I am an authorised Marriage Celebrant, qualified to assist you with all aspects of your wedding ceremony – from ensuring the legal process is followed correctly, to preparing and presenting your personalised wedding ceremony in a manner that suits you.

A typical wedding ceremony is a staged event consisting of the following:

• Couple’s Arrival: Although one party is often waiting, along with their attendants (bridesmaids/men or groomsmen/women), with the Celebrant for the other’s arrival, a more recent trend is for both to have their own entry precession, often combined with escorting the grandparents and parents.
• Welcome:  All are welcomed and special people, unable to be present may be acknowledged.
• Introduction of the Couple: Your love story is told. This is the truly personal part of your ceremony and sets the scene for your vows – the highlight of the ceremony. There will fun and laughter, tears, cries of recognition, even a high-5 or two as you story is told in a fresh, light-hearted way.
• Reading: Not necessary but may allow a close friend or family member to be involved.
• Celebrant Authority: This is a  requirement by the Marriage Act 1961 and very little variation is allowed.
• Family Blessings or Blessings of the Gathering: Your parents, immediate family or all the guests are given the opportunity to publicly declare their love and support for you both and for your marriage.
• The Asking: This is where you each get to say “I do.”  This is not a required part of the marriage ceremony, but a traditional element that many like to include.
• Vows: The absolute highlight and heart of your ceremony and the reason why we are all together.  You may choose to write your own, be guided by me or use traditional vows, but they must include the words:  “I call upon everyone present to witness that I, ‘name’, take you, ‘name’ to be my lawful wedded wife / husband /spouse/partner in marriage).
• Ring Exchange:
• Unity Ritual: This optional segment allows you to symbolically demonstrate your union.
• Declaration of Marriage
• Kiss
• Sign the Marriage Register and Certificates
• Presentation and Congratulations
• Recessional

The joy of a civil ceremony is that you can have as much or as little of this as you want (with the exception of the Celebrant Authority & the Vows, which  must be included) and, if you have other ideas to ensure your perfect wedding ceremony, you are free to add them in.  Your wedding ceremony can be 5 minutes or 45 minutes, although most are approximately 20 to 30 minutes in length.

To find out how your own, unique ceremony is created, please email Debi today or phone on: 1300 626 656

Information supplied by Merlin Coughlan, Montville Maleny Marriage Celebrant – available for Sunshine Coast Hinterland wedding ceremonies.