No, this is not permitted. The Marriage Act 1961 is very clear in stipulating that a marriage is "... the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others ...".

However, it is possible for a Marriage Celebrant to act as a generalist celebrant and conduct a love commitment ceremony for you and your partner. This is permitted provided the ceremony does not purport to be a legal marriage. In such a case, your Marriage Celebrant would prepare a Certificate of Commitment for you and your partner to be signed by yourselves and your witnesses during the ceremony.

Yes, I have all the legal documents required and will help you complete them and will submit them to the relevant authorities. You will need your Birth Certificates and perhaps other documentation depending on your situation. I will advise you of all the required documentation.

Yes. I will help you to find and/or write the vows and will compose a ceremony which reflects your wishes and input. Please note that Federal law imposes some minor inclusions in the ceremony wording, on which a Celebrant has no choice.

Together you and I will put together your own personalised ceremony. I have samples of various ceremonies that I have done for you to start with and then we can work through the ceremony that makes your ceremony unique for you and your fiancé.

A Marriage Celebrant, as a qualified trained and professional person, is authorised to conduct your marriage ceremony in a manner that meets the legal requirements. This includes a range of matters - such as ensuring that your ceremony contains certain mandatory words; the correct completion of your Notice of Intended Marriage (NIM) and all other marriage documents; and the lodging of your marriage documents with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - is done in such a way that they comply with the Marriage Act 1961.

Apart from ensuring that your ceremony contains the things that makes it legal, your Marriage Celebrant will also assist you in personalising your ceremony and, to this end, will offer some choices as to what you may like to consider for inclusion in your ceremony. Your Marriage Celebrant can also offer you a range of resources to assist you in this process. This is not to say that you cannot write your own vows and indeed, if you would prefer to write your own ceremony, there are a number of celebrants who would be pleased to help you in this endeavour, and most importantly, would still ensure that your ceremony complies with all the legal requirements.

The obligations placed on Marriage Celebrants are outlined in a Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants which is to be displayed by them. Some Marriage Celebrants may even provide you with a copy of this document.

It means that although you book just one Celebrant, he/she can call on a team of well-trained and dedicated colleagues to help provide you with the best possible service. Whether that means helping to find a specific poem you request, advice on an ethnic custom or even finding a last-minute replacement in case of illness, our membership of a vibrant professional association ultimately benefits all of our clients.

Again, you’ll need to ask. For example, some Celebrants may charge travel expenses over a certain distance, or for assisting with Intended Spouse Visa applications. Celebrants are expected to advise clients of all foreseeable ‘above-fee extras’ before accepting a booking. Most Celebrants will ask for an advance payment of part of their fee at time of booking.

You’ll need to ask each one, there is no set fee. It is unwise to simply shop-around for the cheapest price – remember that you are not buying an appliance you can return later if you’re dissatisfied. The Celebrant is the most conspicuous service-provider for your very special life-event, and you’ll want that event to be presented in a way that is memorable only for all the 'right reasons'.

That’s a difficult one, but ‘gut feeling’ is a good guide. Ask yourself: do they present well and have a good speaking voice, are they able to give good advice and prepare a ceremony that reflects what I/we want? In short, does he/she inspire confidence that you won’t be disappointed? You could also ask about their experience and their qualifications. But please note: in recent years celebrant training courses have varied greatly in length and content, so having completed a training course and calling oneself 'qualified' are not in themselves measures of good quality. Pre-appointment courses only became compulsory for Marriage Celebrants in 2003, so there are many experienced celebrants who would not have a formal qualification.

Choosing your Marriage Celebrant is very much a personal matter. It may be that a particular Marriage Celebrant has been recommended to you by family members, friends or by venue coordinators.

If you are not so fortunate and do not know, or have not heard of a "good" Marriage Celebrant, searching the web is a good place to start. Why not try to locate a Marriage Celebrant who lives in your general area or perhaps in a location close to where your ceremony is to be held. Here is a link to the authorised marriage celebrants from the Attorney General's Department...http://www.ag.gov.au/mclisting

Armed with your short list of possible Marriage Celebrants, contact can then be made with each of them either by phone or by email to ascertain if they are available for the time and day of your wedding and what the costs would be for all services they provide. Please note that costs from one Marriage Celebrant to the next vary as there is no standard charge and legally, they are not permitted to price fix. You may also wish to enquire whether the Marriage Celebrant conducts multiple weddings on any particular day or limits the number they are prepared to do to one or two per day. And furthermore, whether the Marriage Celebrant can assist you to obtain the registered copy of your Marriage Certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM).

Many Marriage Celebrants offer an obligation free interview. This enables you to see at first hand what each Marriage Celebrant can offer you, what is included in their fee and what are the likely additional charges, given your requirements and circumstances. Marriage Celebrants differ in this regard - some give an all inclusive cost whilst others charge extra for the use of, for example, their own Public Address system.

Irrespective of how you make your choice, it is important for you to feel comfortable and confident that your ceremony will be conducted professionally, competently and with a sense of occasion by a Marriage Celebrant who will compliment your special day. Engaging the right Marriage Celebrant for you makes all the difference to the quality of your ceremony. Cost, therefore, is not the only factor to be considered.

A good tip is to avoid a Marriage Celebrant who makes you feel uncomfortable in any way. For example, the one who, when you phone or who, at your first meeting with him/her even though it is on an obligation free basis, pressures you into signing up on the spot. In this case, politely extract yourself from the phone conversation or walk away (as the case may be) and find another Marriage Celebrant.

As soon as the date is finalised for the ceremony. This can be up to 18 months in advance.

There is no set amount for a Civil Celebrant to charge for a ceremony. Most ceremonies cost between $450 and $770 depending on the time, travel, situation and requirements. This can be discussed at first point of contact as it depends on how far I have to travel and the type of ceremony you require. All the following are also included in the price:

• All administration costs associated with the ceremony
• Lodgement of all relevant paperwork to Births, Deaths and Marriages
• A range of ceremonies to select from - or we can design one suitable to your needs
• All consultations to collate the ceremony that the bride and groom are happy with
• Tablecloth, table and chair for signing of register/certificates.
• A PA system if required.
• A rehearsal.
• A keepsake copy of your ceremony.
• Presentation copy of Marriage Certificate.
• A Professional Presentation.

Whether you have a small informal wedding or a large gathering, I would love to make it "really special" for you. I offer an obligation-free, first meeting at which time we get to know one another and you can ask me any questions you wish. I am happy to travel to you or alternatively, we can do some or all of the necessary paper work by fax, e-mail or by 'snail mail' (Post Office). My interaction with you is designed to save you time, energy and expense and unnecessary hassles.