Sue Horne Ceremonies

Having been a celebrant for 29 years now I know that choosing a celebrant that’s right for you is really important. A celebrant that you can connect with and feel comfortable with is going to be able to really work with you and your partner to create a ceremony that is an utmost true reflection of you and your relationship. 

 A great celebrant will be able to share ideas and knowledge from their experiences but will also take the time to listen and really understand what it is that you want for your day. This experience is particularly important for the legal aspects of your marriage.  Your celebrant should firstly be authorised to legally perform your wedding ceremony. Secondly they will responsible for submitting the necessary documentation needed for your marriage to be properly recognised in Australia. 

 The right celebrant will undoubtedly add to the atmosphere of your day and will be an invaluable addition to your carefully selected dedicated team of people working hard to make sure your day is as enjoyable and seamless as possible. 

 Your celebrant’s charming and personable presence will create instant connections with your guests and will have them engaged throughout the ceremony. A close working and trusting relationship between celebrant and couple will ensure your ceremony is remembered and treasured for a lifetime. 

 My advice is to speak with different celebrants to see which one of them is right for you. Most celebrants will be more than happy to meet over a coffee to discuss your hopes and dreams for your big day. Also do not hesitate to ask your celebrant questions that you feel might help you to make your decision. After all your celebrant is there to help you create a day that is a true reflection of your unique relationship. 

 As I often say to my brides and grooms, people fall in love throughout the world, and yet to everyone who falls in love it is the most unique and precious thing in the world. 

Sue x 

It is a good idea to arrange an initial meeting with a few different celebrants to ensure that you are comfortable with the service they offer and to gain an understanding of their personality and expertise. You will have to work closely with your celebrant, so it is important that you feel comfortable with the one you choose.

During your initial discussions you may wish to talk about issues such as:

- Availability for your chosen date, time and venue;

- Services and resources available to help you develop the ceremony you require;

- The fee for the services provided and the terms and conditions of payment;

- Is there an additional fee for mileage;

- Is an onsite rehearsal available and is there an extra fee for this service;

- Mention any requirements or traditions you would like to include in your ceremony.

- Your celebrant may pro- -actively offer some advice or ideas to help you think about what you may like for your ceremony.

It is important that the celebrant feels sensitive to your needs and the needs of the other members of your wedding party and any family and/or cultural traditions. It is also important that you have confidence in the celebrant to design the perfect ceremony for you.

Your celebrant will have a notice of intended marriage (NOIM) form and it must be completed and received by the celebrant, no sooner than 18 months prior to your wedding date and no shorter than 1 month and 1 day prior to your wedding date. Marriageable age in Australia is 18 years. This is the age for both males and females. A person between 16 and 18 years of age may apply to a Judge or Magistrate in a State or Territory. If this is your situation it is advisable to talk to your celebrant for further detailed information regarding procedures to take to apply for the consent. As a safeguard against underage persons getting married, the Act requires that the couple intending to be married produce evidence of date of birth. This includes an official certificate of birth, or an official extract of an entry in an official register showing the date and place of birth of the party. These documents will not be kept by the celebrant. They will be sighted and the identification numbers will be recorded for official purposes.

The Act requires that a marriage may not be valid unless there are present at least two witnesses, who are persons 18 years and over. Sometimes members of the wedding party also play the role of witnesses to the marriage. Some couples prefer to ask their mothers or fathers, and some couples invite their oldest family members such as their grandmothers from each side to perform the role of witness. It is a good idea to think about who you would like, because it really is an honour to perform this task for the bride and groom. Actually, you should never under estimate the role of the witnesses because the object of requiring the witnesses to the marriage is that their evidence will be available, should the occasion arise, to establish the identity of the couple or to testify as to the circumstances in which the ceremony was performed. It is important that the witnesses should be persons who know the couple being married.

If you have been previously married you must produce your divorce certificate or death certificate from the previous marriage. The celebrant will need to sight these documents and record the identification or registration numbers on the Notice of Intended Marriage form.