The Celebrants Network Inc - BLOG

In 2023 we will be celebrating 50 years of a civil celebrant program in Australia.  In today’s blog celebrant Sonia Collins gives a brief history of the program as part of our celebrations for World Celebrants Week 2021.

It is very easy to get overwhelmed during your wedding planning, so the first thing you need to decide is are you having a wedding or are you gettng married?  Celebrant Melanie Lawson from Oberon, NSW explains why your wedding isn't a competition.

We've come a long way since filling out forms with old fahioned paper and pen.  There are new rules, new technologies and a new way of doing things.  Celebrant Shell Brown takes us through what we, as celebrants, can and can not do electronically.

Thinking about getting married at sea?  Today, on World Maritime Day, Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA guides you through the ebbs and flows of doing so…

Should you write your own wedding vows?  For so many couples, this is not an easy question to answer... but never fear, Celebrant Melissa Jones from Goulburn, NSW is helping us to navigate through.

The human and animal relationship has existed for millennia and the way they have been regarded has varied greatly between cultures over time.  The ancient Egyptians and some Asian religions regard some animals as Gods, while in other societies they were simply food or beast of burden.

The keeping of animals as pets has been practiced for thousands of years.  In today’s society we celebrate our animals in many different ways... Celebrant Ros McFarlane is talking to us today about pet ceremones...

As a Celebrant, what would be your biggest nightmare? The mind boggles at the thought of something going wrong, yet alone something nightmarish.... Celebrants Leslie Ridgeway from Ocean Grove, Victoria and Susie Roberts from Grafton, NSW take us through a list of potential catastrophies that you should have a plan for...

Well... Congratulations! You have just got engaged, you might be wearing shiny new rings, and you have a wedding to plan. Celebrant Leslie Ridgeway is going to take you through the basics of getting married.

When the time comes that you need to engage a Funeral Celebrant, you may not be in the mindset to think of all the questions you'd like to ask... in this blog Celebrant Melanie Lawson has tried to make that as easy as possible for you...

On the 10th August, 2021 Australia took part in the Census. Gay Celebrant and Member of The Celebrants Network, Bronte Price is asking why the LGBTIQ+ Community was left out. Bronte's blog can also be found on Bronte's own website and he has given us permission to recreate it here.

The Celebrants Network is a not-for-profit association for professional civil celebrants with a focus on promoting our celebrant members and also a range of ceremonies and celebrations to the public. 

Our members are marriage celebrants, religious celebrants, memorial and funeral celebrants, family and naming celebrants, student celebrants and celebrants for all occasions. 

In this post, Celebrant Susie Roberts takes us through 11 of the reasons why you should join us...

Everyone has a story to tell, but all too often it is not one that is known to everyone who is closest to you. We all want to be remembered, for more than the money and possessions that we leave behind... today's blog is written by: Celebrant Roslyn McFarlane from Pakenham, Victoria.

Not sure how to navigate choosing music for a funeral or memorial?  Celebrant Leslie Ridgeway has got you covered...

It’s the stuff of dreams and movie moments.  The traditional kiss during the wedding ceremony is preceded by the celebrant saying to the groom “You may kiss your bride” and the big kiss is recorded by photographers and videographers as the guests cheer and applaud.   In today’s blog we look at this sometimes tricky situation with Celebrant Sonia Collins.

Insurance and copyright can be fairly confusing topics, but Celebrant Susie Roberts helps us make sense of it all...

Who's up for an adventure?  In today's blog Celebrant Melanie Lawson takes us through a rollercoaster of  adventurous ideas for your ceremony...

Have you just become a celebrant or are thinking about embarking on that journey?  Registered Celebrant and member of The Celebrants Network, Leslie Ridgeway gives us some insights into what you need at the business end of Celebrancy.

In Australia, any two people over the age of 18 can marry provided they are not already married, not in a prohibited relationship and they give real consent.  They do not need to be citizens or residents of Australia and they can choose any time and place for their marriage ceremony.  Celebrant and member of The Celebrants Network Sonia Collins from Batemans Bay NSW discusses how celebrants are legally required to be sure that both parties consent to the marriage.

Remember back to when marriage equality was introduced, one of the stereotyped expectations within the general community was that everyone in the LGBTIQ⁺ community would rush out and have a big gay wedding.  Celebrant Bronte Price shares with us why this didn't happen...

This week is National Families Week, coinciding with the International Day of Families on May 15.  These events are about highlighting and celebrating the vital role that families play in our communities. Celebrant Melanie Lawson from Oberon, NSW takes a look at the many different family groups that make up our society.

Having celebrant buddies is really important for a number of reasons. Celebrant Susie Roberts takes us through just a few...

ANZAC Day holds a very special place in the psyche of Australians. 106 years after the initial landing of the ANZACS at Gallipoli, the significance of the event and the subsequent wars and conflicts around the world remain with us. Celebrant Mel Lawson shares her thoughts...

How do celebrants keep their knowledge and skills up to date? How do a couple know that their celebrant has the knowledge to make sure their marriage is legal? 

The answer to both questions is “professional development”. This week celebrant Sonia Collins discusses the importance of professional development for celebrants.

Each year since 2009, the 31st of March has been the day when people around the globe celebrate International Transgender Day of Visibility. It’s a day when we pause and reflect on the efforts and achievements of trans activists and culture changers, both past and present who have fought and continue to fight for equal human rights enjoyed by the rest of the general community.

Celebrant Bronte Price, the writer of today's blog, is a gay cis male. He’s aware that it’s preferable for trans people, rather than cis people, to write about trans issues. He apologises for any information in this blog that is inaccurate – that was not deliberate. 

Along with all the excitement of planning a wedding, many couples like to consider the impact of their event on the environment as well as on their budget.

Recently, The Celebrants Network Inc received a copy of an article from 77 Diamonds, a London based jeweller, with a request to share their ideas about sustainable weddings with our readers.

Do you know the history behind International Women's Day? Celebrant Susie Roberts does and it makes for a very interesting read... 

We all want to hear that we've done a great job, but feedback offers more than just a pat on the back... it helps us to improve and grow in our profession.  Celebrant Melanie Lawson gives us her thoughts on asking your couples and families for feedback.

Ever wondered what it is like to be a Marriage Celebrant?  Celebrant and trainer, Karen Faa from Queensland explains it so well...

It takes a very special type of person to work with grieving families; to show empathy and care at such a trying time; to be able to talk about a person, that they probably never met, in a way that shows respect, dignity and professionalism.  One such Funeral Celebrant is Sonia Collins from Batemans Bay in NSW and today shares with us the special skills that it takes to be a Funeral Celebrant.

So, you are wondering what to get for your special human for Valentines but you are not inspired by the usual offerings? Love red roses but you want to do something different this year.   What else could you do on Valentine’s Day…..especially as it is on a Sunday this year? Celebrant Susie Roberts from Grafton, NSW takes us through some quick, easy and relatively inexpensive ideas that could work for you both. 

If you had to guess... What do you think is most popular day and time for a wedding in Australia? If you said Saturday at 3pm, you'd be bang on, but did you know there are other great times to hold your ceremony?  Celebrant Mel Lawson from Oberon, NSW is taking us through some of the alternatives...

Ever wondered why a bride used to wear a veil or carries flowers to the marriage ceremony?  Celebrant Susie Roberts takes us through some well-known wedding traditions, and the history behind them...

There are so many very good reasons to tell or record your life story, and a great way to express this is in a photo book. A beautiful book that tells the story of your life in words and photos. Written by Celebrant, Leslie Ridgeway from Ocean Grove, Victoria

2020 - What a year! Sonia Collins, Celebrant and Chairperson of The Celebrants Network Inc looks back on how celebrants were affected this year.

And now for something completely different... Each week we usually bring you a blog to share information about celebrants and celebrations, our members, our association, tips for people getting married or organising a funeral... that sort of thing, but today, as a Christmas treat, we are bringing you a collection of some of our members' favourite Christmas recipes... Enjoy

Robyn O'Connell is a Funeral Celebrant and the Founder of the Rebecca Jane Foundation - a volunteer run charity helping families who are experiencing financial hardship as well as going through the heartbreaking loss of a baby. The foundation is named after Robyn's own baby girl who passed away at almost 10 months of age.  In today's blog, Robyn is sharing her thoughts on what it's like to grieve through 'happy family occasions' such as Christmas...