YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY

My goal is to bring a fun, relaxed and modern approach to what your wedding ceremony can be. With your input together we can come up with something that fits just right for your big day.

Your wedding ceremony really can be anything that you want it to be. You and your guests should laugh. You’re allowed to shed a few tears or stumble through your vows because that’s all part of it being real. Your wedding ceremony should reflect who you are as a couple and best of all kick start the celebrations for one of the most amazing days of your life.

It’s my job as your Marriage Celebrant to help guide you through all the boring (legal) bits but more importantly take all of your ideas to create a wedding ceremony that is unique to you. Because wedding ceremonies don’t need to be boring – especially yours!

Before taking on new clients I’d love to chat with you first. Usually this is over Zoom or FaceTime and is as a chance for us both to get a feel for each other, for me to answer any questions you might have about the process and to ultimately help you decide if I’m the right Celebrant for you. These meetings are often after work mid-week or on weekends (outside of my ceremony commitments).

If you decide that I’m your vibe and that you would like me to marry you a booking fee ($400) secures your date. As I only conduct one ceremony a day (this is quite different to most Celebrants – ask me why) there is no need to have an exact ceremony time as this can come together later on.

From there everyone sits tight until around four or so months prior to your wedding where we will arrange to catch-up again to start planning your ceremony along with taking care of your initial legal paperwork, your Notice of Intended Marriage.

The way I get to know you is not by getting you to fill out a questionnaire or assigning you any homework. Instead we just chat, I’ve got a heap of questions to ask you that often bring out some really interesting answers. And while you might not think that’s significant that’s one of the best ways I find to create a ceremony that is truly unique to you and your relationship. By getting to know each other by chatting we get real, honest answers versus those that can sometimes feel a little bit forced or perhaps even over-thought.

Off the back of that catch-up I then write a personalised wedding ceremony from scratch just for you. This incorporates any specific requests you may have and shares your story in an engaging, memorable and meaningful way. I also offer you help with your personal vows (if needed) along with any other ceremony elements we might want to include (for example, suggested readings to consider or unique ways to involve family + friends).

Before the big day ideally we will meet up one more time to take care of your final legal paperwork while also walking through some key ceremony moments. You could call this a rehearsal if you like but I hate the word! Often this catch-up will be somewhere like my home office, your home or a local pub as we can replicate your ceremony space anywhere and it’s often nice to save the excitement of us all being there together until the big day. Alternatively if we don’t live locally to each other this catch-up might even be over Zoom. We will cover things like what I bring on the day, how to exchange rings/stand and is a really good chance to iron out any kinks and help build confidence in what will happen on the day.

On the day I’ll arrive around an hour prior to your ceremony, set-up and test my equipment, liaise with any other vendors involved in the ceremony and make sure we’re ready to go to get you two hitched. Post-ceremony I take care of registering your marriage with Births, Deaths and Marriages and if required can order your Official Marriage Certificate (this is the document you need to change your name with organisations like the Passports Office, Service NSW, etc.)

MARRY ME NICKY RATES

Rates for my services vary depending on the date, time and location of your wedding ceremony.

Ceremonies outside of Sydney (where I am based) attract travel costs. Please contact me here to check my availability and request a quote.

For tips to understand why a quality wedding celebrant charges what they do check out the blog post I wrote, How much does a Sydney Wedding Celebrant cost?

 

My fee includes:

An initial meet and greet
This is to see if we’re a good fit and if I’m the right Celebrant for you – who are we kidding, this is a vibe check!

Unlimited pre-wedding meetings, emails and phone calls
This is different for everyone but know I’m available for as much (or as little) contact as you need in the build-up to your wedding.

Writing your personalised ceremony
After getting to know you both during our planning chat (there are no surveys or questionnaires for you to fill out) I write a personalised ceremony just for you. You will receive a ceremony draft that you are welcome to make changes to if needed.

Support, guidance and help for you to write your own vows (as needed)
I’m also your safety net as you both email you vows beforehand and I take a look at them to ensure nobody is outshining anyone on the day! I’ll also print vow cards for you.

A final pre-wedding catch-up/rehearsal
You could call this a rehearsal but it’s more of a chance to just walk through what will happen on the day and help build confidence in a few key moments (for example, what you will do when you reach the front of the aisle, how to exchange rings, tips for your first kiss, etc.)

Marrying you (obviously) and lodging all documentation with Births, Deaths & Marriages
I bring along my own PA system to use on the day (which you’re welcome to use to play recorded music during the ceremony). You also receive a Commemorative Marriage Certificate (this is the one that we sign during the ceremony).