Noelene Smith Marriage Celebrant

Weddings can be and I understand that couples are working to a budget.  My fees are a one-off cost of $780.00 and includes meetings/a rehearsal at the venue (if requested)/several drafts of the ceremony to final stage/all legal document preparation and lodgement to Births Deaths & Marriages for registration of marriage/Certificate of Marriage/Presentation Copy of Ceremony as a keepsake/a wireless PA system suited to indoor or outdoor use/travel to and from venue on the wedding day and last but not least, presentation of the ceremony!  There are no hidden extras.

I like to meet with a couple for an initial no-cost meeting to help with the decision-making of choosing a celebrant.  Phone conversations are helpful, but I find face-to-face much more beneficial to all.

NOTE:  To book my services I usually require a booking fee of $350 with the balance payable up to two weeks prior to the wedding or part payments along the way, whatever suits best.

As soon as possible is the short answer – firstly so a couple can secure the date they wish and secondly to have their NOIM (Notice of Intended Marriage) ready on time.  The required legal time frame for a couple to lodge and sign a NOIM with the celebrant is no less than 30 days and no more than 18 months prior to the proposed wedding date.  To ensure this important document is dated and signed within the time frame, original birth certificates, current drivers licences/passports, divorce or death certificates (if relevant) for both parties, need to be provided.

For a celebrant to complete the legal documentation required to register a marriage in Australia, a couple need to provide their original birth certificates, a current drivers licence or Australian/overseas passport.

If a couple were born in Australia, it is an easy online process to request a new birth certificate from Births Deaths and Marriages.  The small fee involved also includes postage.  If one or both parties were born overseas, they would need to seek the documentation from that country.  If for some reason those records were unavailable, a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration would be required stating full details of their birth.

Absolutely!  My role as a celebrant is to guide you through the process with samples and suggestions and of course incorporate your own ideas on how you envisage your wedding ceremony to be.  My aim is to provide a ceremony that reflects a couples own individuality.