Civil Marriage Celebrant Hunter Valley, Central Coast, Sydney North.

You may be aware that a Civil Marriage Celebrant is appointed by the Australian Government’s Attorney General’s Department.  Authorised Celebrants can solemnise marriages anywhere within the Commonwealth of Australia in accordance with the Marriage Act of 1961.

So, how do you choose a civil marriage celebrant who will provide you with exactly what you want for your special day?  Well, you need to approach your search in a professional manner.  Just asking how much someone will cost is not enough.  After all, this is a once in a lifetime day for you and you want it to be absolutely right.  Approach your search as you would when looking for something special or important in your life.  What are your priorities?  It might help to write them down.

Here are some things you should consider in your planning:

• You must give a minimum of 1 month + 1 day’s notice of your intention to marry.
  So if you want to marry on the 30 June, you must meet with your celebrant to complete some legal paperwork on the 29 May. 
• You need to find out if your marriage celebrant is available on the day you have selected. 
  Obviously, it is wise to plan ahead to ensure that the celebrant of your choice is available. You should also discuss geographical location. I travel across NSW in my work as a civil marriage celebrant - Hunter Valley, Central Coast, North Sydney… and beyond. Many celebrants have multiple bookings on the same day and may not have enough time to travel from one location to another. Again, a good reason to make contact early.
• You should speak to at least a couple of different people.
  Matching of personalities is essential in your search for the right civil marriage celebrant.  Call two or three celebrants and have a brief chat on the phone.  If you relate, feel comfortable, build rapport quickly, then you are on the right path.  You will not have a lot of time to build a long term relationship so the selection process has to be approached properly.   Explain to the celebrants that you would like to meet before making your choice of the right person for you.  A professional celebrant will understand that this is vital to the success of your day and will be happy to meet with you to help your decision process.
• You should, of course, consider fees.
  Celebrancy fees vary and you need to be comfortable with your choice. However, wedding ceremonies are at the heart of your wedding day and are often what people remember most. If you choose a celebrant based on the fee alone, you may find it is at the expense of the kind of ceremony you imagined.

Please contact me for a fee schedule.

Robyn Baker. Civil Marriage Celebrant Hunter Valley, Central Coast, Sydney North.