Church or Civil Celebrant?
Getting married is a big decision and these days you can decide between being married either in a church or with a civil celebrant (me). The choice is personal and sometimes it comes down to what best fits in with your families’ needs.
Let’s talk about the advantages of having me as your celebrant.
As a civil celebrant, I can marry you anywhere within Australia, anytime and anyplace of your choosing. This might be on a boat, just off the Australian shoreline, Sydney Northern Beaches, a venue, your lounge room, backyard, botanical gardens, mountain top, clifftop, hot air balloon, etc.
The list is endless, and you get to decide what time of day you would like to exchange your wedding vows. Is being married under the stars important to you? Maybe, you both met on a beach, or a special venue where you both love to eat?
Do You Need A Local Council Permit For Your Marriage Ceremony?
The only thing you need to be mindful of is to find out if you need a permit from the local council where you decide to have your wedding, the maximum guest size allowable and if they will allow a PA system to play music so your guests can hear your vows.
What A Marriage Celebrant Can And Cannot Do
In my role as a celebrant, I can include references to God, through prayers, music, readings but I am not able to follow a religious denominational service. Being married outside of the church means you are committing to each other through love rather than committing to God.
You want your ceremony to be perfect and that only happens by getting to know you, building a rapport with the two of you and this leads to a wonderful ceremony and atmosphere on your big day.
Apart from the legal wording which consists of two parts, your ceremony can be planned around what you want, and you decide what can and cannot be included.
“I Do” And Personal Marriage Vows
Did you know, you do not have to say “I Do” or read personal vows? These are lovely, but not everyone wants them. The choice is yours.
Your faith or cultural background might be very important to you and your family and that is a good reason to have a church wedding. Sometimes, choosing between a civil celebrant and a church wedding can be daunting. It may be an easy decision or talking it through might be needed to find out what you want.
Either way, your decision will be the right one for you. Reach out if you need help to decide.
