Jackie Bailey Celebrant

Of course! I recently had a dog as ringbearer and a goose as the self-appointed chief wedding advisor. We can do whatever you want, to make your day precious and memorable and exactly reflective of you.

Basically at least one month before the wedding, I need to receive a "Notice of Intended Marriage" (NOIM) from you and your partner. I will sight your ID (birth certificate or passport) and fill in the form with you.

On the wedding day, you, your partner and 2 witnesses sign a Certificate of Marriage and 2 x "Official Certificate of Marriage." I lodge this with the NSW Births Deaths and Marriages (BDM), and you are MARRIED! 

If you need to change your names, you have to apply for another document from BDM, which I can also help you with. So don't worry about the legals - that's my lookout and I will take care of it all for you.

It's really up to you!

I am a published author and have a PhD in creative writing from the University of NSW, so I am really happy to write the ceremony with your guidance and approval. I can write your 'love story' based on what you tell me - how you met, what drew you to each other, your journey to this day. I read this out towards the start of the ceremony, or we get some of your people to read it out. Both are really lovely ways to start the ceremony with what we are all there for - you.

There is a bit of legal language which you, your partner and I have to say, but otherwise you can tailor a ceremony however you want it to be. As a guide, a ceremony typically might have the following elements:

1. Entrance procession & music
2. Introduction & 'Celebrant Authority' (a paragraph I have to read out by law)
3. Telling the love story of you (I can do this, or we can share it out amongst your people)
4. Reading
5. Vows
6. Asking (some legal words here too)
7. Rings
8. Declaration
9. Kiss!
10. Signing of the Certificates of Marriage (normally have some music here)
11. Introduction of the Married Couple
12. Exit procession & music

Really, as long as we cover the legals, you can do whatever you like. For example, you might want more than one reading, or none; you might want to add a ritual from your ancestry, or create your own ritual. Some beautiful ones which have roots in various cultures include handfasting, receiving a blessing from the families and guests, taking a drink from a shared cup...whatever we do, we will make this special and meaningful to you.

I generally ask couples to write their own vows, and then I ask to see them before the ceremony so I can just check flow, that they are about the same length, and strike a similar tone. 

I always tell couples that the best way to think of vows is as two main paragraphs.

1. Why you love this person.
2. What you promise this person.

I will help you with your vows too, as much or as little as you want me to!