The Celebrants Network Inc - BLOG
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More Blog posts can be found in the Blog Categories to the right.
More Blog posts can be found in the Blog Categories to the right.
Nov
29
Jul
04
We kiss people every day, and we generally know what's appropriate for each situation... but you know, the first kiss after the celebrant declares you married? The one with everyone watching as you lip lock in public with the cameras and videos working overtime. Yes, that kiss. That's not an everyday kiss that you will automatically know what to do. Today we're looking at what type of kiss is appropriate...
Feb
07
One of the great things about Australia is our ability to embrace and adopt the spirit of other cultures. This is demonstrated every day by walking around a major city in Australia and seeing how much cultural cuisine is on offer! From Asia to Africa, Europe and the Pacific, Aussies love to eat. We are currently enjoying the Lunar new year festivities, celebrations which have grown from the traditions of a cultural minority to include a wide range of groups and shared and enjoyed by all. Here is how we can include all kinds of culture and tradition in a civil marriage ceremony...
Feb
21
This week's blog is bought to you by Sonia Collins, TCN Celebrant, Guest Blogger and Host of the 'Tell Me Your Story' senior's workshop, held in conjunction with the New South Wales Seniors Festival which is taking place from February 13th – 24th. Other States hold Seniors Week at different times but the purpose of these celebrations is always similar – to celebrate Seniors and to encourage them to live healthy lives filled with enjoyable activities.
Apr
29
Underage marriage is a sensitive and complex issue that affects communities around the world. This issue impacts on women and girls who marry at a young age and often without giving consent. Our guest blogger, TCN Celebrant Melanie Lawson - takes us through the stats and legalities of underage and forced marriage...
Jun
28
Have you ever thought about having a Naming Ceremony for your child? Today's blog has been written by TCN Celebrant Pamela Fynan who talks about what an important life ceremony a naming can be...
Aug
12
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...
Jun
20
Did you know there are no formal qualifications needed to be a registered Celebrant in the U.K.?
I arrived here about 5 weeks ago enjoying what I call 'temporary semi-retirement'. I have just been recruited by a local Funeral Director to be one their in-house Funeral Celebrants. When I went for the meeting (interview) I took with me all my relevant credentials, including my Cert IV certificate. I was advised none of this is required in the U.K.
The decision on who to use as your Wedding / Funeral Celebrant falls firmly with the couple or the grieving family and not with any governing authority. That's why there are so many performing this role in the U.K. Luckily for me in the U.K. (as with Australia) this is a female-dominated role and so the requirement for a male officiator is huge.
I'm looking forward to my first ceremony next week. Will keep you all posted.
Aug
26
Have you ever wondered about what wedding anniversary symbols are all about?
No one knows precisely when wedding anniversaries were first celebrated, but the tradition is believed to go back at least to the Middle Ages. At that time in the Germanic regions of Europe, a husband crowned his wife with a silver wreath on the 25th anniversary of their wedding day. If the couple was fortunate to live long enough, the husband presented his wife with a gold wreath on their 50th wedding anniversary.
Over the years more symbols have been added and it is generally believed that increasingly durable gifts were chosen for successive years to represent the progressive strengthening of the marriage relationship. As the years go by, the gifts increase in strength and worth from paper to diamond.
1st - Paper
The first year of marriage is like a clear sheet of paper, a new beginning upon which to write your passage through the years together. Also like paper, it is fragile and can easily rip, not having yet been tried by the fires of adversity and the storms of life.
Apr
28
There are a number of things to consider when deciding to go to a Conference.
By Roslyn McFarlane
Aug
08
The 8th of August is Dying to Know Day - a day to start a conversation about death and dying. We tend to avoid talking about death, grief and loss despite this being something that affects all of us. Dying to Know Day encourages us to talk with our loved ones about death and to learn how to support others who are bereaved. Today's blog has been written by TCN Member, Melanie Lawson from Oberon, NSW.
Jul
21
As celebrants we hear some common misconceptions about weddings, so today Celebrant Melanie Lawson from Oberon in NSW is going to bust some myths!
Jul
06
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.
Jun
29
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
Jun
02
Are you getting married in Australia? Do you or your partner have limited English language skills? Are you or your partner hearing impaired? What about the two people you've chosen to be your official witnesses? Perhaps you have guests coming to your ceremony who don't understand English or are hearing impaired? There are a number of reasons why you might need to engage an interpreter or a translator when you are getting married....
May
25
The 16th of May was Global Access Awareness Day – the focus of this day is for the technology experts to think about how to ensure that the digital world is inclusive and accessible to all... Today, Celebrant Melanie Lawson is taking us through what we as celebrants can do to be more inclusive.
May
19
When you get married in Australia the law is that you must give notice in writing by way of lodging a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form with your celebrant/registry office/clergy at least one (1) month prior to your ceremony date. You can lodge your NOIM up to 18 months beforehand... but why the one month wait? Celebrant Shell Brown takes us through the ins and outs of a Shortening of Time.
May
12
I just got engaged.... what do I do now? This is a common question asked by many a couple getting married for the first time, and in fact, it is still asked by people on their second and third time around. Getting married is not an everyday occurrence, so it's not a natural thing where people simply 'know' what to do. Celebrant Shell Brown walks us through the process...
Nov
08
The 11th of November is coming up this Friday which is Remembrance Day. The day we pay our respects to those soldiers who died in the First World War.
May
05
Mothers Day is approaching, and with it, a flurry of hand written cards, hasty trips to the shops by dads, husbands, sons, daughters and partners, a myriad of school and pre school stalls, the busying of florists, jewellers, beauticians, and the stacking of installations of cards in post offices, shops, corner stores, and petrol stations. These are the Mother's Day Musings of The Celebrant's Network's guest blogger Lisa Philipsen....
Apr
27
Are you one of those people who can never remember what you're meant to buy your partner or your wife or your husband or your spouse for your anniversary each year? Is it paper? Is it wood? Which year do I give roses? Here's a handy guide for you..... you're welcome!
Jan
09
On the 9th December 2017 the Australian Government changed the marriage laws to allow same sex couples to legally marry. This has been a long time coming for the LGBTQI community, their families, friends and supporters and it's finally here. After waiting the required month after lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage form, those couples can, as of the 9th of January 2018, marry the person they love, regardless of their gender.
Nov
04
We've come a long way since filling out forms with old fashioned 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.
Apr
19
If you think about it, there is always an element of formality to most events. When you think of formal events you think weddings, funerals and naming days, but there are many events in our lives where we can add ceremony. Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA shares some ideas as how to add a bit of ceremony to your celebration.
Apr
13
When we're faced with inevitable life transitions, such as death, we look to tradition to guide us through the difficult time and help us mourn our loved ones...
Apr
06
When you meet with your celebrant before your marriage ceremony, they will hand you a brochure called "Happily Ever Before and After" which gives you information about what happens after you're married and also includes information about relationship counselling and marriage education. Have you considered seeking relationship assistance? If so, great.... if not, why not? Today's blog has been written by Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA.
Mar
24
Australian people come from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds – 270 ancestries to give some idea. Canberra Celebrant Susanna Jose shares what we can do to promote and model cultural diversity...
Mar
21
Mar
10
When you have a pet, a fur baby, or a four legged best buddy, they become a very important part of your life, so why wouldn't you include them into your life celebrations? Celebrant Shell Brown talks to us about including your pet in your marriage ceremony.
Feb
24
At this time of year we enjoy watching the news reports from the world famous Sydney Mardi Gras festivities particularly the Fair Day and the Parade as well as scenes from other Pride Events across the country. Celebrant Sonia Collins reminds us that marriage equality did not end the struggles for the LGTBIQA+ community.
Feb
17
Turning 21 and celebrating your 21st is seen as the big celebration and the year that you become an adult, but turning 18 is actually more of a big deal - especially here in Australia. It not only marks your transition into adulthood, but there are quite a few responsibilities that go along with it.
Feb
11
Have you ever wondered about the legend of St Valentine's Day? February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and in particular, the 14th - St Valentine’s Day, but who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this special day? Celebrant Shell Brown tells us the story...
Feb
01
The 1st of February marks another Lunar New Year and it's many festivities - 2022, the Year of the Tiger. Mike Perry gives us an insight in to what Chinese New Year is al about...
Jan
26
The Australia Day public holiday falls at the end of our busy holiday season. As we think about getting back into the swing of work, school and the year ahead it is also a good day to reflect on how Australia Day means different things to different people, In today’s blog celebrant Sonia Collins looks at some of the issues surrounding our national day.
Jan
12
Christmas can be a time for family togetherness, happiness and love. Combined with good cheer and optimism about the year ahead, the festive season can prompt many loved-up couples to get engaged. If this is you, congratulations! Celebrant Melanie Lawson takes us through what to do next...
Jan
06
Every year people around the world make New Year’s resolutions. They might want to eat better, quit drinking and do more exercise. While many people are successful at keeping their resolutions, according to studies - 46%, others are destined to fail citing a number of reasons... one being that they made too many. Here are few tips on how to make successful choices in your resolutions.
Dec
23
This time of year can bring about some awkward family dynamics... today Celebrant Susanna Jose shares some stories and tips about dealing with estraged family around your marriage ceremony.
Dec
16
The feelings that we experience when a loved one dies are never easy to deal with, but they can be even more difficult during the significant dates in your life and the holidays. Celebrant Roslyn McFarlane walks us through dealing with grief at this time of the year...
Dec
09
5 years ago today Australia spoke out loud and proud about their want for Marriage Equality. Celebrant, Leslie Ridgeway takes us through some stats since that historical day...
Dec
02
Each year, December 3 marks the International Day of People with Disability. This day aims to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. Celebrant Melanie Lawson spoke with her friend, Carolyn about how we, as celebrants, can be more inclusive in our work.