The 20 - 30 mins that I’ll spend actually delivering your ceremony is the final 5% of the experience.
My prep process is designed to be as fun, smooth and special as actually sealing the deal. I encourage couples to only book me in if they love the sound of this particular journey. Here’s exactly how we’ll play…
STALKING + ENQUIRING
After confirming that I’m available for your date, let's have a super chill, zero-obligation chinwag over Zoom or phone.
This brief informal chat is mainly to see if we naturally vibe as I reckon there's nothing more important when it comes to sharing such a precious, unrepeatable moment in your life.
SECURING + EXPLORING
If your guts say yes, you’ll lock me in with my booking fee and gain access to the Secret Portal on this website. It’s a treasure trove of inspiration and options for each part of the ceremony format as you know it. I’ve put this together for you to explore and ponder at your own pace, to take or leave as you wish.
From our first g'day to the big day, we can chat anytime you like.
PLANNING + PREPPING
We’ll catch up for a more in-depth meeting (usually 3-4 months out, ASAP if your wedding is sooner!) where I can really get to know the two of you. Face to face is best if you're local or happy to venture to Lara/Geelong. We’ll knock off some riveting paperwork (aka. the NOIM), nut out your ceremony specifics, and chat/laugh/cry together about any nervy or tricky wedding things. Or maybe there won’t be any such things. I’m here either way.
Just as I’m here to be your vows sidekick, offering individual help to start, structure, or proofread those special words if either of you need in the coming weeks.
WRITING + REASSURING
In most cases, we touch base for a third time within the fortnight before your wedding for a brief final run-through on Zoom, which I do in lieu of a physical rehearsal. This chat, combined with our on-the-day chats, is for confirming some practical things, reminding you of what's to come, reassuring you about any uncertainties, but mostly for getting you extra pumped! Importantly, there's truly nothing I expect you to remember when you're up there on the day - all you need to do is trust that I'll be smoothly guiding both of you in the moment, every step of the way.
By this point, I'll have woven the best bits of the info you've shared with me (largely via separate, secret questionnaire responses) into a ceremony that thoughtfully balances heart, humour, flavour, and 'you'-ness. I don't share the script with any of my couples before the day so trust is a must. But if being surprised in this moment sounds swell to you, I do believe your experience will be all the more magic because of it. Completely understand if couples feel unsure about this aspect; if so, there are plenty of terrific celebrants I can recommend whose script process will be a better fit than myself.
MARRYING + CELEBRATING
I’ll arrive on site an hour before your ceremony starts to set up, sound-check, befriend your other profesh folk, and give each of you a final hug and a ‘you’ve got this!’. Then with the atmosphere on point, we’ll kick off your ceremony. If I've done my job right, you’ll both giggle and sniffle... organically, because the exact words spoken will be fresh to your ears. You'll be smiling not just because there's a camera snapping but because you'll be genuinely enjoying yourselves. And then best of all, without yawns or eye-rolls, you’ll find yourself married.
REGISTERING + RECOVERING
I’ll lodge all your paperwork with Births Deaths and Marriages to officially register your marriage.
I'll send you a follow-up email including how to apply for your BDM marriage certificate if required. This is a separate legal document (different from the Commonwealth marriage certificate you take home on the wedding day) and it's what you'll need if you choose to change your name. BDM currently charges $55.80 + postage for it. Once you've ordered it, it will then come in the mail after BDM processes everything (typically 4-6 weeks post-wedding).
You’ll be relishing your state of newlywedded bliss but I’ll be almost as chuffed as you... because I’ll have been the lucky one who legally locked you in for life.