{"id":57516,"date":"2019-01-08T07:40:42","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T20:40:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/au\/articles\/celebrant-faq\/"},"modified":"2024-03-26T11:38:48","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T00:38:48","slug":"celebrant-faq","status":"publish","type":"au-article","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.com.au\/articles\/celebrant-faq\/","title":{"rendered":"5 things this celebrant wants you to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re having a civil ceremony, then your marriage celebrant is going to be a big part of your ceremony. After all, without someone to legalise your marriage your wedding is essentially just one big party!<\/p>\n

76% of couples have a marriage celebrant officiate their day. So if you’re wondering what the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions of celebrant are, then we’ve got to covered.<\/p>\n

We chatted with Sydney’s David Lang Celebrant<\/a> about what he’s commonly asked by couples, as well as some expert advice on how to choose the right celebrant for you.<\/p>\n

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David Lang Celebrant<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How do we get married in Australia?<\/h3>\n

We all know you\u2019ll need something spectacular to wear to get married, but before you walk down the aisle there\u2019s just a few legal things you\u2019ll also need to get sorted. And that’s where your celebrant comes in to make everything as simple as possible!<\/p>\n

Before your big day there are two forms you\u2019ll need to fill out. The first one is called the Notice of Intended Marriage. This is you first legal document and needs to be filled in and signed by you and witnessed by your celebrant (or a notary public) at least one month prior to the date of your wedding. This is very important and something that most couples have no idea about when they\u2019re planning on getting married. Pro tip: you can do this in your first meetings with your celebrant once you’ve booked them and are starting to talk about what you want your ceremony to look like.<\/p>\n

The second form you sign closer to your wedding date, is called The Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage. This basically means that you’re free to get married and haven’t been married or eloped in the meantime!<\/p>\n

On your wedding day you\u2019ll then sign three certificates. Two of these are copies of your official\u00a0 marriage certificate, whereas the other is known as Form 15. This is the prettier certificate one that you get to take home with you to frame or put somewhere for safe keeping. For all of these forms to be signed on the big day you’ll also need your two elected witnesses.<\/p>\n

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David Lang Celebrant<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What will our marriage celebrant actually do?<\/h3>\n

A marriage celebrant does way more than just talk about you both, get you to sign some papers, and then stand in a suit or pretty dress with you on your big day. As your celebrant it\u2019s our job to legally register your marriage with Birth Deaths and Marriages, making sure everything is legally correct.<\/p>\n

It’s also our job to write your personalised ceremony, taking you step by step prior to and throughout your ceremony. From the second I say \u201care you ready?\u201d to \u201cplease put your hands together as I present to you the happily married couple,\u201d we are there to make sure your ceremony goes as smoothly as possible. This includes meeting you before the big day to not only get your other legal forms signed, but also chat to you about how you want your ceremony to go.<\/p>\n

As a bonus some celebrants, such as myself, will\u00a0play your music during the ceremony if you don’t have a DJ or musician on hand. However, not all celebrants do this as part of their service, so make sure you have someone on hand to press play on whatever device you’re using, if you haven’t already hired some excellent musicians to play for you that is!<\/p>\n

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David Lang Celebrant<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why did you become a celebrant?<\/h3>\n

People become marriage celebrants for all sorts of reasons and this is where you can really get in touch with our personalities a bit more. Some do it to marry family and friends, some people are semi-retired and do it more as a rewarding hobby. Others, like me, approach becoming a celebrant as a career and are fortunate to do it full time, which I absolutely love!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been an actor for the last 10 years, so I have an innate love of performing. I also love meeting new people and hearing hearing their stories, so bringing couples together in marriage gets to combine my two loves, performing and people. It\u2019s my job to make sure I bring out the unique qualities that make you the loved-up couple that you are, so no two weddings are the same.<\/p>\n

I also like to have a bit of fun along the way, as it\u2019s my belief that yes, while getting married is a very serious step to take, if there\u2019s ever a day to have some fun with the ones that love you the most, this is it!<\/p>\n

Besides, it can take up to a year or sometimes longer to become a celebrant in Australia. So rest assured that whoever you choose knows exactly what they’re doing. It\u2019s certainly not a \u201cfill in a form online and you’re ready to go\u201d deal!<\/p>\n

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David Lang Celebrant<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So, why should we choose you?<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be honest, there\u2019s a lot of us out there. Every celebrant you meet will have their own spin and ideas on how to do things, depending on what kind of ceremony you like. Do you want a formal wedding or a relaxed one? A long ceremony or a \u201clet\u2019s get this sorted quickly so we can party\u201d one?<\/p>\n

For me, I believe it all comes down to one thing, trust. I believe that the person you choose to marry you should be someone who connects to you both on a personal level. One of the best compliments I receive is that I\u2019m like \u201ca best friend marrying us\u201d and that’s my goal. I\u2019m there with you every step of the way, from the awkward first meeting where I tell you everything you\u2019ll need to know, until the minute you walk back down the aisle, married to the one you love.<\/p>\n

Whoever you choose, just make sure it\u2019s someone you believe is going to represent you guys the best.<\/p>\n

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David Lang Celebrant<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/h3>\n

Do you have any advice for us?<\/h3>\n

Of course I do! Here are some tips that I’ve picked up along the way:<\/p>\n