Wedding Procedures and Booking Arrangements
As soon as possible after your initial contact, Tom will reply and firstly confirm whether or not he is available on the chosen date to officiate at your wedding. If by chance he is not, Tom is happy to refer you to other celebrant colleagues who may be.
Should you wish to proceed, he will then discuss with you mutually convenient times to meet to outline his fee structure and answer any questions you may have at this point in time.
Tom’s fee varies according to what clients want and where and when the ceremony is planned for. When agreed upon, it is however all inclusive, and covers all appointments, phone and email contacts, the preparation and subsequent lodging of the marriage documents, travel to and from the venue and performing the ceremony itself.
To book your date in Tom’s diary requires payment of a non-refundable booking fee with the balance of your fees due and payable by no later than two weeks before the ceremony itself.
Assuming you can meet Tom face to face, at the first interview it is desirable to bring both your Birth Certificates (or Certified Extracts) or if these are unobtainable, a Passport (which can be expired but not cancelled) as evidence of your date and place of birth. Additionally, if you do not possess a Passport, you will need to present a document that provides photographic identification such as a drivers licence, proof of age card or similar government issued ID card. If either of you have been married before, Tom will also need to see evidence of how that marriage ended, by sighting the respective original Divorce Certificate or Death Certificate, before the marriage can take place.
The key initial document that needs to be completed accurately is the ‘Notice of Intended Marriage‘ form. Couples usually complete this with Tom at their first interview, although it can be downloaded here, where the relevant sections will need to be completed and emailed to Tom, or simply brought along to the first interview.
Many couples appreciate having at least a basic wedding ceremony outline to look at. Tom has a vast range of ceremony styles and will work with you both to design your own unique ceremony. However, and as a guide only, the following link provides just once example of a basic but elegant ceremony that you may choose to use as a basis for your unique ceremony.
Finally, as a Civil Marriage Celebrant, Tom is governed by a Code of Practice in addition to his membership of the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants. As such, you can be confident that in Tom’s hands, your Special Day will be a truly memorable and happy one for yourselves, your family and your friends.