A Certain Celebration

08/05/2024

Absolutely thrilled to reach Top Ten in the Wedding Industry Awards 2024!
Thank you so much to all of the couples who voted for me and for all of your favourites in the wedding industry; you're wonderful!! 💕💕

19/04/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/8Uks5pdeRRDh6k4e/?mibextid=oFDknk

CONGRATULATIONS to A Certain Celebration who has been announced as a FINALIST in the Civil Marriage Celebrant - Category for the 6th ANNUAL Wedding Industry Awards – BALLARAT & BENDIGO

WINNERS will be announced on TUESDAY 7th May 6.30pm via a VIRTUAL PRESENTATION

Do not miss out on a Fun Filled Celebration of Excellence in BALLARAT & BENDIGO Wedding Industry.

Check your Inbox OR Spam Folder for your FINALIST email and be sure to DOWNLOAD your FINALIST LOGO ROUNDEL. + a Link to REGISTER OR by Booking @ https://bit.ly/43WhenA

19/04/2024

The 6th ANNUAL Wedding Industry Awards – BALLARAT & BENDIGO have returned for 2024.

Will A Certain Celebration join other Wedding Industry Professionals and become a part of the 2024 Wedding Industry Awards™ by joining the BALLARAT & BENDIGO Wedding Industry CELEBRATION of EXCELLENCE

Newlywed Couples if you were married after 28 FEBRUARY 2023, show your support to those wedding businesses that excelled in servicing your wedding by VOTING in the 2024 WEDDING INDUSTRY AWARDS™ for your TOP5 - Check the PINNED POST on this FB Page for the LINK to Vote.

Businesses check your INBOX or SPAM Folder for more info:

13/03/2024

Please vote for all of your favourites - venues / florists / photographers/ caterers / celebrants!! Any wedding related businesses who made your day special 💕💕
Voting closes 22 March 2024 ☺️
https://www.facebook.com/WeddingIndustryAwardsAustralia?mibextid=ZbWKwL

The Wedding Industry Awards™ We Seek, We Acknowledge, We Celebrate, We Reward, We Refer Excellence

01/05/2022

10/01/2022

Tip #7 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective ☺️

Tip No. 7 in our 2022 COVID Wedding 'Real Info Series!'

Today's topic POSTPONEMENT & CANCELLATION POLICY is a MUST READ for any Couple. Please note: once again, this is not Legal Advice. This is the common sense reality of wedding planning in January 2022.

First things first, if you're a Couple who is all booked in & your wedding is quickly approaching, then the postponement & cancellation policy applicable to you will probably be different to the one applicable to the Couple just beginning their planning & booking process now. Why?

Well, to coin the football phrase, wedding & events suppliers were absolutely 'clotheslined' by COVID19. When COVID hit, many long time suppliers never had the need for postponement & cancellation policies, or contracts, or terms & conditions....because many have always run by 'old school' handshake agreements. You know the kind from the olden days where people just did what they said they were going to do....anyway that's a whole different post...

So if you were booked in 'pre-covid' no doubt the initial reaction from many of your Vendors would have been to help in any way possible, if they were able to. This would have meant those businesses wore the financial cost of any postponement or cancellation. Wedding Suppliers are by and large a great bunch of people with a geniune interest in couples having a perfect wedding experience. Having said that......some couples have now postponed multiple times.

Many vendors have had no option but to implement Postponement & Cancellation Policies throughout the pandemic. Wedding & Event Suppliers are not 'Wedding Insurance' businesses, the expectation that they will cover the financial risk of weddings being planned is not realistic or reasonable. There is only so much any individual business can financially & emotionally do before the tanks are empty on all fronts. Especially when you consider that for Vendors, your wedding is one of many.

If you are just beginning your Wedding planning now, two years into an ongoing Pandemic, (firstly CONGRATULATIONS 🥰) secondly, you will be aware of the possible risks with any type of event planning and therefore it is important that you are familiar with the Postponement & Cancellation Policy relating to each Supplier. Every business owner has their own unique circumstances to consider, which will then form the policies they need to have in place.

It's also important to understand that there is a difference between 'having' to postpone/cancel and 'choosing' to postpone/cancel. Currently, the reasons you would 'have to postpone' would be if:

❎ Government imposed a ban on Legal Marriages taking place
❎ one of the parties to the marriage became COVID positive
❎ one of the parties to the marriage was required to be in isolation on their wedding day.

Aside from those scenarios, if the Couple were both COVID19 free, not required to be insolation and legally able to be married, then it is reasonable to say a postponement would be the choice of the couple.

Don't be shy to ask your potential Vendors about their policies, it is so much better for everyone when there are no surprises and when everyone knows exactly where they stand. Happy planning! ❤

10/01/2022

Tip #6 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective ☺️

Tip No. 6 in our 2022 COVID Wedding 'Real Info Series!'

This post discusses the scenario NO-ONE wants to talk about. 😢
BEING COVID POSITIVE, SYMPTOMATIC, A CLOSE CONTACT, A SOCIAL CONTACT or EXPOSED PERSON on your Wedding Day.

Before we begin, it's highly recommended that you 'SOURCE & KEEP' a RAT for you & your partner to use on your Wedding Day.

Firstly, let us be clear, this is not Legal or Medical advice, you'll need to speak with those Lawyery or Doctory people about that stuff. WE ARE THE WEDDING PEOPLE, so we've put together the key details about the current Pandemic Order requirements & some Wedding details to focus you on what needs to be done during what will no doubt be an extremely upsetting & stressful time.

Testing & Isolation Requirements - Here is what we know:
✅ Any Symptomatic person in the community or a workplace (who is not a close contact, exposed person or social contact) who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) or a COVID-19 PCR test as soon as possible after symptom onset, & self-quarantine until they receive a negative result or for seven days post-test, whichever is earlier.

✅ Positive cases whether diagnosed by PCR or RAT must isolate for 7 days from their test.

✅ A close contact with COVID-19 symptoms (a person who has spent more than four hours in an indoor space at a private residence, accommodation premises or care facility with a diagnosed person or a probable case during their infectious period) must undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) upon symptom onset. Should the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) return a positive result, a close contact must notify the Department of Health of the result as soon as possible (if positive, the person becomes a probable case). If the result is negative, the close contact must undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) on the sixth day of the self-quarantine period. (7 days isolation is from the last day they had contact with the diagnosed person)

✅ A close contact without COVID-19 symptoms must undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) on the first and sixth day from when they are required to self-quarantine. Should the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) return a positive result, a close contact must notify the Department of Health of the result as soon as possible (if positive, the person becomes a probable case).
If the close contact is unable to access a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT), they must undertake a COVID-19 PCR test instead.
It is recommended that a close contact undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) on three other days between the first and sixth day of self-quarantine. (7 days isolation)

✅ An Exposed Person (workplace or educational facility contact) or Social Contact must undertake a COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) or a COVID-19 PCR test if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and self-quarantine until they receive a negative result, or for seven days post-test, whichever is earlier. Should the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) return a positive result, an exposed person must notify the Department of Health of the result as soon as possible (if positive, the person becomes a probable case - 7 days isolation). If test is negative, isolation is not required but it is recommended to test each day for 5 days following.

✅ An Exposed Person or Social Contact without symptoms is strongly recommended to undertake daily COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) for five days following notification that they are a social contact.
Should the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) return a positive result, a social contact must notify the Department of Health of the result as soon as possible (if positive, the person becomes a probable case).

WHEN THE MARRYING PARTIES ARE POSITIVE - WHAT TO DO
✅ Isolate
✅ Have a list of Venue & suppliers' contact numbers.
✅ Have a FB page/group, messenger or mobile numbers to
text guests regarding the situation
✅ Delegate tasks your Bridal Party (they are there to help you)
someone to contact suppliers
someone to contact guests
✅ Have a shot of Fireball or pour a cup of tea
✅ Breathe ❤

10/01/2022

Tip #5 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective ☺

Top Tip No. 5 in our 2022 COVID Wedding 'Real Info Series!'

This one is all about WHY YOU SHOULD BOOK LOCAL (aside from the obvious) and why you definitely need to RE-CONFIRM BOOKINGS with all your suppliers 6 weeks prior and then again the week of your Wedding Day.

Let's begin with the BOOKING LOCAL thing....yes....I know I bang on about it 😁 that's my job! And yes, we know it's not always possible to book local, but when you can and if you can, it's really awesome for our local businesses! Aside from that obvious point, there is another valuable reason to book local. Local businesses will generally have a network of other similar local businesses to call on for quick action when they're in a pickle. Covid has taught us all the need for this.......non-local businesses generally don't have connections with that same local network.

We regularly talk with a bunch of businesses and lots of couples.......people often share their stories with us, some funny (we'll write a book about those one day) & some stressful, many of the stressful one's could have been avoided! Things like - out of town entertainment double booking and not showing up, or couples left without videographers to capture their day, Brides who swear they booked a makeup artist or ordered their cake, and businesses who swear they didn't!! 🤣 The point is, that in many cases local business through our vast and growing network, have a greater chance to resolve these issues and get someone there much quicker than a supplier who is 1-2 hours away or more.

This brings me to the RE-CONFIRM YOUR BOOKINGS part.........
it's really important to touch base with your suppliers 6 weeks prior to your big day. With the requirement for ALL VENDORS TO BE DOUBLE VACCINATED it's a good idea to check this when confirming your booking. Ensure you clearly provide your event date, time, location and reliable contact numbers for any urgent matters on the actual day. Ask for confirmation from your Vendors.

Check in with Suppliers again the week of your wedding to re-confirm the fine details, if you haven't heard from them already.

For couples and for Wedding/Event businesses 2020 & 2021 have both been draining & ridiculous, we know. It's easy to understand how businesses might have got something wrong in their diary or indeed that a Couple might have thought they booked or rescheduled with EVERY supplier, but didn't..... either way, things happen and every issue is solvable. So RE-CONFIRM, good communication by Vendors & Couples is key to a stress free Wedding Day! ❤

10/01/2022

Tip #4 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective!

Top Tip No. 4 in our 2022 COVID Wedding 'Real Info Series!

Following on from my 'less sugar coating' more 'this is how it is' informational series, we need to talk about providing a 'SAFE SETTING' for all guests and vendors on your Wedding Day.

We've already discussed the fact that some of your guests will have decided to attend your big day, but still may be anxious about it.
They will certainly expect and appreciate that you are doing everything you can to provide a safe setting and minimise the risk of your wedding day turning into a super spreader event!

Let's face it..... having your Wedding Day remembered as the day that resulted in a friend or family member being in hospital, or becoming ill, possibly infecting their family and friends or subsequently losing income after contracting COVID, isn't exactly what any of us would call the ideal way to create a 'memorable wedding day'.

Masks are required indoors by everyone 8yrs+. It is of course acceptable for masks to be removed whilst CONSUMING food and drink. We all know everyone wants to twist things around as much as possible to suit themselves, however, that doesn't translate to 'stand with a drink in your hand for an hour and have your mask off' - that translates to exactly what it says, 'masks can removed whilst CONSUMING food and drink'.

Our indoor density limit in Victoria is once again 1 person per 2 sqm based on the indoor space the guests will be utilising.

It is very strongly recommended, that indoor dancefloors are avoided and that seated service is offered. These are very strongly recommended for a reason, and it will not be surprising if these become mandatory again soon anyway.

No-one cares more about your family & friends than you do, so while the Government p***y foots around with this ongoing , just take the reins and put in place everything you can to ensure your celebration can be safely enjoyed by everyone involved, and remembered for the right reasons. ❤

10/01/2022

Tip #3 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective!

Day 3 of our Top Tips for 2022 COVID Wedding preparedness.

In case you haven't picked up on it, sugar coating everything isn't really my specialty........however, I do believe extensive & long time knowledge of the Wedding Industry should be shared to help Couples be prepared for things; important things, real things that could & just might impact their day. Hopefully these snippets will go some way in minimising unnecessary stress that might have been avoided had they been aware. Much of our exposure to wedding material on social media & the like is what I like to refer to as 'Wedding Industry Fluff'.......it's nice and everything...but it doesn't much help Couples in being prepared for actual issues. I mean whether your napkins are pale blue or white ...... who really cares..........besides you of course! Ooops!

Top Tip No. 3 - We're talking GUEST NUMBERS!

As we experience rapidly escalating circulation of the COVID virus, it is increasingly likely that Couples with upcoming weddings will experience a reduction in the number of guests who attend their big day.

Some guests will be isolating & waiting for test results, some may be Covid Positive & isolating (Get Well Soon! 🥰), and some will have had to make the difficult decision to politely decline your invitation after weighing up the individual health or financial risks that will impact them.

There will be people who are anxious about attending a Wedding event, or any event for that matter, and it is likely there will be very few Weddings over the coming months that will unfold with a full guest list in attendance, this is reality of Covid2022.

Remember: your Wedding Day is primarily about your MARRIAGE. NOTHING ELSE. So prepare your mind now that some things are going to go sideways.....whether it's guests numbers, immediate family not being able to attend, impacts on suppliers and their ability to provide their services, or something else..... be prepared to smile about it.......let it go, and enjoy your day of MARRIAGE. ❤

10/01/2022

Tip #2 from the Ballarat Wedding Collective!

Yesterday we began our Top Tips for 2022 COVID Wedding preparedness. Our No.2 Top Tip is REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!

*****BRING ORIGINAL ID DOCUMENTS TO YOUR CEREMONY******
EVIDENCE OF DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH (being a Passport or Birth Certificate), Drivers Licences & evidence of termination of any previous marriage or death of former spouse.

We are all very aware of the likelihood that Wedding guests, Couples or Suppliers may contract COVID19 in the coming months. So, what happens if your Celebrant is unable to attend on your wedding day due to COVID?

In short, if a replacement 'SAVIOUR' Celebrant can be secured to assist (and we'll call them SAVIOUR because without one it won't be a wedding day, it will just be a party of sorts)....... then aside from the paperwork & details which will need to be sorted out between your original Celebrant and the new Celebrant, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOUR ORIGINAL EVIDENCE OF DATE & PLACE OF BIRTH (being a Passport or Birth Certificate), Drivers Licences & evidence of termination of any previous marriage or death of former spouse to the NEW Celebrant. Without these, the New Celebrant will not be able to solemnise your marriage. ❤

10/01/2022

The Ballarat Wedding Collective has posted a great series of Tips that I'll share to this page, as there's so much good info in them!
Here's the 1st!

After 2 years of navigating this ongoing COVID19 debacle (or as I like to call it when no-one is listening ), there is not much left other than to combine a little humour with what are nonetheless serious issues. As the COVID19 situation in Victoria rapidly escalates, we will be sharing some of our top Wedding tips. We hope they might help you arrive at your wedding day with as many of your family and friends attending as possible. Here's our first tip regarding Bachelor & Bachelorette parties.......... ❤

14/05/2021

New website launched yesterday!
My former site developed a few issues so I took the opportunity to create a simple, fresh site!
I’ll add more info over time but if there’s anything you would like to see added (or anything NQR!), please let me know 😊
I hope you like it and find it easy to use 😊
www.acertaincelebration.com.au

11/02/2021