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.
Father Of The Bride Speech
This is the part of the speech which is supposed to be touching. It is also to be heart warming with a little laughter thrown in. Talk about your daughter and who she is as a person. You can talk about the kind of person she was growing up and her personality. Do this in a positive way and maybe who she gets it from . It is good to mention a story or 2 that give a rounding as to who she is and also a funny story for a bit of a laugh.
Best Man Speech
The best man is usually a good friend so the speech should be funny, but be careful not to make it sound as though it’s an extension of the stag night. Think about the audience you’re speaking to before you write it. The best advice is to be yourself and try not to copy someone else’s speech.
His role is to:
Compliment the bride and groom and wish them all the best for their future life together. Thank the groom for asking him to be his best man.
Relate funny stories about the groom without being rude and be sure not to mention any previous relationships he may have had.
Relate what he knows about the bride and compliment her on her appearance.
Thank the hosts on behalf of himself and the guests.
Read out cards or messages from relatives and friends who couldn't be there.
Wedding Speech Tips
I found a literal treasure trove of speeches on the internet at hitched.co.uk. They should be awarded a medal for collecting them over the years. They're real speeches that have been used by real people and sent in to the site and I've provided some links to them below.
Maid Of Honour Speech
Give a little story of how you know the bride (be it through school, relative and so on). Feel free to talk about what she was like when you first met her and if there was a funny or interesting way you both met. A good example of a maid of honour speech was a bride mentioned how the 2 of them met because they didn’t get the memo their uni class was cancelled. They were the only 2 in an auditorium of 500 siting quietly for half an hour before even questioning each other why they were the only two there.
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?
Opening Lines For Wedding Speeches
Father Of The Groom Speech
This is the moment that you can tell the world how proud you are of your son. Talk about how he was as a son growing up, any achievements, personal traits or notable stories. While it is ok to have some funny stories and be humorous, please remember that he is your son. While you can consider him your friend at the end of the day you are his father and a respectful speech is more appropriate. Leave the mild roasting to the best man speech.
Overcoming Wedding Speech Nerves
Don’t Try Too Hard to Be Funny
You may feel under pressure to make your speech funny but joke-telling doesn’t come naturally to everyone and jokes that were funny on the stag do , may not translate in a room full of family friends and relatives. Alan recommends keeping it sincere: “Get some ideas from the internet by all means, but steer clear of the jokes. You will be loved and appreciated if you share your thoughts and your stories about the people you care about.”
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.
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.
Ultimate Wedding Checklist
A wedding checklist is one of the most important tools a couple can use and there are heaps of them on the internet. I always give my couples one to run through as you never know what might have been missed on another checklist. So it's worth perusing all of them.
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 Have A Groomswoman
A lot of us have best friends of a different sex, so when it’s time to choose your wedding crew, you might be looking at a mixed sex situation. For modern couples, asking a female friend to serve as a grooms-woman isn’t that uncommon. 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.
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.
Staggering Figures For Royal Wedding
According to British wedding site Bridebook, Markle’s upcoming wedding is reportedly estimated to cost around $58.3 million, or £32 million, about $22 million more than Prince William and Kate’s reported $36.6 million nuptials.
Making Your Big Day Stand Out
By "scrimp" I mean, "don't rush" writing it. And tell all your other speech makers to do the same! Take some quiet time, alone to really think about what you want to say on the day. Look online to get hints from other people's wedding speeches. Check the protocol on what you definitely need to nail in your speech and then speak from the heart. It's fine to have notes with you on the day. Either write it out fully if that works for you, or make dot points that you can refer to, to keep you moving through in the order that you want to. I include the MC in this category too. This person, along with the music, can either make or break the evening.
How To Write Personal Vows
Writing your own personalised wedding vows can be a daunting task, but it's not quite as hard as it looks. Here are six easy steps that you can follow to write your own wedding vows. Make sure that everyone is on the same page. Talk to your future spouse and your celebrant and make sure everyone is okay with personalised wedding vows. Some religions require that you use the traditional wording, while others will allow you to write your own, as long as you include certain phrases. You'll also want to make sure that your sweetheart also wants to do it. While you're at it, decide together whether you want to write one wedding vow that you will both say, or whether you want to write individually.