A naming ceremony is a ceremony where you publicly welcome your child into your family and circle of friends. Generally speaking, the ceremony is non-religious however on occasions, I have been asked to read something from the Bible of which I am not opposed to doing. Christenings are religious and conducted by a member of the clergy in a church , whereby namings are conducted by a celebrant at any place and any time, giving the family more flexibility. I am in no way opposed

Following on from my post yesterday, apart from filling out and lodging a NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE ( NOIM ) with your celebrant one month prior to your marriage date, there is one more document that needs to be signed PRIOR to your wedding taking place. This document is called a DECLARATION OF NO LEGAL IMPEDIMENT. This is to be signed as close to the wedding date as possible. This document is signed in front of your celebrant, and you are declaring everything that you have

Not everyone is aware of the legalities around getting married. And that's ok - for many people, it's only something that you only do once, so why would you know right? So that is what this blog is all about. Generally speaking, in order to get married in Australia, you need to give one months notice. At that time, you fill out and lodge a document titled - NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE - with your celebrant. You must provide identification to your celebrant as evidence of your

Having conducted many weddings, and having been to many weddings over the years, it's so nice to see the different colour schemes that people choose. Many people stick to a theme, from the colour of their attendants clothing right through to the colours at the reception. As repeated throughout my many blogs, it's all about choice! A wedding that I was the celebrant for in October of 2017 involved the bridesmaids all wearing various colours. It looked amazing! THEY looked amaz

Australia Day is celebrated every year on the 26th January marking the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, Sydney. As time has evolved, in modern days, Australia Day celebrations reflect our diverse society and culture. On this day, awards are presented by the Governor General and Prime Minister to individuals who works tirelessly within our community and make a difference and benefit our nation. It is also a time to remember o

In Australia, a person needs to undertake training, be deemed competent in their studies, apply to the Attorney General's Department and then if successful with their application, be appointed. The training that is required is Certificate IV in Celebrancy CHC41015. A person must also be deemed "fit and proper" - after all Celebrants have a legal responsibility - it's certainly an honour to be appointed. Once appointed, a celebrant needs to undertake 5 hours of ongoing profess

How did you arrive at your wedding? Did you do something out of the ordinary or were you more traditional? Since commencing as a Marriage celebrant in September of 2008, I have seen many different types of transport that both Brides and Grooms have arrived in. There are no hard and fast rules - it is all up to what you want for your day! One of the most " out of the box" arrivals I witnessed, was when Mitchell and Courtney married in March of 2016. They held their ceremony an

There are many different elements to a ceremony whether it be a Baby Naming, Wedding or Funeral. Of course words are so very important and can be very powerful when written and delivered in the correct manner. Photos are also very powerful, particularly in a funeral ceremony as they can comfort and also be a very powerful aid in coping with our loss and our grief. There are other rituals that can be included though that will give the ceremony an even more personalised touch.

On the 9th December 2017, Same - sex marriages became legal in Australia. I for one was very happy that now everyone was free to marry regardless of their sex. As a young child, I was brought up to accept everyone as they are. My parents were very broad minded, down to earth people, and I just know this has definitely held me in good stead for the relationships and friendships that I have developed and also given me an open minded approach in life. One family that I got to kn

Lots of people opt to have a photo presentation at funeral ceremonies. It is a lovely way to visually pay tribute to your loved one. When putting the photos together, I recommend that you include at least one of every family member. Think of all of the people that are important in the life of the person who has passed. Their partner, children and their partners, grandchildren/great grandchildren, parents, siblings and partners, nieces and nephews, friends, neighbours,work col