Heart2heart Ceremonies

I'm based in south east Queensland and happy to travel all over, including northern New South Wales. The furthest I've travelled is Kuranda in northern Queensland for a special wedding in the rainforest and the closest I've travelled was to my lovely neighbours next door when I married them earlier this year! Sometimes it may be more economical for you to pick a celebrant close to where you are marrying and sometimes it's good to pick a celebrant close by to where you live, even though it may mean some travel on the wedding day. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.

Travel over about 100km each way does attract additional fees from me. I'm happy to build a special quote for you if you decide I'm the celebrant for you and we can work out what works best.

There are a few things to consider. You must both be over 18 (unless you have a court order), not married to anyone else and not related to each other (in any close degree).

You need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage with your celebrant at least a month before your wedding. You'll need the following documentation for your Notice:

• birth certificates or passports
• photo ID such as a driver's licence
• documents to show the end of any previous marriage.

Special requirements may apply if:

• you don't understand the English language (you may need an interpreter at the wedding)
• if you are coming to Australia to marry your fiance - you may need to consider applying for a prospective marriage visa.

If you are marrying in Australia and don't live permanently in Australia, you may need to get your marriage documents authenticated or stamped with an apostille if you want to register your marriage in another country. You can find out more about this here: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/consular-services/notarial-services/documents.

Please contact me if you'd like more information.

No, a rehearsal is not essential. If you don't want to have a rehearsal, we can still run through what happens on the day. I provide you with all the information you need for the ceremony, including timing for music, alternatives for how you begin your ceremony, where you stand, how to exchange rings and what to do at the end.

If you would like to do a rehearsal, I recommend this is done close to your ceremony date, so it's fresh in your mind. You can have a rehearsal at the venue, at your home or mine. A rehearsal can be a good idea if:

• you are a little nervous about the day
• if your ceremony is complicated, eg. involves a handfasting or special ritual
• if you have a large wedding party and multiple entrance songs.

A rehearsal generally just goes over the choreography of the ceremony, not the words. I recommend to my couples that they do practice their vows a few times (separately to each other) out loud just to get a feel for how they will sound on the day and so that you feel they are the right length and say what you want to say.

You're welcome to have a chat with me about this.

You certainly can write your own vows and I recommend that you do. That way, your vows will be personal and meaningful.

Writing your own vows is also one of the most challenging things to do and also the part all the guest want to hear :).

I provide my couples with tips on how to write vows and examples of vows other couples have used. In this way, you can get an idea of what you might like to say in your vows. I can also ask you a list of questions to find out what you'd like to say and help you write your vows.

It's fine to include some humour in your vows if you want to. But you don't have to. The most important thing is that your vows come from your heart and you are happy with them.

Vows can be short or long, just the legals or a love note to each other. Whatever you choose, I can help you get it just right for the day.

This is one of those questions everyone asks and it's an important one! But at the same time, it's important to recognise that one ceremony is not the same as another. Each celebrant is different, has a different style and every couple is different and has a different story. For this reason, you'll see a big range of prices that celebrants may charge. Most wedding ceremonies involve about 15 to 20 hours of work by a celebrant and there may also be travel, official paperwork costs, and the normal business expenses that come with running a small business. Some celebrants also offer additional services that add on to the ceremony, such as MC or singing. I don't sing (unless everyone is singing) but I do inject some humour and light-heartedness into your ceremony if you choose that. I also enjoy telling your story - this is not just how you met and got to be standing in front of a crowd getting hitched (hopefully a crowd you invited :)). It's what you love about each other, what drives you crazy about each other and why you've decided to hold the most expensive party of your life!

I generally cost my ceremonies at around $45 per hour so the charge can vary considerably depending on whether you have a rehearsal, if you just want the bare legals in an elopement ceremony and how far I need to travel.

I may also offer a special rate on occasion, such as where I've already done a ceremony for you (think naming or a handfasting and now you're legally tying the knot) or for pensioners. I may waive a fee for a rehearsal if you come to my place for that to help you keep to your budget.

No harm in asking :).