Jen Lawrie-Smith Marriage Celebrant

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!

Sometimes couples want someone else involved in their wedding ceremony; that person might be a friend or family member, a religious celebrant who isn't legally able to conduct marriage ceremonies or possibly even someone who's training to be a celebrant but isn't yet authorised.  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 much more than just standing to the side, watching someone else say the majority of the words!

I need to

• meet with you at least twice before the ceremony begins
• sight the original copies of your proof of identity documents and draw up all the legal paperwork
• read over your ceremony to ensure that all legal aspects are followed in the correct order and there is nothing offensive or otherwise inappropriate in it
• ensure that during the ceremony both of you completely understand and are comfortable with what is happening throughout
• step in and halt or take over the ceremony should something go awry
• say the appropriate legal wording, including warning you publicly of the seriousness of what you're committing to, then being certain you want to proceed
• assist you with and witness your vows
• be certain your witnesses also understand what's going on and witness all signatures
• lodge all the documents with Births, Deaths and Marriages in order that your marriage is validly registered
• travel to your venue (possibly in coastal or regional areas, up to 2 hours of my time)
• dress appropriately, and
• be fully present in your moments of happiness, not just someone off to the side!

So, will having someone else participate in your ceremony save you money? Probably not!

You pay for a celebrant's expertise, qualifications and experience, insurance and more. It takes time to ensure these ceremonies are appropraite and legal. Many celebrants charge their full fee - I charge a minimum fee of $900.

There might also be an additional travel allowance. I can also save you some effort after the ceremony by applying for your marriage certificate, for an additional fee.

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 really need someone else involved.

The Attorney General's Department has recently reminded celebrants that too much focus is now being given to a couple's 'story' so it is important that the community [your guests] is reminded of the seriousness of marriage. Rest assured though - I won't make your ceremony serious and boring!

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!

• The Boutique Beer Ceremony Package – hand-crafted and micro-brewed for small weddings up to around 50 guests
• The Medium Bodied Wine Ceremony Package – balanced and moderate, for up to around 85-100 guests
• The Sparkling Wine Ceremony Package – rich and complex: when only the best will do! Large weddings

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!

Short answer - no.

Very small weddings and elopements have become increasingly common. I love conducting them as couples are often very relaxed and romantic in the presence of only a few people.

If you want to have a party or second ceremony - beware...

• You cannot call it a wedding or give your friends the impression that this is your wedding
• Anyone conducting a second ceremony cannot purport to be an authorised celebrant - they must inform your guests that you are already married and this is not a wedding
• You cannot repeat any of the legal wording or sign a marriage certificate
• You can share your personal vows but you cannot repeat the legal vow
• You can choose wording such as a 'celebration of marriage', 're/commitment to marriage' or even 'renewal of vows'
• If you were validly married overseas, your marriage will be considered valid in Australia so there's no need register it here or hold another ceremony. Similarly, if you marry here you don't need another wedding overseas. Cultual ceremonies such as blessings are fine.