Posts about Wedding  Planning

Planning a wedding can be an exciting time. Let's make sure it is!

 

Before you start planning

hter


You Just Got Engaged. Now What?

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(15/02/2020)
So, the question was popped. You said yes. Everyone got excited. Now What? Well, everyone will start asking the When? and Where? and How? questions. Here are my top three picks for 1, 2, and 3, on your We're Engaged, What Next To Do List... More ...


Google your Wedding - Hints, Tips, and a bit of fun

Categories: |    Wedding Planning
(06/04/2022) 
Knowing a few tricks will make Google a handy tool for planning your wedding ...  More

Genius Wedding Planning in a Nutshell     

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(30/10/2019)
It's easy and simple to build your own wedding planner and checklist based on the reality of your wedding. What this means is that you create your own list of deadlines in conjunction with your own To Do list to create an infinitely scalable planner, suitable for big weddings, small weddings, and microweddings regardless of how much lead time you have...  More ...


What Makes a Good Wedding?

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(28/06/2020)
After 14 years and well over 1000 weddings (legal and non-legal), together with 11 books and 190+
blog posts about things wedding, I know a bit about weddings, and what makes a good wedding, and what doesn't.  ... More ...

Before you Meet Your Celebrant

Categories: Celebrant | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(19/11/2018)
There are two distinct aspects to getting married - planning the ceremony and meeting the legal requirements.  Without the ceremony, your wedding will just be an expensive party. And without meeting the legal requirements you will not be legally married! Here is a list of things to decide and things to do before you meet with me. If you can tick off all of these the process will go smoothly and efficiently.  ...    More ...

And an oldie, but a still relevant goodie ...

8 Things I've Learned Over 11 Years of Being a Marriage Celebrant

Categories:  Wedding Planning |
(04/01/2018)
Some of the things I've learned include it is never too early to book important vendors, the most common questions asked, the most common fear, and more ... More ....

Mythbusting

hter


Getting Married via Skype - Possible in Australia or Not?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Legals  | Wedding Planning |
(24/03/2020)
Sorry, it is NOT legal in Australia to get married over Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or
other videoconferencing technology, or by proxy. And this is why...  More ...


10 Things we "Know" about Getting Married that Ain't So

Categories: Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(26/07/2016)
As Artemus Ward said 'It ain't so much the things we don't know that get us in trouble. It's the things we know that ain't so.' In wedding land there are a lot of common beliefs that just aren't true ...  More ...

Not "Just a Celebrant" (and Not "Just Half an Hour")

Categories: | Celebrant | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(28/02/2020)
What does a celebrant do? And why do they charge for more than the half hour the ceremony takes? The easy answer is that a celebrant changes your legal status from not-married to married. which is a pretty big thing. Life-changing, in fact. And they do that by creating and performing a ceremony. But it certainly doesn't stop there. When you hire me as a celebrant, you're getting a lot more than someone who will make sure you tick a few legal boxes, stand up in front of your guests, rabbit on for a bit, and then declare that you are married. ... More ...

Your celebrant is NOT ripping you off (it is more than just half an hour)

Categories:  Celebrant | Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(10/07/2017)
There is an awful lot that goes into the half-hour the ceremony lasts - and that's what you are paying for ... More ...


Setting the date

hter


Geeky Wedding Dates That Will Make Your Inner Nerd Swoon

Categories: |   Wedding Planning   |
(27/01/2024) 
No matter what your nerdy interest is, there's a way to incorporate it into your wedding, starting with the date... More ...


Romantic Days for Weddings

Categories: |   Wedding Planning   |
(25/01/2024) 
There are many ways to choose the perfect date for your wedding. One way, explored in this blog post, is to choose a day celebrated as a day for lovers. ... More ...


The "Worst Days for Weddings" might be the Best Day for Yours

Categories: |   Wedding Planning   |
(13/06/2021) 
In this blog post I revisit the usual suspects on worst days lists, unpack why they are on those lists, and discuss whether ignoring the warnings and going for one of those days might actually be the smart choice for your wedding. ... More ...

8 Ways to Choose Your Wedding Date

Categories: |  Wedding Planning |
(12/01/2020)
While some people have no problem picking a date - usually an anniversary that just happily falls on the weekend - for most couples choosing a date that everyone will be happy with turns into a nightmarish juggling act. On top of that, 2020 sure gave us all a heads-up about all the pitfalls of getting your hearts set on a particular date for your wedding ... More ...

What's the Best Time of the Day to Get Married?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(30/04/2020)
The time of day you choose for your wedding will have a significant impact on your whole day, including on your budget, your photographs, your choice of venue, and possibly on the availability of your preferred vendors and whether or not guests can attend ...  More ...

Valentine's Day - Pros and Cons of Getting Married on the Official Day of Love

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(14/10/2020)
Would Valentine's Day, the Official Day of Love, be a great day to marry, or should you avoid it? There are pros and cons to weddings on that day.  More ...

Days of the Week

According to the old rhyme, different days have different attributes for weddings

Essentials

hter


No Licence Needed

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(21/02/2020)
Getting married in Australia is super simple. You don't need a marriage licence, and your venue doesn't have to have a licence to host wedding ceremonies ... More ...


Can You Have Two (or More) Weddings?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(17/03/2020)
Can you, as a marrying couple, have more than one wedding? The answer is Yes, but also, That Depends... More ...

Making Sure Your Wedding Service Providers are Legit     

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(04/11/2019)
Checking out your other service providers to make sure they are legit is a bit more complicated than ensuring your celebrant is duly authorised, but definitely worth the effort if you want to not only avoid disappointment on your wedding day, but ensure that they are going to meet your expectations...  More ...


Surprise Weddings - How to have a successful one without breaking the law

Categories:  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(03/05/2019)
The Marriage Act is very clear. Surprise weddings are illegal - but only if one of the marrying
couple is being surprised. Which means there are plenty of legal ways to have a surprise wedding ...    More ...

A Spontaneous Wedding? Yes you can

Categories:  | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(29/09/2019)
Does that whole let's get married now vibe appeal to you? No big wedding, just running away and doing it without any fuss and bother?...  More ...


Saying I Do in Secret (it's legal!)

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |Wedding Planning |
(18/09/2019)
If you choose to be married with a civil celebrant in Australia you can be married in secret ...  More ...


7 Surprising Facts about Getting Married in Australia

Categories:  | Wedding Legals |Wedding Planning |
(16/09/2019)
Getting married in Australia is easier than many people imagine - here are some little known facts that confirm that. ...  More ...

Funding your wedding

hter


Fund your Wedding and Include your Loved Ones with a Wedding Registry

Categories: | Wedding Budget  |  Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Planning |
(05/12/2020)
Rethinking what you might put on your wedding registry list and/or substituting a Wedding Wish List for a Wishing Well can be great solutions to two of the big dilemmas 2020 has created for couples planning to marry   More ...

Don't let FOMO wreck your budget ... or your wedding     

Categories: | Wedding Budget| Wedding Planning |
(27/10/2019)
Fear of Missing Out can prompt you to spend money without due consideration or sign up to wedding services in a hurry, leaving you with Buyers Remorse, or worse...   More ...

8 Simple Ways to Keep Within your Wedding Budget

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
(23/10/2018)
One of the most difficult aspects of wedding planning is keeping within your wedding budget. Here are 8 simple things that will make that a breeze ...    More ...

How much does a wedding cost?

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
 (18/09/2016)
While other parts of the retail sector are seeing a downturn, even though the number of weddings in Australia per year is dropping, the wedding industry is flourishing - and that is costing couples big time. But it doesn't have to ... More ...

Plan B: how to plan for when things don't go to plan

hter


Note: I've left posts about planning for COVID in here because they may continue to apply for some time, will always be generally relevant - and will always be historically interesting


More than one Plan B for your wedding is a must!

Categories:  | Wedding Planning |
(26/09/2019)
You need Plans B1, B2, and B3 to cover all eventualities and to make sure your wedding can go ahead on the day ...  More ...

Plan X - The 2021 Wedding Must Have [and a good idea in 2022/2023]

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(05/01/2021)
Plan X is the plan you have ready to guide you when your wedding, as planned, can't go ahead on the day because of restrictions imposed in response to COVID-19 outbreaks ... More ...

Strategic Wedding Planning for 2021 (and beyond)

Categories: | Wedding Planning | 
(19/11/2020)
With so many weddings rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 because of COVID-19, if you've just got engaged and hoping to be married in 2021, whether you can pull off the wedding you want, within the time frame you want, will depend on how flexible you are prepared to be. You're going to need to be very strategic about your wedding planning, or very lucky!   More ...

Let's hear it for Negatives First Wedding Planning

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(13/10/2020)
Kickstart your wedding planning, and ensure you don't blow your budget down the track, by starting with some negative thinking.  More ...


Wedding Insurance

Categories:  | Wedding Planning |
(12/10/2019)
However good your Plan B is, it may well not be adequate where a catastrophic natural disaster, severe illness, or vendor non-performance is concerned. Having to cancel or postpone your wedding can be financially very costly,
unless you are insured.....  More ...

When Disaster Strikes - Plan D - How to Get Married Legally When your Venue and your Celebrant are Unreachable

Categories: | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(03/01/2020)
The one thing that is required to make any Plan B work is the capacity to communicate. When disaster strikes, and communications are cut, even the most detailed and multi-faceted Plan B is useless. So what can you do if you've planned your wedding (and a viable Plan B), and now your venue and your celebrant are within one of the disaster zones ... More ...

How to have a Hygge Wedding in a Heatwave 

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(08/12/2019)
A hygge wedding is a perfect way to beat the heat and have a cosy and comfortable wedding ... More ...


10 Ways to Beat the Heat on Your Wedding Day    

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(14/11/2019)
Australia is a hot place where outdoor weddings are popular. Heat can compromise your wedding in many ways, Doing these 10 things can help you beat the heat and have a fantastic day ...    More ...

Balloons and Bushfires 

Categories:  Naming Ceremonies | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Planning |
(12/09/2019)
Balloon releases can cause or spread bushfires  More ...


OMG! We forgot the rings ...

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Rings  | Wedding Rituals |
(24/08/2019)
Forgetting the wedding rings happens. But it doesn't have to if you have strategies in place to avoid this. Worst case scenario? There are multiple creative ways to deal with being ringless on the day... More ...


Quick-fix hacks for unexpected wedding problems

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(30/06/2019)
There will always be something that doesn’t go to plan on the day. Some have the potential to derail the whole wedding.. ...   More ...

6 Good Reasons to Celebrate when Something Goes Wrong at your Wedding

(updated 26/07/2017)
Categories: Wedding Planning |
There is no such thing as a perfect wedding, But that's reason to celebrate, and here's why...
More ...

Dealing with Covid - still relevant!

So Coronavirus Cancelled Your Wedding ... What Now?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
(23/03/2020)
You've been thrown a curve ball that means your wedding can't go ahead on the day you've planned for, or, can't go ahead the way you've planned it. Closure of venues, restrictions on the number of people who can be in both indoor and outdoor spaces, travel restrictions, social distancing, and a lot of uncertainty because we have no idea how long this will last ...  More ...


What Should We Tell Our Guests About Our Wedding in the Time of the Coronavirus?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
(19/03/2020)
With Government restrictions ramping up on a daily basis, concerns about flattening the curve, and worrying media reports about the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on weddings, you wouldn't be human if you weren't stressing about your wedding, or worrying about what you should tell your guests...  More ...

Coronavirus and Your Wedding - Some Suggestions

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(11/03/2020)
How novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) might impact your planned wedding is a hot topic at the moment. So, should you be concerned? Or, in the words of that wonderful World War II advice, Alert but not Alarmed? ... More ...


Choices, choices, choices

hter


Old School Things That Make Wedding Ceremonies Wonderful - and a Few that Don't

Categories: |    Wedding Ceremony   |   Wedding Planning   |
(19/12/2021) 
In all the rush to be modern and contemporary, I think we often downplay the old school things that make wedding ceremonies wonderful. In fact, many wedding professionals act as if nothing old school happens during the wedding ceremonies they are involved with. But just because they
are not acknowledged, doesn't mean they aren't there! Here is my list of all the (largely unacknowledged) things that have made weddings special forever, and continue to do so. ...  More ...

Could a Tandem Wedding be Your Thing?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Legals   |  Wedding Planning  |
(10/10/2021) 
A tandem wedding ceremony is one that is officiated by two people, working in concert, but only one of whom is authorised to solemnise legal marriages ...   More ,,,

Unplugged Wedding: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(30/03/2021) 
Having an unplugged wedding has benefits, but it also has drawbacks. A compromise position might be the best strategy.. ... More ...

Double Weddings are Fun, Budget Friendly, and Poised for a Comeback

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(06/05/2020)
Double weddings are great fun, budget friendly and likely to make a comeback because of extra competition for dates, venues and vendors that will flow on from weddings postponed in 2020 ...  More ...

Breakfast Weddings - A Beautiful Budget-Friendly Option

Categories: | Wedding Budget | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(11/08/2020)
Even on a weekend, having a breakfast wedding gives you more options and more chance of booking your chosen suppliers. And it is a very budget-friendly option .... More ...

Micro Weddings - Pluses and Opportunities Galore    

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(19/11/2019)
While a Micro Wedding is usually interpreted to be abbreviated on all fronts - a shorter, simpler ceremony and celebration with only a handful of guests - it allows greater flexibility and offers many wonderful possibilities not possible in a larger wedding. ...    More ...

How Many Bridesmaids is Just the Right Number?

Categories:  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Traditions |
(13/04/2019)
There is a very fine line between an appropriate number of bridesmaids (and groomsmen) and just too many, and a wide range of factors that come into play when deciding how many is the right number for your wedding ...    More ...

Multicultural Fusion Weddings

Categories: Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning | Wedding Rituals | Wedding Traditions |
(08/01/2018)
If you are an intercultural couple, how do you navigate your ceremony?  It is not uncommon to have two ceremonies.  But there is a third option - a fusion wedding ceremony that incorporates the traditions of what are important to you both ... More ...

How to have an Environmentally Friendly and Socially Conscious Wedding

Categories: Wedding Budget | Wedding Planning |
(25/10/2016)
Environmentally friendly celebrations do not have to lack style. As well as ensuring that you do not start your married life by unwittingly contributing to climate change or environmental damage, making socially conscious choices can save you money – and provide a defensible justification for not breaking the bank!  Here's how  ... More ...

Including Children and Animals

hter


Add a touch of Horse Magic to your Wedding Ceremony

Categories: | Animals and Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning  |
(01/03/2024)
Successfully including your horse in your wedding ceremony takes a little preparation and a lot of love ... More ...


Ramp Up the Fun with Wildlife at your Wedding

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Planning |
(22/11/2020)
An emerging trend is that couples are thinking beyond their own fur kids and exploring the idea of adding a wildlife element to their wedding. It is also a growing area in wedding-related businesses, so you are spoiled for choice. However, to successfully include wildlife in your wedding requires some thought and preparation   More ...


Give your Dog a Starring Role in Your Wedding

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(27/08/2020)
Dogs being themselves make for magic moments. All you need to do is to give your dog the
opportunity by including them in your wedding every way you can. ... More ...


Cats and Weddings - A Melt Your Heart Combination

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(17/06/2020)
Whatever the temperament of your kitty fur baby including them in your wedding photos is something you'll never regret. All it takes is a bit of caution and some forward planning to make sure your baby is safe and comfortable ... More ...

In 2020 and Beyond Children Need to be Invited to Your Wedding

Categories: | Inclusive Weddings | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(12/07/2020)
There are good reasons why it is particularly important since 2020, a year where their lives were
disrupted, for children to experience wedding ceremonies  ... More ...

How to Train your Flower Girl for a Brilliant Petal Toss

Categories: Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
(14/09/2016)
There is nothing sweeter than a flower girl tossing petals with exuberant abandon. But achieving that takes a little training ... More ...

And the Flower Girl wore a Backpack

Categories: Wedding Ceremony |  Wedding Planning |
(14/09/2016)
Give the children you want involved in your wedding ceremony the choice of what they will do and what they will wear and magic happens ...  More ...

Destination Weddings

hter

Pros and Cons of Destination Weddings

Categories:  | Wedding Planning|
29/04/2023
While there are significant legal and logistical issues to consider, and a destination wedding can be expensive and inconvenient for guests, it can also be more consolidated and fun for your wedding party. Destination weddings are a great way to sidestep  pressure to adhere to traditional wedding customs and practices, and to spread cultural awareness and appreciation. More...

Venue

hter

Don't Forget This One Simple Thing When Choosing a Ceremony Venue

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(23/08/2016)
There is a very simple thing that makes all the difference when choosing your ceremony venue. Forgetting to do it is a serious oversight ... More ...


How to have a Stress-Free Wedding in Your Own Backyard

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(05/02/2020)
The benefits of holding your wedding in your own backyard are many, and varied, but they all add up to two things - a backyard wedding is easy on the budget, and it gives you the ultimate opportunity create a more relaxed, more personal feel to your wedding. More ...


How Many Toilets Does Your Wedding Need?   

Categories: |  Wedding Planning |
(20/11/2019)
The ratio of toilets to guests at your wedding is incredibly important. Here's how to do the maths to make sure that the venue you choose has sufficient ...    More ...


20 things you can do in a backyard wedding
that you most likely won’t be able to do anywhere else

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(15/08/2019)
Hosting your own wedding in your own backyard opens up a wide range of possibilities, not only to save money, but also to make your wedding totally unique because you have complete control over every aspect of the day in a way you don’t if you marry in a wedding venue, or even in a public park   More ...


Dealing with stresses and dilemmas

hter


Saying 'I Do' Without Overdoing It: Introvert's Guide to Planning a Joyful Big Wedding

Categories:  |  Inclusive Weddings  |  Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Planning|
21/07/2023
You can have a big joyful wedding when you're an introvert, but you need to know what sort of introvert you are, lean into your strengths, know your limits and plan around them.  More 


Wedding Dilemmas: Save the Date, Change the Date, Trim the Guest List

Categories: |  Wedding Planning  |
(14/10/2021) 
The new normal about Save the Dates is to be confused and concerned. What if your plans are sent awry (or completely scuppered) by another last-minute lockdown, border closure, or government imposed limitation on where you can have the ceremony and/or reception, and on how many people can be there? ...  More...


How to Deal with Unsolicited Wedding Advice

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(16/03/2021) 
Unsolicited wedding advice from well-meaning friends and loved ones can feel like criticism and be stressful. In this blog post I discuss how to deal with it. ... More ...
 

Wedding Ceremony Anxiety and How to Deal with it

Categories: |   Wedding Ceremony   |   Wedding Planning   |
(17/05/2021) 
It is the very rare bride or groom who doesn't develop some level of wedding ceremony anxiety in the lead up to their wedding. It's common, but, by understanding what it is and why you might be feeling that way can go a long way to damping it down. ... More ...

How to Avoid Ugly Crying During Your Wedding

Categories: |  Vows | Wedding Ceremony |
(15/01/2020)
Are you nervous about ugly crying during the most emotional parts of the day (the ceremony and the speeches)? There are tried and true ways to make sure you feel the emotions but avoid the ugly part of the crying ... More ...


Should you Invite your Celebrant to your Reception?

Categories: |  Wedding Planning  |
(28/05/2021) 
Whether or not you should/must invite the person who officiates your wedding ceremony to your reception is a question that no longer has a clear, one-size-fits-all, answer. There are a number of things that come into play, not the least being what type of wedding ceremony you are having ... More ...

When Coronavirus Forces You to Un-Invite People to Your Wedding

Categories: | Wedding Planning |
(18/05/2020)
Social Distancing restrictions, together with the flow-own effect of rescheduled weddings competing with previously booked weddings for limited venue and vendor availability, is forcing couples to change plans, and this may require cutting guest numbers ...  More ...


Avoid pre-wedding dramas with a Witness Lottery

Categories:  | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
(02/10/2019)
Because being witness is an honour, not choosing someone who expected to be chosen can cause hurt feelings and a ongoing drama, including broken friendships and family rifts. Sidestep problems by having a witness lottery ....  More ...


Weddings are rife with bullying – and its got to stop

Categories:  Wedding Planning | Wedding Traditions |
(22/02/2019)
There are many forms of common wedding bullying and it is not all about the bride bullying the bridesmaids...  More ...


Reduce Your Wedding Stress

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(16/11/2018)
8 easy ways to take control of your wedding and reduce your wedding stress  ...    More ...

How to Avoid the #1 Wedding Embarrassment

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(15/08/2016)

The most feared wedding embarrassment is something that nobody wants to do in public, let alone at their wedding ... More ...


Rehearsing

hter


26 Good Reasons to Schedule a Wedding Rehearsal

Categories: |    Wedding Ceremony   |   Wedding Planning   |
(30/11/2021) 
While the practical reasons for having a rehearsal are well known,other equally important reasons
are rarely discussed, so in this blog post I discuss the practical reasons together with the emotional and relationship-strengthening reasons and outline what a rehearsal should achieve and what happens at one ...  More...


After the wedding

hter


12 Essential Post-Wedding Tasks

Categories: | Wedding Budget   |    Wedding Planning  |
(17/10/2021) 
Here are a dozen things that you really must do after your wedding ...  More ,,,


Things you might not have considered

hter


Who Sits Where at Your Wedding?

(10/10/2024)
Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning  |
Where your guests and your loved ones are seated at your wedding not only impacts on the experience for them,it can make a huge difference to your photos  More ...


The Benefits of Staying Low-Tech for Your Wedding Ceremony

Categories:  |  Wedding Legals  | Wedding Planning  |
13/06/2023
Using devices for signing marriage certificates and reading the ceremony can offer several benefits. However, there are also some drawbacks. These drawbacks, in my view, not only outweigh the assumed or perceived environmental benefits, they include compromising a significant emotional element."  More ...


Everyone Present at Your Wedding is a Guest

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony   |  Wedding Planning   |
(27/07/2021) 
Everyone present at your wedding is a guest, including the two of you! This is something to take to heart. It's not just about being kind and considerate, it is also about social media use. . ... More ...


Can you all hear me?

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony   |   Wedding Planning   |
(21/06/2021) 
How successful your wedding ceremony is depends very largely on your guests being able to hear
every word. That can mean your celebrant needs to use a PA system. However, the choices you make early in your planning, and the unexpected challenges your chosen venue throws up, can have an immense impact on how well your guests will be able to hear the ceremony. ... More ...


White Weddings are uh, White

Categories: | Inclusive Weddings |Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(26/10/2020)
The traditional white wedding, still seen as the norm in Australia, is culturally white, through and through  More ...

How to Have a Plastic Free Wedding

Categories: | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(03/07/2020)
Your wedding day is a great opportunity to share and showcase your values. It is also a day that presents multiple opportunities to either pile on the plastics or do your best to avoid that. So I've put together some suggestions, some simple, some straightforward, some the obvious,
and some a little bit cheeky!  ... More ...


14 Ways to Include Lucky White Heather in your Wedding

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Planning  |
(12/10/2021) 
White heather, a Scottish tradition that has spread far and wide, is considered lucky in weddings. While it is traditional to include a sprig in a bride's bouquet, there are many other ways to incorporate it in your wedding ...   More...


Pimp up your wedding ceremony program to the max

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony  |  Wedding Planning  |
(04/05/2021) 
Wedding programs have fallen out of favour. They are no longer a must-have. However, done well, your wedding program can serve as a guide to your ceremony, an introduction that adds to the anticipation and excitement ... More ...


You Are Never Too Old To Get Married the Way you Want

Categories: | Inclusive Weddings  |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(03/03/2020)
How do you, as a mature age couple, negotiate the whole process of wedding planning when most of the marketing, information, and focus out in wedding land is on the younger couple wanting the fairy-tale wedding experience? ... More ....


Charitable Giving and your Wedding 

Categories: |  Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(15/01/2020)
There are many ways to make charitable giving part of your wedding, including making it part of your ceremony, and it is always a good idea to give your guests a heads-up if you are asking them to give to a cause dear to you ... More ...


Showcasing Wedding Music Makers

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(03/07/2019)
One of the joys of being a celebrant is seeing other wedding professionals "on the job", and working with them as a team. Recently, I took the opportunity to delve into what lies behind the skills of a couple of favourite wedding music makers, and what enables them to make the magic they do.   More ...


Showcasing Wedding Photographers

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(05/05/2019)
One of the joys of being a celebrant is seeing other wedding professionals "on the job", and working with them as a team. Recently, I took the opportunity to sit down with two photographers I always love working with to delve into what lies behind the skills, what enables them to make the magic they do.   More ...


Your Wedding Scentscape: 7 top tips to a planning a memory-making wedding

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(08/03/2019)
Science tells us that smells trigger more vivid emotional memories and are better at inducing that feeling of “being brought back in time” than images.  Science also tells us that fragrances can have a powerful calming effect. When planning your wedding, plan for the memories. One of the simplest ways to do that is to plan not only how your ceremony, and the celebration afterwards will look and feel, but also how it smells....  More ...

Has Marriage Equality Changed Weddings? – My Predictions Revisited

Categories: Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning |
(25/01/2019)
A year ago, I predicted that Marriage Equality would change all weddings in Australia, as more and more heterosexual couples, previously constrained by a wedding playbook that includes outmoded traditions and embedded roles defined by gender, experience the individual, meaningful, expressions of an equal relationship in the weddings of same-sex couples  - and that every wedding, gay or straight, would be the better for it.  So how accurate was I?   More ...


How Marriage Equality Will Change Wedding Ceremonies

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Planning |
(17/01/2018)
This is my prediction – wedding ceremonies will change, but it won’t be a case of  the wedding industry merely accommodating same-sex couples. Rather same sex couples will influence, by example, all civil wedding ceremonies in Australia, and all weddings will be the better for it ... More ...

How to have a Gracious Wedding

Categories:  Inclusive Wedding | Wedding Planning |
(22/11/2018)
Most couples today host their own weddings. Here are 35 ways to make sure that everyone feels welcome, appreciated, and both physically and emotionally comfortable.  ...    More ...


Great Wedding Photos Start in the Mind

Categories: Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Planning
(22/09/2016)
Mindset and mind-power can make or break your wedding photos ... More ...

Bali Weddings

Categories: Wedding Legals | Wedding Planning |
 (27/07/2016 updated 25/09/2019 to reflect changes in Indonesian law)
Everything you need to know about getting married with an Australian celebrant in Bali ...  More ...

How to get the best "getting ready" photos

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(23/07/2016)
Ensuring that your 'getting ready' photos are fantastic requires not just a photographer with skills and a good eye, but some preparation on the part of the bridal party.   ...  More ...

How to create a talking logo for your wedding 

Categories: Wedding Planning |
(23/07/2016)
Borrow a tool from business networking for effective communication about your wedding  ...  More ...

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