OVERVIEW

Hello and congratulations!

My name is Desmond Stow - Civil Marriage Celebrant,

I am:

*Devoted to creating a loving, caring and fun atmosphere for all ceremonies.
*Experienced: Appointed a Marriage Celebrant in 1995.
*Have officiated at the marriages of over a thousand happy and delightful couples.
*A PROFESSIONAL and SUPPORTIVE celebrant who works with each couple to create the ceremony and special day atmosphere that they wish for their wedding ceremony.
*I have a friendly, relaxed approach to interviews and on ceremony, day putting brides and groom at ease.

As no two people or couples are alike, every ceremony I conduct is as special as you are, reflecting your personality and tastes.

In celebrating weddings, I have been privileged to marry couples from various parts of the world and from many different cultural backgrounds. A wonderful, wonderful experience!

Each ceremony is special to me and is presented with a sense of occasion, a Relaxed Dignity and with a Sincere Friendly Feeling, regardless of the style, size or nature of the wedding.

Let’s have a chat and see if I can help you plan the perfect ceremony of your dreams.

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3 reviews 5 Write a Review

January 2016

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Such a delight to have him be part of our wedding day. He was so friendly, easy going, professional and helpful

Melissa D.

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

Melissa and Oliver, thank you for writing such lovely things regarding my role in your wedding ceremony and wedding day. It's personally very warming to know that you felt as you did about my contribution to your day.

April 2015

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We are very happy that we chose Des to be our celebrant, he conducted our wedding ceremony beautifully. Having his reassuring presence certainly helped calm our nerves, and he coped perfectly with a couple of unexpected moments. Des was also very helpful, responsive in explaining the paperwork and procedures that make the marriage legally valid. We certainly recommend him highly to anyone seeking a celebrant.

Tess L.

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

Thank you Tess for your beautiful comments, I had a wonderful time with you and Sean and am pleased that what I did met your expectations for your ceremony.

February 2015

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Thank you Des for the most amazing and heart felt ceremony. We really appreciate the time and effort you provided us to ensure our day was amazing. All our guests loved the ceremony and we couldn't have asked for a more genuine celebrant.

Melissa K.

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

Thank you Melissa, for the beautiful things you have said. I loved sharing the day with you and am delighted that my brief role in yours and Mark's life achieved what you wanted for your wedding ceremony and wedding day.

Expert Advice

As a wedding professional, Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart offers expert advice to help couples plan their perfect day. Ask a question or read their expert advice.

Get Expert Advice

Can you become a celebrant and preside over your own wedding?

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

You are certainly able to become a celebrant but you can not preside over your own wedding. You need to be independant to hear the vows, declare the required marriage statements and sign documents as a person separate from the persons marrying.

I'm not a religious but can I have my marriage ceremony in a church?

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

HI there, yes you can have your ceremony in a church or for that matter any place of your choosing. However if you wish to have a civil celebrant conduct your wedding ceremony you may find that some churches only allow their own ordained ministers to conduct the ceremonies in theor chapel. Occasionally a church will give permission for a civil celebrant to conduct the ceremony but not that frequently. You do need to be aware that some denominations (one in particular that I have had to deal with) will promise permission until not long before the ceremony - early on the day of the wedding or at the rehearsal - and then say to you that they thought the person conducting the ceremony was one of their clergy. They then have said that the couple could still have it in the chapel but the local priest is required to do it. So, if you are happy to have a religious ceremony you can most definitely have it in a church. If you want a choice of a non-religious or civil ceremony you may need to consider some of the very beautiful chapels available ay wedding venues and other locations around your city.

CINDY N

can marriage celebrants perform religious ceremonies?

Desmond Stow - Weddings From The Heart

Hello, this is an excellenet question which highlights the role of marriage Celebrants in the communtiy. Primarily marriage celebrants who are registered by the Federal Attorney General's office are Civil Marriage Celebrants. They are registered to allow people who have little or no religious affiliation to have a person to perform a quality and meaningful ceremony for them without religious content.

However, some couples because they still wish to acknowledge their parental traditions, choose to have some religious content in their ceremonies or base their ceremony on a traditonal religious service. It is fine for a Civil Marriage Celebrant to perform a ceremony under these circumstances. However we are not allowed to 'push' a religious philosophy at, or onto a couple who are marrying. These things must be instigated by the bride and groom if desired in their ceremony.