Planning a wedding can be exhausting and confusing, not to mention riddled with stress. Finding the right celebrant for your ceremony is just one of many things on your to do list, so here are a few questions that can help shopping for your civil celebrant that much easier.
1. Cost & Contract – what you are paying for and the terms
Marriage celebrants vary so choosing the right person to officiate your ceremony is important. Consider if you want a theme, style, or particular vibe for the ceremony. Often couples focus so much on the reception they overlook the personal touches they can add to their ceremony which can start with selecting a celebrant who reflects their lifestyle, hobbies, interests, or theme. For example, there are rainbow celebrants, rock-a-billy celebrants, trans celebrants and heavy metal celebrants, as well as the stand-up comedy MC style celebrants. Just like our couples we aren’t just limited to one type of celebrant style.
Our costs vary, anything from $350 for mid-week for legals only and upwards is common in Queensland. You can find my package prices here. Payment terms are usually split in two. First is the deposit to secure your booking and cover the celebrants time spent planning, writing, preparing, and rehearsing your ceremony. This is usually around 50% of the total cost. The final payment or the remaining amount is often due a week or two prior to your big day.
Professional celebrants will provide you with a contract that lists the terms like payment timing, as well as any cancellation fees or refund policy. Most celebrants have a no refund policy or at their discretion, so it is important to know the terms. The contract should also include information on their insurance as well as contingency plans should your chosen celebrant fall sick or be unable to perform your ceremony. We all have a network of celebrants we would trust to step in for us if we are unable to perform a ceremony, as the client it is good for you to know this is in place.
2. Administration – the little extras that can take the paperwork off you
There are three key pieces of paperwork that are essential to getting married in Australia. The first piece, NOIM or Notice of Intent to Marry, is the most important. Most celebrants will offer to fill this in with you. I include it in all my packages as standard, along with the registration of the marriage so you don’t need to worry about any paperwork before during or immediately after the day.
The other two pieces of paperwork are the responsibility of your celebrant and will be signed on the day or just before in the case of the Declaration of No Impediment document.
Your celebrant should provide you with an overview of all the paperwork involved in legally registering your marriage. If in doubt all this information can be found on the Attorney Generals website.
3. Additional Charges – travel charges, fuel, waiting time through to cancellation fees
Mileage:
It is common for a celebrant to have a free travel radius, mine is 50km. After that radius most celebrants will charge a modest travel or milage fee. Always check this before booking so you know the cost. Same goes for accommodation or travel if you have booked a celebrant for a destination wedding.
Costume Hire:
If you require your celebrant to dress in costume, they may charge back the fee for costume hire to you. This should be agreed up front before you sign the contract.
Waiting Time:
Some celebrants will have a penalty fee for excessive waiting time. This covers their potential costs associated with loss of business due to being unable to conduct other booked ceremonies. It is an important condition to be aware of in general.
Cancellation Fees:
Most celebrants do not offer a refund for cancellations. This is due to the time that has already been invested in the booking prior to any cancellation. Often celebrants will have a condition that states that refunds are ‘at the discretion of’. This is a common phrase that allows for exception circumstances to be considered fairly by the celebrant. Be sure to ask your celebrant about their refund policy and cancellation conditions in advance of signing the contract.
Other Registration Fees:
It is good to note that in some states there is an additional cost of applying for your official marriage certificate from Birth, Deaths and Marriages, like in New South Wales where registration is around $75 and around $65 in Queensland including registered post. It is always good to check this with your celebrant prior to your big day so you know if you have any additional costs on top of the celebrant fee.
These are some of the most frequent questions couples planning a wedding forget to ask when interviewing potential celebrants to conduct their marriage ceremony. I hope these are helpful in preparing you for your celebrant selection.
Most celebrants, like me, offer a free consultation call. Use this time to ask these questions and more so you can be confident in your choice. Consultation calls are an opportunity for you to get to know the celebrant so you can ask questions about them, their style, their speciality, or resources they can offer you to make your ceremony exactly what you want it to be.
Happy planning, and if you would like to book a free consultation with me please click on the link in the top left corner. xx
