FAQ + Tips
You’ve probably got a stack of questions about everything to do with getting hitched, so browse through the articles below for some answers that will help you make the right decision in creating your perfect day.
You can search for any topic you need info on or hit any of the words in the tag cloud below to see all the articles on that subject.
FAQs
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Simple answer - No. You need to have completed, signed and had witnessed a Notice Of Intended Marriage at least one month before you can get married.
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If you have a passport, you’re sorted. If not, you will need to have a copy of your birth certificate and a drivers licence. Your ID must be seen by the celebrant before they can marry you.
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Simple answer - Yes - If it’s within Australia. We are a representative of the Australian Government so we are not authorised to marry people in other countries.
However, if you want to get married in Bali for example, we can marry you here in a very simple signing ceremony with you and two witnesses before you leave and then follow you to Bali for your big celebration.
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Simple answer - Yes I will. Some celebrants do and some don’t so make sure you check with them if you want to play your music through their speaker on the day. Also check whether they will personally play the music or whether you’ll need to have someone else play it through their speaker. If you choose me, I will play it all.
Changing Your Name
If you’re looking to change your last name after getting married, but don’t know where to start, this is going to make your life better!
About 70% of newly-married brides (and about 4% of pioneering grooms) change their last name after marriage. But it’s not as easy as you think it could be.
For starters you can start using your new last name immediately after you are married. However if you want it changed on official documents like passport, bank, drivers licence etc. then it’s time consuming to say the least. It can take around 8 hours over several days or weeks to complete. And this is because every company or institution have their own unique processes and can’t share your details with anyone else.
Creating A Wedding Budget You Both Agree On
One of the most important things you will do throughout the process of putting your wedding together is creating a budget and keeping things on track. Create a budget together so that you are both “in the know” and agree on how much is going to be spent.
Wedding Terms
This article gives you all the wedding terms you need to be familiar with if you’re planning a wedding
How good is pre-marital counselling?
Research shows that by attending pre-marriage counselling, it greatly improves a couple’s interpersonal skills and overall relationship quality. This short-term investment equips couple’s long-term to avoid, buffer or overcome issues together as and when they arise.
Real Wedding Vows
I always tell my couples that there are no rules when it comes to writing some personal vows to the love of your life. Well, there is one rule actually; just write from your heart.
So, here are some vows that some of my couples have used that I thought were really good and it just shows that the length and style doesn’t really matter as long as they reflect your personality.
Maid (or Man) Of Honour Checklist
I’ve done the work for you - this is the ultimate checklist for everything that a maid (or man) of honour needs to do in the lead up to your Australian wedding
5 Tips For Your Wedding
These five tips are awesome. Did any one ever tell you not to wear a bra early in the day on your big day? And did anyone tell you how to pee in the toilet once you have a wedding dress on?
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
You can be prepared for all possible situations by making a wedding day emergency kit that you can bring along with you – this is a perfect project for the Mother of the Bride, the Maid of Honour, or bridesmaids can do. All you need is one kit to cover the whole bridal party. A prepared bride is a stress free bride – and the last thing you want to do on your wedding day is stress. This emergency wedding kit does not have to be a huge box, but a small kit with travel sized items should do the trick. A tote bag or backpack can easily hold all these items!
Wedding Day Timing Tips
Having had your trials, your hair and makeup peeps are likely to have told you how much time to allow for your prep and that of the rest of your bridal party. If not, ask them in the days leading up to the wedding - or even sooner at the trial. The larger your bridal party and the earlier your ceremony, the more likely you are to have a rudely early start time! If you’ve got separate hairdressers and make-up artists, ask them to coordinate their timings to maximise the efficiency of your wedding day. The running order of your bridesmaids and Mum’s preparation as well as your own will be key. Don't go last though as the final hour leading up to the wedding is when the chaos is likely to occur and you don't want to be hassled under the hair dryer or while someone is putting your eyelashes on.
When Things Go Pear Shaped
There are some amazing pear shaped engagement and wedding rings around these days. Here is a collection of some the best I’ve seen over the last few years.
Bridal Shoe Heaven
OMG how awesome are all the shoes out there for brides to choose from for their wedding. There were so many beautiful, elegant, stylish (and expensive) #weddingshoes out there that I just decided to create my own "bridal shoe heaven" on my Pinterest page.
How Much To Pay For A Wedding Dress
Get some help with someone who knows how to dress to your body shape. Someone you can trust to tell you the truth, no matter how hard it hurts. The most important thing on the day is that people say "oh my God, you look so gorgeous in that dress - it suits you perfectly", not "that dress is beautiful - and looks so expensive”.
It's not about what they will say to you. It's about what they're going to say to their friends the moment they set eyes on you.
Disney’s Craziest Weddings
From Gaston failing to notify the potential bride (Belle) or check if she even wants to get married through to acknowledging that none of the guests wore pants at Robin Hood and Maid Marien's wedding. I guarantee you that this will give you some good laughs.
How To Have A Bridesman
Most of us have best buds of a different gender, so when it’s time to assemble your wedding crew, you might be looking at a co-ed situation. For modern couples, asking a male bestie to be a bridesman or a female friend to serve as a groomswoman isn’t that uncommon - especially in same sex weddings. Nearly one in three of today’s couples are mixing things up big time when it comes to gender in their bridal party or wedding party.
Ways To Propose To The Person Of Your Dreams
There are some classic ways people have proposed to their loved one. The classic light plane flying over with message hanging out the back... a book chronichling the journey of love between two people (which my nephew did) and having candles and rose petals write the words out on a beach in Bali so that when you walk out onto the balcony at dusk you are presented with the words "Marry Me Steve" like I was proposed to.
But how about this guy, Ray Smith who spent 5 months proposing to his wife to be.
How To Include Your Mum On Your Wedding Day
Mothers of the Bride are expected to be the calm in the storm on the morning of your daughter’s big day. But don’t forget how important you also are, and that goes for the Mother of the Groom too. Here’s what to remember on the big day.
The Mother of the Bride is the best person to take charge of events at home helping to make sure the bride remains calm and relaxed.
10 Fun Engagement Ring Reveals
There are ways to reveal your engagement and then there are epic ways to reveal your engagement. Here are some fun, epic ways to tell the world that you’re going to get married.
Fun Wedding Vows For Modern Couples
If you are thinking of writing your own personal vows but are unsure where to start, we recommend taking your favourite examples out of this list of fun vows and reworking them with personal anecdotes and stories to make them unique to you as a couple. Be sure to include other references, traits or hobbies the pair of you share, and ones that can be appreciated by those in attendance. This will make exchanging vows a more enjoyable, personal experience.
What To Say After “I Do”
So what do you say? Firstly, find yourself some quiet time, well before the wedding so that you are not rushed and panicky because you need them down. Now, when I say "well before the wedding", I realise that in some guy's heads that will mean "the night before", because on the morning of, would be considered too late (by everyone on planet earth)! So let me be clear. This is NOT what I mean. "Well before the wedding" means a month or two. So that if you don't get it done the first time, you still have time. Yes, I know that most guys will then put it off until the night before the wedding.
How To Handle Two Mothers Of The Brides
f you’re lucky enough to have two happy, engaged mothers supporting you and your fiancée as you plan your wedding, congrats! But, while it’s sometimes preferable to plan a wedding with the emotional and financial support of parents, it can be tricky when there are two mothers of the brides. Traditionally, the MOB is the second most important lady of the hour at a wedding, with her own set of rituals and time in the spotlight at an opposite-sex wedding. For queer couples with two brides, it can be an awkward tightrope exercise to make sure both mums feel celebrated and important during the wedding planning and on the big day. It can also be pretty much the same for two mothers of the grooms, however, mothers of brides might be a bit trickier.