Hello and congratulations on your impending wedding!
I thought the easiest way for you to see the ‘getting married’ process was to create a timeline for you, (below) to see what we get up to together! You can trust that I have all that it takes to make sure your wedding ceremony is perfect.
Rest assured that I cover all legalities, here’s the basics.
notice of intended marriage (NOIM)
You must be over the age of 18 years to be married in Australia, unless you have court approval. Before you can be married you will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form. This has to be done a minimum of 1 month and 1 day before your wedding.
The documents I will need to see and witness are:
If born in Australia – Original Birth Certificates or Australian Passports
If born overseas – Original Birth Certificate or Overseas Passport.
If either of you have been married before – Divorce Decree papers or Death Certificate of a previous spouse.
Witnesses
Two witnesses over the age of 18 are required to sign the Marriage Register and Certificates.
I am an eloquent and experienced public speaker but more importantly, your service is about you, and my aim is to create one that is exactly what you want. Below is a more detailed timeline of the process. Click on each heading to open up the details.
My goal is to keep things simple for you, as there are so many other things on your wedding day checklist!
initial contact
We have a chat on the phone or meet up to see if I’m the right person for you. I know it’s a very personal choice! If you choose me as your celebrant, the first of the legalities is that I lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM)
The NOIM
Download Your Notice Of Intended Marriage
I can lodge this as early as 18 months, or no later than one month and one day before your wedding day. Print it out and fill it in, and bring it to the next meeting, so I can witness it and site your documents. Alternatively you can email it to me followed by a hard copy in the mail. A 50% booking fee is required at this stage with the balance of the fee due 7 days prior to the wedding. View details of my wedding packages here
we meet again
We talk about your day: what you want, who you want to include in your service, and the ‘style’ that reflects who you are. Your ceremony is composed with all of these things in mind. You can write it yourself, and I make sure that the legal words of the ceremony are included, or I can write your ceremony for you.
You come away full of ideas
After our meeting, you have access to my ‘Resources’ page, full of inspiration and ideas for your wedding ceremony: poems, readings, rituals and music and lots of special touches you can add to your service. There will also be some sample services to start your creative juices flowing. You can take your time and savour this, so your day truly reflects who you both are.
I write the first draft of your ceremony
We connect via email or phone, so I can listen and shape your ceremony. I will incorporate everything that you wish for!
Everything is set to go!
You are happy with the ceremony, and we’ve ironed out all details for the day. If you have an outdoor service, we have a contingency plan. I know who will be involved on the day, and rest assured that all you have to do is arrive, and savour every moment.
the rehearsal
Some couples pass on the rehearsal, particularly with smaller informal weddings. However, if we do have a rehearsal, it is best that it takes place at the venue that you have chosen for your wedding.
the big day
I’ll arrive 30-40 minutes prior to your ceremony. I’ll be there for support and love, and liasing with photographers, musicians etc, so everything runs smoothly. I’ll make an announcement prior to the service re mobile phones, social media etc.
Making it official
Rings and vows have been exchanged, bride and groom have kissed. The Register is signed by two witnesses over the age of 18. I present you to your family and friends as the newly married couple. I’ll leave you to lap up the love, and lodge all required paperwork. You’re married!
Your wedding certificate
Although you will be presented with a Marriage Certificate on the day, you will need to order an official copy from the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, in order to make changes to your name. I can arrange this, or you can order yourself. It will cost you the same either way.
initial contact
We have a chat on the phone or meet up to see if I’m the right person for you. I know it’s a very personal choice! If you choose me as your celebrant, the first of the legalities is that I lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM)
The NOIM
Download Your Notice Of Intended Marriage
I can lodge this as early as 18 months, or no later than one month and one day before your wedding day. Print it out and fill it in, and bring it to the next meeting, so I can witness it and site your documents. Alternatively you can email it to me followed by a hard copy in the mail. A 50% booking fee is required at this stage with the balance of the fee due 7 days prior to the wedding. View details of my wedding packages here
we meet again
We talk about your day: what you want, who you want to include in your service, and the ‘style’ that reflects who you are. Your ceremony is composed with all of these things in mind. You can write it yourself, and I make sure that the legal words of the ceremony are included, or I can write your ceremony for you.
You come away full of ideas
After our meeting, you have access to my ‘Resources’ page, full or inspiration and ideas for your wedding ceremony: Poems, reading, rituals and music and lots of special touches you can add to your service. There will also be some sample services to start your creative juices flowing. You can take your time and savour this, so your day truly reflects who you both are.
I write the first draft of your ceremony
We connect via email or phone, so I can listen and shape your ceremony. I will incorporate everything that you wish for!
Everything is set to go!
You are happy with the ceremony, and we’ve ironed out all details for the day. If you have an outdoor service, we have a contingency plan. I know who will be involved on the day, and rest assured that all you have to do is arrive, and savour every moment.
the rehearsal
Some couples pass on the rehearsal, particularly with smaller informal weddings. However, if we do have a rehearsal, it is best that it takes place at the venue that you have chosen for your wedding.
the big day
I’ll arrive 30-40 minutes prior to your ceremony. I’ll be there for support and love, and liasing with photographers, musicians etc, so everything runs smoothly. I’ll make an announcement prior to the service re mobile phones, social media etc.
Making it official
Rings and vows have been exchanged, bride and groom have kissed. The Register is signed by two witnesses over the age of 18. I present you to your family and friends as the newly married couple. I’ll leave you to lap up the love, and lodge all required paperwork. You’re married!
Your wedding certificate
Although you will be presented with a Marriage Certificate on the day, you will need to order an official copy from the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages, in order to make changes to your name. I can arrange for this for a fee, or you can order yourself. It will cost you the same either way.
happy and delighted couples
judy & michael
Thank you Julie! You made the process so easy. Our wedding day was exactly what we wanted, and you took all the stress out of creating the ceremony of our dreams. You were kind and patient when we kept changing things. Our guests commented on your graceful delivery of our service. We talked with a few celebrants when we were choosing, but there was something about you that made us choose you, and I’m so glad we did. Thank you for a beautiful day. All of our guests loved it too.
Judy & Michael
Violet and Imogen
You made our day. Truly. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We know you have a personal interest in same sex marriage, because your daughter is gay and happily married, and this really helped us, because you know the challenges that we’ve been through. The ceremony was perfect, and was helped by your sense of humour. We couldn’t recommend you enough.
Violet & Imogen
Ian & Beth
Both of us had been married before and Julie, you handled the paperwork so seamlessly. You understood that we wanted a short and sweet ceremony with no fuss, and you really respected that.
Our wedding day was exactly what we wanted with a simple but elegant service, and you spoke beautifully. Thank you!
Ian & Beth
Frequently asked questions
I am always here to answer any of your questions about your wedding but here’s a few of the most frequently asked questions.
How long before our wedding do we have to fill in our Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM)?
1 month and one day. You can fill your Notice Of Intended Marriage 18months prior, but must know your date and place of wedding.
How long does a ceremony usually take?
15-20 minutes is the average, but it depends how many people take part in your ceremony, and the number of readings and rituals you add.
Can we walk down the aisle together?
Of course! The only legal requirements are in the paperwork I look after for you. Everything else is open! Whatever works for you, we can work around.
If we have our wedding in a park, how do we keep the public away? We'd like it to be private.
I’ll have the appropriate documentation from the council, and therefore are within my rights to ask people to move along. In the nicest possible way, of course!
Can we get married on a boat?
Absolutely. In this case, I will catch a water taxi back to shore, I don’t stay onboard after the ceremony has concluded.
Should we invite you to stay for drinks or the reception afterwards?
This is not standard practice at all, and not expected. My job is to make sure all goes well leading up to and during the wedding ceremony, and once this is done, I’ll slip away discreetly. You’ll be wanting to mingle with your nearest and dearest!
Let's Connect
Booking your celebrant may be one of the first things to do, to ensure your date. Please contact me to check my availability and we can arrange a meeting.