Lorraine Wright - The Wright Celebrant

Absolutely! I've got your back on this one. I can provide whatever level of support you need to make your vows really pop. You'll feel proud to say them, and your partner will feel loved and incredibly special hearing them. 

I've created a tool that will make the process easy and stress-free for you... my Vow-Writing 'Cheat Sheet'.

Here's how it works... you read the questions and prompts (or 'sentence starters'), then simply jot down whatever comes to mind. Before you know it, you'll have put together an amazing collection of personal, meaningful material that will work perfectly in your vows.

From there, you can send me your rough ideas, and I'll weave your own words into authentic vows that reflect you, and marry well (forgive the pun) with the length and tone of your partner's vows. We can make them as heartfelt and funny as you wish.

And if you genuinely don't have time for this simple process, I can help with ready-to-go examples, or with fully ghost-written vows. 

The main thing is, don't put too much pressure on yourself. This isn't an exam to be passed. It's a moment to be lived and enjoyed. However we get there, as long as your vows express what you really want to say to your partner in this important moment, that's what counts.

First up, let me say - whatever your situation, we will make it work seamlessly. I'll 'lead you by the hand' through your whole ceremony.

Of course, getting the gang together for a rehearsal beforehand is the optimal way to go, as it will give you a much better sense of how it will look and feel on the day. It will allow you to make the best choices for positioning (the 'stagecraft', if you like) and enable your team to practice, adding an extra level of 'polish' - something you'll particularly appreciate if you have videography on your big day.

If you just can't bring all of your wedding party together in the lead up to the ceremony, we'll simply work with what (or who!) we've got. I will fully brief you on all the options, and we can practice your key parts, then I will guide you all through everything on the day.

If you're getting married outdoors. I definitely recommend visiting your ceremony spot at the same time of day (and close to your wedding date) if you can manage it. This will give you the best indication of where the sun is going to be, so you can avoid having the sun beaming directly into the faces of either the wedding party or your guests. You can also make sure your set up won't place the wedding party in dappled light (part sun, part shade) - that wreaks havoc with photos! And the visit will also let you know if you need to consider other creature comforts, like mossie repellent!

Absolutely! I can download your playlist on my mini tablet and control the music as I do the ceremony. My high quality Bose PA system is rechargeable and fully portable, so we don’t need a power point.

I think the golden window for a civil marriage ceremony (in front of guests) is around 20 to 25 minutes, from the moment you walk down the aisle, to the moment I introduce you as Newlyweds.

Anything shorter will feel too quick, and may diminish the significance of the occasion, while anything much longer than 30 minutes can start to feel like it's dragging on unnecessarily. Just like when Goldilocks tried Baby Bear's bowl of porridge, we want your ceremony to feel "just right".

That said, I always recommend allocating an extra 15 minutes for the ceremony in your run sheet if you can, to allow for contingencies. If something unexpected crops up - such as an ill-timed shower of rain, or a VIP guest running late, we can move the start time slightly without upsetting your entire day plan. And if everything is going swimmingly, awesome! You can enjoy those extra 15 minutes hugging and chatting with your guests after the ceremony.

If you're eloping, that's a different kettle of fish... your ceremony is likely to be more like 10-15 minutes.

And if you've chosen to do a 'legals only' marriage with no ceremony at all, that can be accomplished in about 2 minutes.

Yes, you need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM), have it duly witnessed, and lodge it with your Marriage Celebrant at least one calendar month (but not more than 18 months) before the date of the wedding.

I usually witness the NOIM for my clients at our Planning Meeting. However, if we can't get together in person, there are other prescribed authorities who can witness it, (then you simply need to send it to your celebrant within the correct timeframe.)

• If you are in Australia when completing the form, suitable witnesses include: an Authorised Marriage Celebrant, Justice of the Peace, Commissioner for Declarations, a Barrister or Solicitor, a Medical Doctor, or Police Officer.

• If you are overseas when completing the NOIM, you must sign it in the presence of an Australian Diplomatic or Consular Officer; a Notary Public, an employee of the Commonwealth authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955; oremployee of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955.
• I generally recommend that my international clients make an appointment for Notarial Services at their nearest Australian consulate or high commission, or find a conveniently located Notary Public)

There are some additional documents you'll have to show your Celebrant before the ceremony takes place:

• Photographic identification, and evidence of where and when you were born. (Your passport will suffice, or your birth certificate along with a drivers licence or other photographic ID.)
• If you have been married before: evidence of how your most recent marriage ended (for example, divorce certificate; death certificate.)
• If any of your primary documents are in another language, you will also need to provide an English copy, translated by a NAATI-accredited translator.

If you have any questions about these requirements, please feel free to ask.