OVERVIEW
Jen Lawrie-Smith, a highly experienced marriage celebrant in Victoria, offers a comprehensive service tailored to your needs. Whether you're planning a simple elopement or a grand affair, Jen ensures your ceremony is as unique as your love story. Jen takes care of everything, so you don't have to worry about a thing. She handles all the legal paperwork and official admin, leaving you to focus on what matters most—celebrating your love. From assisting with vows and readings to offering a rehearsal on-site if possible, Jen provides unlimited support throughout the planning process. With a University qualification and full insurance coverage, Jen brings professionalism and attention to detail to every wedding she officiates. She also provides practical extras like a battery-powered PA system or Bose sound-dock, making sure everything runs smoothly on the day.
What you’ll love about working with Jen for your wedding:
Highlights of working with Jen:
About
From short and sweet to fabulous fun, I can help you have the wedding you've dreamed of, without any fuss. Simple, sensational, sassy, same-sex... your wedding, your way! I love conducting weddings and renewal of vows ceremonies, making sure everything goes perfectly. I also sit on a university Human Research Ethics Committee, and I'm a Coast Guard and CFA volunteer.
Ms Jen Lawrie-Smith
Owner
Wedding Brochure
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant Brochure
View all of our features and complete package inclusions in our PDF wedding brochure.
View BrochureEasy Weddings Special Offer
Winter Weddings
Are you thinking about candles and a warm fireside as you cosy up and celebrate getting married?
Many venues offer reduced prices so I'm happy to do that too during winter!
Please mention this offer when you get in touch - looking forward to hearing from you :)
Packages
The off season is a great time to avoid the crowds, the heat, the flies - and the expenses!
What's included:
Location
Service Area Macedon Ranges, Daylesford, Melbourne
FAQ
I’m happy to tell you that I’m average in some respects but not in others!
So… I like to think I’m above average!
Ref: https://www.ag.gov.au/FamiliesAndMarriage/Marriage/Documents/OPD-survey-results-2017.pdf - updated May'19
Sure! Here are some recent ones:
From Orange and Miranda - "It's our pleasure to have Jen as our marriage celebrant. Thank-you so much for giving us many good ideas and guidance as we didn't have any experience of western wedding ceremony. Jen really paid attention to details and always tried her best to find out the best solution for us. We were lucky enough to find Jen and will surely recommend you to our friends. Hope to see you again in one of our friends' wedding ceremony soon!" (Lancefield)
Bec and Tim wrote: "Jen we are so grateful for everything! We had the most wonderful ceremony - it exceeded our expectations. You are so warm, thoughtful and open, and so professional at the same time. We knew we were in good hands and completely trusted you. You have a lovely way with people and are so well-spoken. Thanks again! (Lancefield)
Heath and Elise: "We couldn't have been more happy with our ceremony! Although we weren't able to meet you frequently in person we still felt extremely supported throughout the process. You were readily available via phone or email and always responded to our quetions promptly. All of our guests commented on how beautiful our ceremony was! A huge thank-you from Heath and me!" (Sailors Falls)
Aaron and Sam: "Thankyou for being supportive from the beginning and all the way through to the ceremony. Your professionalism and the structure of the ceremony was outstanding. Thankyou for making our day special!" (Lancefield)
Laurie and Joy: Thank you Jen for understanding exactly what we wanted: to formallise our wedding without the fuss. We envisaged a relaxed, sincere ceremony, light-hearted but not too casual: you helped us to achieve this, with a touch of class. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and our guests are still talking about it. Family and friends have complimented us on the lovely ceremony you guided us through and we'd be happy to recommend you to anyone requiring a celebrant for any occasion. Your caring, genuine nature shines through, and we are delighted that we found you!" (Queenscliff)
Eliot and I [Erin] really just wanted to thank you for everything you did to make our wedding ceremony as memorable as it was. We definitely felt like everything was under control and that alleviated a lot of stress for us both in the lead up and on the day. Since our wedding we have had so many lovely comments from friends and family about how much they enjoyed the day and that it reflected the both of us so well. Thank you so much for the vital role you played in making that the case. (Queenscliff)
Apart from the legal line, it's a great idea to write your own! But many people get stuck knowing what to say so my advice is to not overthink things.
You're basically promising to stick by one another though everything life throws at you, but how you word it is up to you. So, it can be short and sweet (great if you're nervous), romantic and poetic, or personal and even slightly amusing. It's worth remembering that your promises are the foundation of your marriage, so it's best to talk through the big things and share your thoughts even if you don't end up sharing the exact words until the big day.
I have loads of ways to help, even if you end up going with something traditional!
What's the legal line?
"I ask everyone here to witness that I, (full name) take you, (full name), to be my lawful wedded husband/wife/spouse/partner in marriage."
I'm happy to provide either a full Mipro PA system or a Bose sound dock, both of which are battery powered!
So many weddings take place on the beach, in a winery, in a garden, that having my own reliable system is something I prefer, even if your venue says they have 'a mic for the celebrant'.
I'll also provide a cable for your smart phone, ipod or tablet, so just organise a playlist and your music is set to go! I recommend downloading your tracks - don't rely on Spotify and think it will work at the last minute - there's often no reliable signal!
It's not uncommon for a couple to want someone else to conduct the bulk of their wedding ceremony; that person might be a significant friend or family member, a religious celebrant who isn't legally able to conduct marriage ceremonies or possibly even a friend who's training to be a celebrant but isn't yet authorised. So, it's fine to have someone else do the personal parts of your ceremony. But...
I still take legal responsibility for the validity of marriages, and that entails more than just standing to the side, watching someone else say the majority of the words!
I need to
So, as this all takes considerable time and expertise I charge a minimum fee of $600.
There might also be an additional travel allowance. I will also save you some bother after the ceremony and apply for your marriage certificate and arrange postage to you, for an additional fee of $100.
Please bear in mind that a 'legals only' service is not a 'cheap wedding', and I lose the abililty to help another full-fee paying couple by committing to your date. For this reason, I don't take bookings for 'legals only' weddings months in advance. I didn't study celebrancy at University to provide this abbreviated service, but I'm happy to do it for couples who genuinely need assistance.
Great question - perhaps the answer's different for each couple.
Start by asking your friends, and your married friends' parents: word of mouth is a great recommendation!
Similarly, your venue might have a list of trusted providers, but don't go by that alone and be aware that venues shouldn't 'bundle' celebrants in with their services or make specific recommendations, as couples should be free to choose someone who suits them.
Then to the internet. And that's a job you can make easy or hard, perhaps depending on your skills and/or your time! Do you judge a book by its cover? It's an unavoidable starting point... We're all drawn to people we find attractive, but search a bit deeper then for clues about experience, quality training and standards, and something that gives you a sense you'll 'click' personality wise!
Your celebrant is the pivotal person who kicks off your big day! Search for someone who instils confidence. Some couples underestimate the importance of their celebrant but it's worth remembering that you're also preparing for your marriage at the same time you're preparing a celebration, so choose someone who appears to have a balance of maturity and legal expertise, as well as a style that might match yours and importantly, a sense of theatre!
Take the time to find the celebrant's Facebook Page. You might find a variety of interesting, fun, helpful or thoughtful posts over a period of time... not just photos of weddings, as many couples don't want to share their weddings publicly.
And finally, you can search on the association websites. It's reassuring to know your celebrant values the benefits of membership, and will have the necessary insurance cover and network should anything accidentally go wrong!
Then contact two or three. Don't just ask for a quote! Try to ask something that draws a bit more from their response, and that might help you narrow it down a bit more!
You've found me here... how about a chat? You'll hear my voice and that's a very good indicator of whether I might be the right celebrant for you!
It's best to book me as soon as you're happy with our calls, emails and/or at the first meeting.
I get lots of enquiries so please don't expect that even if you've had an email or two from me that I'll hold your date without a booking fee. Occasionally couples meet other celebrants then eventually get back to me and I'm still available, but not often, sorry!
The earliest you can marry is one month after lodging your Notice of Intended Marriage and the latest is 18 months. We don't have to do that in person, particularly if you're interstate or overseas: a scanned copy will do until I can see the original and original copies of your ID documents. We can do this at any time up till that one month deadline but it's cutting things fine!
So, don't leave this part until the last minute, just in case there are problems!
Book and lodge your NoIM early then you can relax!
Regardless of whether your wedding is small or large, short or long, I still have the same legal responsibility and there’s lots of background preparation. But, because couples like the idea of ‘packages’ just for fun, let’s separate ceremonies into sizes. Most people like a drink at a wedding – but this doesn’t reflect what you’ll actually serve at yours!
All my ceremonies are written with each couple’s needs and wishes in mind so you don’t get a cut and paste version of someone else’s proforma. More complex ceremonies obviously take longer to prepare. The main differences between these packages are the inclusions and travelling distances.
But, it’s best to chat about ideas rather than simply ask for ‘packages’. Rest assured you won’t miss out on anything! If you need it, it’s included!
Don’t choose a celebrant on price, but please be aware that my experience and high level of training are reflected in my fees.
Please email me and I’ll also send you a copy of What’s Included In My Fee.
I received a call from a tearful bride - this is an example of how things can go wrong, even if your celebrant's website and price look amazing!
This interstate couple booked the celebrant after one phone call. They then received an email asking for 50% of the total fee and were told to fill out a blank Notice of Intended Marriage and return it via email.
Over the next six months they either received one-line responses to their queries or none at all. They received no invoice, no receipt, no information about how to plan for their ceremony or their marriage - nothing to make them feel they were in safe hands!
They asked many questions around lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage and didn't get satisfactory responses but they nevertheless lodged their NoIM via email, within the correct time-frame - but, they had misunderstood the instructions about who could witness their signatures!
Their celebrant, however, didn't respond to this email (with the NoIM attached) and eventually, when they emailed to check it was lodged correctly, they were told AFTER the deadline that the signature was wrong and they'd therefore failed to lodge it correctly and they they couldn't marry on the date that everything was booked!
Many lengthy phone calls and emails later, by both them and me, we were able to retrieve the situation, but not without a lot of unnecessary distress!!!
Needless to say, they were amazed at the quality business processes and brilliant communication they then got from me, and the equally fantastic ceremony I drafted for them - NOT from a proforma into which they had to add, well, everything! :) :) :)
Late lesson learned. Choose well! Choose an educated celebrant with a good track record of reliable business practices - not just one with a pretty website!
Weddings have been called off or deferred right around the country! These are very uncertain, scary times and no-one knows when they'll end. But they will end.
In a nutshell, if you need to marry, do so but with only the minimum number of people present. You only need two witnesses and a celebrant to marry.
Most people would probably want a few family members present and that's ok but be mindful that the covid19 virus lives on surfaces, for days, so it's very easily spread.
It goes without saying that no-one wants a loved one to contract this deadly disease. So... marry now if you have to but save the partying for later!
November 2024
April 2024
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Emma, thanks so much for your lovely words. I enjoyed working with you and everything worked out perfectly on the day! Wishing you happiness and love always.
February 2022
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Thanks Amy! After a bit of a Covid-delay we got there in the end and your day was every bit as beautiful as we planned ages earlier! Wishing you lots of love and happiness xx
November 2024
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
It was my pleasure to be your celebrant. I loved how we worked in the words about having a driver and passenger through life! Safe and happy travels! x
November 2023
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Hi Rohan, I'm so pleased you were happy with my services. All our behind-the-scenes work meant you had a fabulous ceremony and I enjoyed being part of it! Wishing you much future happiness.
Expert Advice
As a wedding professional, Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant offers expert advice to help couples plan their perfect day. Ask a question or read their expert advice.
Get Expert AdviceWedding vows for guys
Are there any nice wedding vows for guys? I struggle with putting words together for this sort of thing, would like some thought starters please.
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Start simply by imagining your lives together many years into the future, then jot down the things that are most important. Draw from that to draft your vows - regardless of who you are.
For example, I promise I will stand by you when times are hard, and I will share your laughter when times are easy.
Don't say too much. It's all about the long term!
Most celebrants can help, so feel free to ask for examples or run your thoughts past your chosen officiant.
Can I withdraw NOIM form?
Can I withdraw the NOIM form if I don’t want to get married anymore? Will all my personal details and information already be entered and saved into government portal after I lodged the NOIM form with the celebrant? How can I get them removed?
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Hi, I'm sorry to hear your wedding will not be going ahead. However the good news is that your celebrant can simply delete the information on your Notice of Intended Marriage (referred to as a 'draft' within the BDM online portal) and securely destroy copies of any ientification you have supplied. Just tell your celebrant the wedding has been cancelled.
Can we write our own ring element into our wedding ceremony?
Wondering if the ring part of our ceremony can be personalised or if it has to be what everyone else has?
Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant
Exchanging rings is a tradition not a legal requirement so yes, you can have any creative element that helps personalise your ceremony. It's interesting that Aussie men only began regularly wearing weddings rings in the mid-70's, and in Europe rings are often worn on the right hand. Feel free to make that part *yours*!
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Taylah, thank-you so much for these kind words. From the moment I met you all I knew your wedding was going to be special! Love for a happy future together x