Celebration of Uniting Lives Together-
Marriage and Commitment Ceremonies
Your wedding day is one of the most important days in your lives together as you stand before your family and friends and declare your love for each other and commitment to each other in your own special way. The ceremony is the most important part of your day and the whole reason for the celebration that follows. Apart from a couple of compulsory elements, it can truly reflect your personality, style and desires.
Marriage Equality
We finally have marriage equality and as a proud LGBQTI+ supporter and advocate, I am always happy to perform ceremonies for ALL couples- regardless of gender.
Margie’s Promises for your perfect Marriage or Commitment Ceremony
Your wedding will be filled with promises you make to each other- but for now, I have four promises to make with you.
1. I promise to provide you both with a professional service that will delight you and make both the ceremony preparations and the day feel special.
2. I promise you a ceremony that reflects who you are as individuals and as a couple.
3. I promise you a ceremony that is filled with the love and joy you share.
4. I promise you a ceremony that is meaningful, memorable and magical.
Ceremony Prices
Ultimate Ceremony $1200
-personalised ceremony including full love story, legal components, I do’s, vows and ring exchange
-unlimited guests
-additional rituals by arrangement eg handfasting, sandblending (no extra cost)
-quality speaker and microphone
-vow writing assistance if needed
-preparation and lodgement of all legal paperwork
-ceremonial marriage certificate
-official registered marriage certificate
-planning meeting
-rehearsal if desired
*travel fees may apply
Need an MC for the Reception? Ultimate couples get $200 off the price of either MC package.
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Deluxe Ceremony $900
-personalised ceremony including legal components for couple and unlimited guests *does not include love story
-includes I do’s, vows and ring exchange
-quality speaker and microphone
-vow writing assistance if needed
-preparation and lodgement of all legal paperwork
-ceremonial marriage certificate
-official registered marriage certificate
-planning meeting
-rehearsal if desired
*travel fees may apply
Available add-ons Added Ritual eg. Handfasting, sandblending $150
Need an MC for the Reception? Deluxe couples get $100 off the price of either MC package.
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Enchanting Elopements $700
-personalised and intimate ceremony including legal components for couple and up to 10 guests *does not include love story
-includes I do’s, vows and ring exchange if desired
-vow writing assistance if needed
-preparation and lodgement of all legal paperwork
-ceremonial marriage certificate
-official registered marriage certificate
-planning meeting
-rehearsal if desired
*travel fees may apply
** not available Saturday afternoons
Available add-ons Love Story $300
Added Ritual eg. Handfasting, sandblending $150
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Short & Sweet Ceremony $500
-simple ceremony including legal components for couple and 2 witnesses only
*includes minimal personalisation and does not include love story
-includes I do’s, vows and ring exchange if desired
-preparation and lodgement of all legal paperwork
-ceremonial marriage certificate
-official registered marriage certificate
*travel fees may apply
** not available Saturday afternoons
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Elements to consider –
The Gathering – Your friends and family gather for the ceremony. What music will you play? How will you create the atmosphere for the ceremony?
The Procession – Here comes the bride! What music will be playing? Will anyone be escorting the bride down the aisle? Will you have an aisle?
Or two aisles and will you both walk and meet each other in the middle or up the front? It is your wedding- how do you both want it to be?
Welcome and Introduction – I will welcome everyone and will deal with any housekeeping eg. Turning off phones, social media reminders. I will also introduce the ceremony in a way that reflects the vibe you wish it to have.
A lovely option many couples choose is for the celebrant to tell their love story- the story of their relationship, how they met, key moments and what they think of each other. It is fun to keep this as an element of surprise from each other as well.
The Monitum –
This is a compulsory element of the ceremony where only minor changes are lawfully allowed. It establishes the sacred and permanent nature of marriage.
Giving away –
This is an optional element but many couples choose to honour their parents with this element. We can vary it to meet your needs.
Here’s an example:
Who presents this bride and this groom to be joined today?””
Both sets of parents answer: “We do”.
Words about Marriage –
This is an optional element where the nature of marriage is considered. Sometimes people like to follow into a Reading or piece of Poetry about love.
Here’s some options for your ceremony-
“Marriage Joins Two People In The Circle Of Its Love” by Edmund O’Neill
“Sonnet from the Portuguese, XLIII” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
An excerpt from “The Prophet” by Khalil Gabran
“My Luve” by Robert Burns
I Corinthians 13:4-7, Holy Bible
“Carrie’s Poem” from Sex and the City
“Song of the Open Road” by Walt Whitman
An Irish Wedding Blessing
“A Dedication to My Wife” by T.S. Eliot
“To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet
“Two Fragments” by Sappho
From Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières “Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.”
The Asking –
Another optional element, the asking is like a pledge that each person makes that they have come to the union of their own free will and are ready to make the step into married life together. This is a good place to include the “I do” element – especially if you are planning to write your own vows.
A couple of examples:
Example One:
Celebrant: ____________, today you have come to form a marital union with ______________.
Will you love (her/him) without condition and respect (her/him) as an equal?
Bride/ Groom: I will.
Celebrant: Will you stand by your partner in joyful times and in sadness?
Bride/ Groom: I will.
Celebrant: Will you love and treasure (her/ him) until death parts you?
Bride/ Groom: I will.
Example Two:
Celebrant: _____________, do you choose to take _____________ to be your (wife/ husband)?
Bride/ Groom: I do.
Celebrant: Do you promise to love and cherish (her/ him) and stand by (her/him) whatever may come?
Bride/ Groom: I do.
Do you promise to give your relationship all it requires and deserves,
So that you can live the rest of your lives together in love and happiness?
Bride/ Groom: I do.
The Giving and Receiving of Rings-
This is an optional element but again, is one many couples choose to include. You can make it elaborate or simple- it is up to you. You may wish the celebrant to speak while you exchange rings, or you may wish to say something more as you place the rings on each other’s fingers.
The Vows –
This is the important part- where you commit to each other for life. The minimum, compulsory wording can have some minor variations- I can help you with those. The initial wording must be said for legal reasons, but beyond that, you can write your own vows with none, little or lots of help from me. Or, if you would prefer, you can use traditional wording or something easy to repeat.
The minimum compulsory wording:
“I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, (bride/ groom) take thee (groom/ bride) to be my lawful wedded (wife/ husband).”
You can leave it at that or add your own vows. Or add extra vows- here are just a few examples of different vows you could say-
Example One-
To have and to hold, from this day forward
For better, for worse, For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health, For the rest of my life.
Example Two-
In times of sickness and health,
In times of joy and sorrow.
I promise to respect you,
To care and protect you,
To comfort and encourage you.
I vow to listen to you and share with you.
To grow with you through the seasons of life
And to stay by your side for all eternity.
Example Three-
____________, today I will marry you, my friend, the one I will live with, dream with and love forever. I take you to be my husband/ wife. From this day forward I will cherish you. I will look with joy down the path of our tomorrows, knowing we will walk it together, side by side, hand in hand, and heart to heart.
Declaration as Husband and Wife or Partners for Life / The Kiss –
The wording is up to you but something along these lines works well-
“_____________ and _______________ have made vows to each other, exchanged rings and declared before you all here today that they will love each other eternally. So, it with great pleasure that I now pronounce them “Husband and Wife”.
_______________, you may kiss your bride.”
Obviously a variation is made to your taste if you are both brides or grooms or prefer to be named as “Partners for Life”.
Signing the Register – Let’s Make It Official! –
This is a compulsory part of the big day and will require the Bride, Groom and two adult witnesses. You might like to consider what music you will have for this time. Your Celebrant will lead you through this effortlessly on the day.
Presentation as a Married Couple / Recessional –
Here’s where you make your big exit- your first steps as a married couple out into the world. The Celebrant can say anything you choose before you leave and mingle with guests, get photos taken and get ready to party. Often, I will take an opportunity to wish you both luck and every happiness and then send you on your way as Mr and Mrs ___________ or by whatever names you are choosing to go by.
More ways to make your ceremony meaningful…
‘Acknowledgement of Country’ or ‘Welcome to Country’
An ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ can be performed to acknowledge the traditional land owners. If choosing this ceremony element, it must be done at the start.
An example of an Acknowledgement of Country is:
“I would like to acknowledge the Awabakal people who are the traditional custodians of the land. I would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present.”
Alternatively, if indigenous people are present, you may choose to include the ‘Welcome to Country’.
Lighting of a Unity Candle
The idea of a Unity Candle is a lovely idea to symbolise the joining of two individuals. The bride and groom light a wedding candle together from their individual flames.
Variations:
– The individual candles can be placed with the large Unity candle
– The individual candles can be blown out symbolising the end of single life
– The individual candles can be blown out and given to the each person’s parents
– If there are older children, they can light the main candle from their candles as well
– You can do a reverse unity candle, where the couple lights their individual candles from their main candle and light their bridal parties’ candles, who in turn help light candles of guests until they all have the light of your love
Sand Ceremony
Similar to the candle ceremonies, sand ceremonies also symbolise the joining together of a couple or a family. Perfect for a marrying couple with child/ren they wish to include, as a beautiful glass vessel is often used and coloured sands to symbolise each person. Each person feels included and the object becomes a meaningful one for the family home.
Hand Fasting
With Celtic origins, Hand Fasting is a ceremony element which symbolises the binding of the couple to each other in love and commitment. Using cord or ribbon, the bride and groom join hands and then their hands are tied together in a ceremonial way.
Here is an example of possible wording-
Celebrant : “__________ and __________ , I invite you to join your right hands.” The celebrant binds their hands with ribbon or cord and says “As your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of love and trust. These are the hands that will touch you and comfort you. These are the hands of your lover and best friend, and from this day forward, your partner in life and love. May your marriage be a lifelong celebration of love! ”
The celebrant removes the cord or ribbon and says “This ribbon/ cord is symbolic of the connection you share- the union you have formed and whilst the knots may be removed, the vows you have made today ensure that you are truly bound together forever.”
Ring Warming
Ring Warming is a lovely way to include your guests in the ceremony by having your rings passed from person to person with each person invited to take a moment to hold the ring and warm it with their love, wishes and blessings for your union. An alternative is to have the rings in a box or bowl or hanging on ribbons near the door and invite people to participate before they are seated.
Marriage Chest
A marriage chest is a special box that gets sealed during the wedding and will be opened each year on the couple’s anniversary. The Bride and Groom write letters to each other and place them in the chest, perhaps with a bottle of wine they could enjoy on their anniversary. The couple could continue the tradition each year, by adding more letters for their yearly reflection.
Plant a Tree –
in a pot or in the ground if your ceremony is at home. Like your love, you can watch your tree grow.
Release butterflies or doves –
Butterflies are a symbol of joy, change and beauty, Doves are a symbol of peace and purity.
Wine sharing –
One pours red and the other pours white into a goblet they share.
For more ideas, talk to Margie. The only limit is your imagination!
Giving Back
Each month, I support a different charity or organisation. In the past, I have supported Get Up! as they worked towards Marriage Equality in Ausstralia. We finally have that but there is still work to do!
One of the organisations I look forward to continue supporting in the coming months is get Up! as they continue to advocate for social justice and human rights.
On a personal note, I’m also standing in solidarity with my gay friends as my wonderful partner Dean and I have chosen to wait to marry until marriage is legal for all.
You can learn more about Get Up!’s human rights Campaigns by visiting
https://www.getup.org.au/campaign-pillars/human-rights/
