Ceremonies by Melanie

07/09/2024

Something different last night- I was honoured to act as MC for my beautiful friend’s 50th birthday. It was an explosion of pink and full of joy 😊

01/09/2024

It’s Spring! Which means we’re heading into peak wedding season. Looking forward to joining some beautiful souls together in marriage over the next few months ❤️

(photo credit R King - thanks mum x)

20/08/2024

Funeral trends are broadening out from the traditional chapel service. A celebrant can facilitate a unique, personalised ceremony anywhere - think private home, favourite pub or secluded bush location. A funeral, memorial or celebration of life should be as unique as the person was ❤️

06/08/2024

I've had the joy of seeing new babies come into my circle recently and it has led me to reflect on the significance of naming a new human. Choosing a name involves making a joint decision, drawing on culture, modern trends and tradition. It is something to celebrate!

30/07/2024

Celebrants must inform couples about local relationship services as part of marriage preparation. These services are optional, however my advice is to at least share your views with your partner about stuff like: managing money, children, careers, values and beliefs ❤️.

24/07/2024

Recently someone was looking for ideas for a gift a marrying couple could give to their in-laws. Traditional gift ideas include small items of jewellery, monogrammed handkerchiefs or personalised wine. Or how about a tree in a pot, a photo frame or matching tattoos! 💡 Choose your gift to fit the style of your wedding (formal, casual, fun) and the personality of your in-laws.

06/07/2024

Signing the marriage documents seals the deal! There’s lots of options but wine barrels and rustic timber tables are popular signing table choices.

28/06/2024

Unfortunately shonky behaviour is everywhere as this article highlights. I am proud to say I have been a registered marriage celebrant since 2015 and I take this legal role very seriously. As well as paying the required fees and completing annual training, I have opted to belong to The Celebrants Network so that I can keep in touch with the industry. 😊

You must be married by an authorised marriage celebrant to be legally married in Australia. There are four types of authorised marriage celebrants: Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants, Commonwealth-registered religious marriage celebrants, Ministers of religion who are from a recognised deno...

23/06/2024

I’m getting lots of requests for EOFY donations, highlighting the high level of need in our communities. So from now on, $20 from every ceremony fee will go to charity. Terms and conditions: you chose a registered charity, and as long as it fits within my ethical framework I’ll make the donation on your behalf. Let’s make a difference together 😊

13/06/2024

Marriage law has just changed! Celebrants can once again witness couples signing a Notice of Intended Marriage remotely (eg by video call. Celebrants must now meet with each party to the marriage separately before the wedding to ensure they are giving free consent to the marriage. More news to come…

04/06/2024

The latest celebrant newsletter from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages notes that civil celebrants have conducted 11,057 marriage ceremonies this year with a peak in March. Whew! I think we all deserve a nice cup of tea.

31/05/2024

Planning on having a big ceremony on your own country property? You’ve probably thought about your celebrant, food and entertainment but what about some of the less obvious items such as: will your home insurance cover any accidents? And will your septic system cope with all the extra guests? 🤔 even if you live on large acreage it’s good to consider traffic flow, parking and informing your neighbours.

26/05/2024

We love Kombis! They can provide coffee, food and alcohol or drive you in luxury to your ceremony. They can take you on a camping honeymoon and also make great dive-mobiles 😉

30/04/2024

I’ve been thinking about authenticity lately. A while ago I decided to post my own photos rather than using stock images just to keep it real. Now many celebrants are trying out AI to enhance the wording of their ceremonies. These are decisions we all have to make. Does the technology make things better or just different? 🤔

25/04/2024

Who knew the wedding of the year would involve cartoon dogs? My cat is outraged 😂. Congratulations to the makers of Bluey for producing a stellar show!

06/04/2024

The cost of weddings is always a hot topic! Help this government website tailor their information for couples.

How much can a wedding cost? Share your insights and help us uncover how people manage the cost of their wedding! We will use the results of this survey to inform and update our website content. 💐 LINK: https://surveys.asic.gov.au/surveys/Cost-of-a-wedding

30/03/2024

Today’s travel for a lovely country wedding! Oberon has some gorgeous venues and accommodation, and I’ve also had the pleasure of visiting many beautiful family properties. It’s a great workplace 😊

25/03/2024

What’s the difference between a funeral and a memorial? The main difference is that a memorial takes place after the deceased person’s burial or cremation. Memorials are sometimes less formal, but both types of ceremony can include music, tributes and readings.

06/03/2024

I had an enquiry from a lovely couple this week wanting to get married in six weeks! Can you organise a wedding in such a short time? You sure can - in fact you only need to give a celebrant one month’s notice before tying the knot. Why a month? Maybe it’s the sweet spot between crazy love and rational decision making 😍

02/03/2024

It’s time to celebrate Sydney Gay and Le***an Mardi Gras! It’s fun and it’s about human rights 😊.

23/02/2024

Feeling hot🥵? Immerse yourself in the snowy slopes of Oberon. You’re welcome!

21/02/2024

I’m preparing for four weddings and a funeral at the moment - life imitates art 🤔

16/02/2024

Good ol’ fashioned names are back in vogue!

👶 Can you guess the top baby names of 2023? 🍼

From timeless classics to trendy newcomers, you might be surprised by the names that made it to the top of the list.

How many did you guess correctly? Check if you were right here 👉 bit.ly/Top-10-Baby-Names

14/02/2024

Love comes in many forms! Thanks to Oberon library for a fun idea for Library Lover’s Day (also known as Valentines Day) ❤️

04/02/2024

The cost of marriage certificates from the NSW Regisrty Births, Deaths and Marriages has gone up this year. A standard certificate now costs $65. Celebrants can order a certificate for you when they register your marriage or you can order your own later. It’s worth mentioning that while you can order fancy versions with pretty images, they aren’t accepted as legal documents if you want to use them to change your name 😏

19/01/2024

This article highlights some interesting wedding dress trends… I wonder what will be in fashion in 50 years?

The average price of a wedding dress in Australia is A$2,385 – but this is just one reflection of their significant cultural and emotional weight.

11/01/2024

Today I received some amazing feedback about a recent ceremony and it reminded me of Oscar Wilde’s famous quote: “ Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” 😊

05/01/2024

As the year begins marriage celebrants have taken a small step backwards as temporary rules that allowed us to witness couples signing a notice of intended marriage ended. However some changes to the Marriage Act are in the works so watch this space!

Find out who can get married in Australia, and what you need to do before and after you get married.

22/12/2023

Wishing you peace and joy 😊

11/12/2023

Is there someone in your life who loves performing or public speaking? Did you know a friend or family member can conduct part of your marriage ceremony? You still need an authorised celebrant to cover the legal written and spoken aspects, but a jointly presented ceremony can be a lovely way to personalise your wedding.