A great many people today elect for a Civil wedding ceremony as it suits their needs and their beliefs. Many others do so because they do not hold to any particular beliefs and it seems hypocritical to them to be married in a church that does not support their feelings. Many people though come from a faith or religious background but, for whatever reason, find that they no longer go to church or belong to a particular faith community. This does not mean they no longer believe in God (however they perceive God) or that they do not want to have a minister perform their wedding ceremony.

 

Sadly, many denominations do not perform wedding ceremonies for couples that are not active members in their church. Some will not marry divorcees or perform ceremonies for couples of mixed faithbackgrounds. For these reasons, among others, many couples have been forced to settle for a civil ceremony when (in reality) they would have preferred a traditional ceremony, with a minister joining them in Holy Matrimony.

 

At Distinctive Ceremonies we believe that every person should have the opportunity to declare their love for each other in a way that suits them. We believe that the sacrament of Holy Matrimony is bestowed in a marriage by the two people concerned by their love for, and nurturing of, each other. No church has the right to stand in the way of love and the celebrants of Distinctive Ceremonies will not deny the Sacrament of marriage to any couple who are legally and emotionally qualified to enter into it. With Distinctive Ceremonies, you have a choice.  With both Ministers of Religion and Civil marriage celebrants available, Distinctive Ceremonies is here to meet your wedding needs.  Everything (except the legal requirements) is negotiable with Distinctive Ceremonies. Read on for further information on how to make your special day even more special

 

Most people are familiar with the various styles of weddings available today. The full church ceremony, a simple ceremony in a Garden, a wedding on the Blue Mountains, on a beach, or in another setting that is special to the couple. How you celebrate your special day is up to you. Our celebrants have celebrated weddings in churches, parks, halls and reception rooms, and are amenable to most settings and styles. Distinctive Ceremonies will work with you to find a style and ceremony that fits your needs. The only limitation is that the setting must be legal and safe for the couple, the guests and (of course), our celebrants.

 

As far as the actual words used are concerned, you can choose from a selection of suggested ceremonies or you can write your own. There are only a few particular words and components required by Australian law and the rest is up to you and your celebrant. A fully religious ceremony or a simple declaration of love and exchange of vows; the choice is yours!

 

Depending on where you choose to have your ceremony, you may wish to have live music. Distinctive Ceremonies is happy to recommend professional musicians who will work with you to make your day even more special! You can choose from a single musician to a three-piece combination. 

 

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Official notice (on the official form) of at least one month is required to satisfy Australian Law. You will probably need more time than this to make your other arrangements, send out invitations, book a reception etc. Having decided to use our services, you should always book with Distinctive Ceremonies before sending out the invitations. This way you can be sure that you will have your celebrant of choice there.

 

You should allow extra time if you wish to have rehearsals or book a special venue for your service or reception. You can even use the reception rooms for the actual service in many instances. Please check with the reception rooms you are using.

If you only require a simple ceremony, but do not wish to use the registry Office, We can arrange to perform the ceremony in your own home, or other suitable place. Whatever your needs, we can help.

 

Once booked, please be sure to check with your celebrant before changing the time or place of the ceremony. Although we generally only do one ceremony per day, there are occasions when we cannot make adjustments to our schedule. Remember, without the celebrant, the wedding cannot go ahead.

 

 

 

The laws of Australia are very specific when it comes to being married. You will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage giving notice prior to your ceremony of at least one month and one day.

 

Once lodged, the notice is valid for a period of 18 months. A Birth Certificate or (in the case of persons born outside Australia) current passport or Naturalisation Certificate will need to be presented before the marriage can take place. These documents must be sighted, and duly noted on the notice, by your celebrant.

 

If lodgement is made from overseas, a faxed copy can be sent, however particular Australian Officers (as noted in the Marriages Act) must witness these. We will send you a list of these people if you need them. Your celebrant must sight the originals of all documents before the ceremony can take place. (If these documents are issued in a country where English is not the official language, officially translated copies may be presented).

 

Where there has been a previous marriage, either a Decree Absolute of Divorce, or Death Certificate (if your previous partner is deceased), is required. All documents should be in English. (If these events took place in a country where English is not the official language, officially translated copies may be presented).

 

Under Section 12 of the Marriage Act, a Court Order, and the consent of a parent is required if either person is under 18 years of age.

 

For more information or to make initial enquiries, please visit our contact page.