun elements like a crowd vow, witness bingo, ninja vows, whisper vows, or any type of surprises to make your ceremony really pop!
We can do this in person or over Zoom / Skype or FaceTime – again if you’re wanting to sign your NOIM online we can do it all at the same time, which makes the process really simple and streamlined.
It’s encouraged to organise a date night and answer the questions I send to you following our planning meeting. I know some of you find this a little difficult with little ones running around, but once the kids are in bed, crack open that bottle of wine and have some fun with it. This is what I use to create your ceremony, I never use any generic love quotes or readings, I use your words and make that the basis of your ceremony. It’s a truly unique and personalised service – and I bloody love it!
If you’re writing your own vows, I send your my Vow Writing Tips there are 10 tips that help you to create your best vows ever! You can send your ideas to me and I can help you as much as you need.
Here’s the blog now if you want to get a kick start:
If at any point during the Marrying Journey you’re unsure of anything, and I literally mean anything at all. Reach out to me and ask me. I live and breathe this industry so I can often advise on all different types of things like; the best photographers, videographers, makeup artists, musicians etc. in the local area. I am your trusted wedding companion, who will always advise whether or not you need something.
Another great resource is www.lennoxweddings.com
Most wedding vendors require final payments around a month before your wedding date, otherwise they won’t show up on your day.
As most of your invoices are due at the same time chat to your vendors about payments plans, or different dates of payment. I often allow my couples to pay $50 a week or an amount each month to make it easier on your finances. Just caht to me and we can work it out.
Wedding rehearsal’s really aren’t that necessary, if you have the right vendors booked in we will guide you through the entire moment. But if you’d like to have a run through in the days leading up to your wedding it can often help to calm the nerves and gives you more insight into what will happen. Just make sure to book in a time with me with enough notice so I can fit you in – as you know wedding season can be super hectic. If you wedding venue is more than 50 kms from Ballina, there maybe an additional travel fee charged.
Here we can finalise all the details for your ceremony and sign the Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage.
If you don’t require a run through, then I just come and find you to sign the Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage just before your ceremony. Easy!
You both get married and have the best day ever with all your favourite people.
Following your magical day, I register your marriage, and order your Official Marriage Certificate, in NSW this is an added charge of $60 but I always encourage my couples to include this within their initial invoice with me. This is the certificate you need to change your name. Details of how to do that, if born in NSW are here: Change Your Surname After Marriage
5 star Google reviews are so important within the service industry, and I pride myself on the service I provide, and hope that you will leave me a 5 star Google review following the ceremony.
Of course, if there is something you didn’t like I would hope that you would tell me in directly, so I can work on this for next time, rather than leaving me a less than 5 star review.
Over the past few months or even couple of years, we’ve shared some moments together and you’ve shared some really personal insights to who are. So you can think of me as your friend and celebrant for life. If there’s ever anything you need all you gotta do is make contact with me and I will endeavour to help you wherever I can.
Have fun with it. Of course marriage has a serious legal component to it, but your celebrant takes care of that, and it also comes with the work you need to do in your future together. Your wedding day should be a true reflection of who you are as a couple, and all your guests will be expecting a really great time so let’s get that party started during your ceremony. You’ll probably be nervous, and a little self conscience but I can guarantee with a celebrant like me standing up t here with you, you will feel calm and have the time of your life. I can pinkie promise you that!
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© Love for Life Ceremonies 2023