Celebrant's Blog

Any place is a good place for a wedding when you are in love!
This is what it was like at Redesdale today before one of the worst storms in recent memory hit Melbourne.
Hope everybody got home safely!

 

There are many excellent migration agents in Victoria who understand that "Weddings In Melbourne" is the best place to send clients who want a prompt and efficient marriage ceremony when they are dealing with Partnership Visas.  However, we have noticed a NSW Agent, Jose Respall, who has given his clients a very helpful link to a  complete list of Australian Marriage Celebrants for the guidance of his clients.  How helpful is that?  See: https://www.respall.com/index.php/default_con 

 

Don't you just love that moment when the bride and groom can say, "We have pledged ourselves to each other and we are so happy about it."

 

Edwin & Mirjam - The Ceremony from Belinda Jane Video on Vimeo.

 

11/1/2010 > You may be aware the I am trialling a new online registration system for the Melbourne Registry Office.  Now that my clients are applying to the Registry Office for the official marriage certificates confirming that their marriage is registered there, they are finding that the certificates are looking much more "official". 
Normally, couples applying for such a certificate are issued with merely a photocopy of the certificate they sign on their wedding day.  However, now my clients are receiving certificates that are custom printed with all the information that I supply to the Registry Office.  This is a refreshing surprise to my clients who claim that at last the marriage certificates issued by the Registry Office in Melbourne  "...look like something important"

 

1/12/2009 >  I have been asked by the Registry Office to trial a new system for registering marriages online.  This trial begins on Monday 7 December, 2009.
From that point on, I shall have direct access to the website of the Registry Office and I will be forwarding all information electronically to that Office after the marriage is complete.

It is exciting to be a part of this initiative which will bring the registration of marriages into the 21st century. Watch this space for further details about this important innovation.

 

What should I expect to pay a celebrant for the services provided?

This depends very much on many things such as the level of experience and reputation of the celebrant. You would not want anything to go wrong on our special day so perhaps the first thing to ensure is that your celebrant has had many years of experience.

In Melbourne, the average fee for a celebrant would be in the region of $550. If you can secure the services of a good celebrant for this figure or less and have the confidence that the celebrant is a true professional, then you are doing very well.

 

Often, couples find that the most difficult aspect of their wedding ceremony is their choice of suitable readings. Here is a site that you may like to visit to read a further variety of suitable readings:

 

Give some substance and depth to your wedding ceremony with the use of some inspirational and uplifting readings. There are many sites on the net where you can find inspiration. Try, for instance, the following:

http://www.jimnoonan.com.au/#SelectedReadings

 

If you are planning a wedding, you might find it stimulating to dip into some of the ideas shared on the following site:

http://www.ourmarriage.com/html/unique_wedding_ideas.html

Some of the ideas don't impress, but others might arouse your imagination.

 

The unity candle symbolizes the very essence of the wedding ceremony. Two smaller candles, representing the couple as individuals or members of separate families, are used to light a single center candle as a visible symbol of their commitment to each other. There are many variations on the ceremony and the individual details are completely up to you. Here are some ideas to help you as you plan your ceremony:

Before the ceremony begins, place the unity candle on a small table near the place for the ceremony. It can be useful to have a small tealight already burning before the ceremony commences so that there would be no need to be lighting matches when the time for lighting comes.

There are several popular options for lighting your smaller candles. You can have your parents come forward to light the them as a symbol of your two families coming together as one. At this point, some couples choose to present their mothers with a rose. Or, you may light the small candles yourselves from a tealight.

Subsequently, the bride and groom come forward and light the unity candle from the two smaller candles.

Often the celebrant will announce what is about to happen, and then the lighting takes place as gentle music plays.

To book Jim Noonan to conduct your wedding, ring him now on (03) 9379 3824

 

As with other important things in life, deciding to marry has legal consequences.

Normally you need to be 18 years of age or older. There are exceptions to this rule and your celebrant can guide you through what needs to be done if either of the parties is under the age of 18 years.

You must lodge with your celebrant a Notice of Intended Marriage at least one full month and not earlier than 18 months prior to the wedding.

When you lodge the Notice, you need to supply the following:
- Birth Certificates (or extracts) as proof of age and identity.
- A decree absolute or death certificate as proof that any previous marriage has been terminated.

 

There are many very fine wedding Photographers with whom I have worked in the hope that we can bring some magic to the wedding day.

A few good ones that I have seen capturing special moments in the areas around Essendon are:

Studio House Photography
117 Pascoe Vale Rd. Moonee Ponds
9326 1014

Megagraphics Photography
136 Mascoma St. Strathmore
9379 6636

Tina Giorgio Photography
166 Pascoe Vale Rd. Moonee Ponds
9370 7729

Brian Bonnici Photography
21 Kalyna Crt Delahey
9364 0604

Christopher Clinnick Photography
7 Strathconnan Sq. Tullamarine
9338 5394

Alex Pavlou Photography
480 Abbotsford St. North Melb
9348 9595

Clique
489 Nicholson St North Carlton
9347 9022

Studio 477
477 Victoria St. West Brunswick
9388 2527

Affinity Photography
Kaye Wright

http://www.affinityphotography.com.au

 

If you are looking for a first class Wedding Reception Venue which is within easy reach from all parts of Melbourne, you can do no better than The Roselyn Court Homestead:
http://www.roselyncourt.com.au
Elegance and first class service are a good combination.

 

Music is a vital part of a good ceremony
Your wedding planning is not complete until you determine what place music will play in the ceremony. It is important to appreciate that the tone and flavour of the ceremony can be greatly enhanced by the use of tasteful and moving music. It may be that your ceremony will feel flat, ordinary or even dull if you have not planned your music thoughtfully and carefully. At a minimum, it is suggested that music be played for 10 minutes prior to the ceremony, during the procession, during the recession or congratulations, and for some 10 minutes after the ceremony.

Live musicians are warmly recommended
There is no totally satisfactory substitute for the inclusion of live musicians in your day. If live music is important for the reception it can be equally valuable for the ceremony. If you are on a budget, a single musician might be included, though a duo, trio or quartet might also be considered. Costs can vary, though if you shop around it is possible to secure the services of excellent musicians for quite a reasonable fee. Singing can lift the ambiance of a wedding markedly. Consider a live soloist or a choral group. You may also think about the possibility of inviting your guests to sing. If you do, you will need a good lead singer, easily audible music, the choice of an appropriate key and a printed copy of the words for each guest.

Recorded music must be handled well
If you prefer to use CDs at your ceremony, certain ground rules need to be followed:
· Have the best possible equipment.
· Have a competent person operating the system, and ensure that the operator is aware of the need for good timing, correct volume, careful fading, effective and discreet placement of the unit.

Be creative
Amongst the most memorable weddings I have been involved in, often it is the originality shown in the way the music is handled that makes the ceremony stand out for me. Some ways I have seen imagination and creativity shown in the selection of music for a ceremony are as follows:
· A single violinist walked around amongst the guests and “serenaded” individuals or groups.
· An oboe player gathered the guests and, as he played a haunting melody, led them to the place where the other members of a quintet waited to launch the ceremony.
· A skilled recorder player (a guest at the ceremony) began the ceremony with a jolly tune. At the same wedding, three friends of the couple sang in harmony, unaccompanied, as a special feature just before the vows were exchanged.
You might be surprised just how much talent you have available to you from the guest list alone if only you are prepared to ask. Go ahead! Be original, be ingenious! Ensure that we remember your wedding because of the beautiful music.

 

Couples are free to choose their own vows with one proviso:
The following prescribed words must be included in the vows, "I call upon the persons here present to witness that I N. take you N. to be my husband/wife."

So the traditional vows would go like this:
"I call upon the persons here present to witness that I N. take you N. to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, while we both shall live."