OVERVIEW
The two co-founders of Love is Love Celebrants and Wedding Services are authorised civil marriage celebrants.
We personally both know how daunting it is to find the right suppliers for your big day… Searching around for the best in the industry but within your budget, looking for the right vibes… the social media creeping and then completing a heap of enquiry forms – Trust us, we get it. Mitch has just got married and Bridgitte is currently planning her wedding, so we can definitely vouch for it feeling all a little overwhelming at times.
As Wedding Celebrants, we’re here to help you navigate and support you through the Wedding Ceremony process and of course, recommend suppliers along the way to ensure your big day comes together with ease.
Learn more about each Mitch and Bridge, their styles and what they’re all about.
Hint: If you still can’t decide – send us an enquiry and we would both be happy to meet you guys over a coffee, wine or brunch and from there you can choose who feels right for you!
Mitchell Hilder
Mitch has been solemnising marriages since early 2017, having decided that he loved weddings so much he wanted to be a part of as many as possible.
He brings a laid back attitude coupled with strong attention to detail that ensures you go into your ceremony relaxed, and with confidence that everything will run just as you dreamed. He has been described as “warm, friendly, personable and organised” and is regularly told by wedding guests they thought he was a good friend of the couple, such is the bond he makes with them.
Bridgitte Kelly
Bridge has a calm and collected nature. A true people person at heart, she will delight you and your guests with her warm, vibrant and engaging personality. Bridge has become a celebrant to celebrate and enjoy in life’s more special moments.
She is here to help you navigate with ease the ceremony process and all the legal bits. So whether you’re planning a big wedding, a intimate ceremony or even eloping Bridge is committed to designing you a wedding ceremony that truly represents who you are and what you’re all about as a couple.
Professional business colleagues, turned best mates, turned business partners. Each Mitch and Bridge are guaranteed to warm not just your hearts, but those of your family and guests!
About
Bridge and Mitch are two good friends, in their early 30s, with a shared love for weddings. They beleive that love and Marriage are pinnacle of human celebration and that every wedding and couple deserves the very best effort! They will put all their energy and enthusiasm into making sure you go into your wedding feeling happy and comfortable and come out of it remembering it as the best day of your life.
Mitch & Bridge
Founders
FAQ
You should book your celebrant when you have picked a date, time and venue. Celebrants can be as popular (my family don't believe me) and in some cases book out months in advance.
Additionally, all Celebrants legally require a month's notice (in the legal format found here) to conduct the ceremony, so best not to leave it too late.
Aside from the requirement to provide original Birth Certificates and valid photo identification (as per the form here) your Celebrant may like to know the location, date and preferences for your wedding to determine with you if they are the ideal person for the job. Our contact page will enable you to enter this information but your Celebrant will discuss this with you in the initial consult regardless.
If you have been previously married you will need to bring your Divorce Certificate or previous spouse's Death Certificate.
Certainly can! Our Celebrants will happily provide pointers to you in the free initial consult and give you some things to consider in planning regardless of if you choose to progress with us! If you do decide to work with us we have plenty of knowledge, experience and reference materials to impart and will do so at the earliest possible time.
To be honest with you, it is relatively simple. If we can be sure of your identify, that you aren't direct blood relatives (siblings for example) and that you are both entering into the union of your own free will, then (in summary) the requirements are as per the below;
More information can be found on pages 74-78 of the Marriage guidelines for Celebrants document that can be found with a quick google search (add "Australia") to your search.
So if you are thinking of eloping for example, we can definitely cater to this - just make sure you get two witnesses along on the day (you can ask a couple of randoms on the bus if you like!)
How long is a piece of string? Accommodating the above minimum legal requirements will get you to about 10 minutes. Depending on what you else you may want to include, your ceremony can be anywhere from 15 minutes to far too long (don't be those people).
In our experience most ceremonies sit in the 20-45 minute range, and include any of the following components:
Definitely - in fact we encourage it! While you must do the legal minimum wording vows, we think that adding your own touch and exchanging a few memories and in jokes can really add to the moment.
Love is Love can assist you with writing these vows - and check ins between you both so timing, structure, tone and warmth matches between you, all without actually giving away to each of you what your partner has planned.
December 2020
December 2019
Expert Advice
As a wedding professional, Love is Love Celebrancy offers expert advice to help couples plan their perfect day. Ask a question or read their expert advice.
Get Expert AdviceDoes anyone do the classic vows anymore?
I___ take thee ___ to be my lawfully wedded ___. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live etc Just wondering
Love is Love Celebrancy
Hi there,
With respect to the first sentence - this is still part of the legal vows so that is certainly done in all weddings as a minimum requirement. Essentially it is the below (with some minor changes allowed with respect to the words "people", "lawful wedded" and "wife/husband":
“I call upon the people here present to witness that I, AB/CD, take you, CD/AB, to be my lawful wedded wife/husband.” You may leave out lawful or wedded but not both; you must use one of these words
With respect to the latter sentence and subsequent wording, you have as much discretion as you like here. In my experience (5 weddings to date) not many couples have gone for the classic wording, but they certainly have used it for inspiration for their own.
This can range from "I promise to take care of you in good times and in the bad, for the rest of our lives together" through to "I will love you until it is no longer possible, until my last breath" but as above can really be anything you like.
So in summary - the first sentence is legally required, the second is not and you will find some couples use it (or a derivation) whilst others make something up that is more appropriate to the relationship they have.
Hope that helps!
Mitch
Mitch@loveislovecelebrants.com.au
How do I ensure my vows sound good enough?
Love is Love Celebrancy
Hi there!
A good way to make sure your vows sound good and align well with your partner's is to get your celebrant to review both sets separately, giving each partner some tips on what to do re length, tone, and structure. This way you can be sure that you will be on par with eachother as a starting point - and given your celebrant will have likely seen a few weddings before, they will definitely have some pointers re making them as appropriate for you as possible!
Two of the services offered by many celebrants (including myself ) are commonly used templates/structures for vow creation and also the alignment review I mentioned above. This will go a long way to ensuring you hit the mark.
Additionally a quick google search should give you some ideas - but I would stress that it is important firstly to try to work out what sort of tone you want to go for - authenticity is key - and how long you think you should speak.
I hope that helps!
Mitch
Mitch@loveislovecelebrants.com.au
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Love is Love Celebrancy
Hi there!
To be honest I don't think there is a prescribed minimum time for personal vows, and it really comes down to how much you want to share at the ceremony (vs. Potentially later at the reception speeches for example). I have seen couples do as short as a paragraph, or series of short promises to eachother. Couples I have worked with have also spoken for up to 5 minutes each.
My suggestion is if you are a reasonable comfortable public speaker, aim for 3 - 4 short stories, anecdotes or key items you want to include and have a first crack at writing down your ideas. Then you could see how well they tie together or even work through what you have with your celebrant - as they will have seen a lot of vows they will know how to tie things together.
I think the most important things are you have vows that reflect you and that you are comfortable sharing:)
Mitch