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...
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Your wedding is not a competition
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.
Weddings at the Beach
If you are planning a wedding in Australia you have probably given a beach wedding at least a passing thought. Celebrant Sonia Collins from Batemans Bay, NSW gives us a few things to consider to make sure your day is amazing....
Ways to save money on your wedding
We've all got a dream of what our ceremony is going to look like. We've all searched through Pinterest and Etsy and magazines saving the pictures that will best fit our theme. But, the more ideas you come up with - the more the budget is blown out! What if I told you that there was a way to have your cake and eat it too? Check out these thrifty ways that you can have the ceremony of your dreams and still be able to afford the Uber ride home...
The Kiss - What's appropriate?
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...
A wedding Vs a marriage
Some people think that a marriage and a wedding go hand in hand.... well, they do - but really, they don't.
Yes, you have a wedding because you are getting married, but you don't (or you shouldn't) get married because you want a wedding.
It's vital not to lose sight of what is important.
A wedding can take an extraordinary amount of planning and can test your ability to deal with stress, your organisational skills and possibly your patience, but that's about all. At the end of the day, yes you'll be married (assuming you've remembered to book a civil celebrant), but throwing a successful wedding party doesn't mean that you have a successful marriage - not yet anyway.
A marriage takes work and it takes time. Years of nurturing your relationship where you treat each other with equality, respect and kindness. Marriage is supporting each other through the great and the not so great times. Marriage may force you to assess and re-evaluate some of your choices. It may also be a constant reminder that there is another person that you need to consider. It's being able to communicate with your partner effectively and working out ways to live together harmoniously. It's creating strategies to deal with conflict and disagreements.
So why do we put such a massive emphasis on the wedding day?
We follow traditions about what we should wear and what our friends should wear. We make sure that everything is colour coordinated, we adhere to the prescribed formulae so the day is perfect and a lot of us are throwing big $$$$ dollars at this one day.
Does the most expensive wedding = the best marriage?
Does getting the colour scheme wrong = a marriage failure?
Does bucking traditions = not a real marriage?
No.
A marriage is a lifelong partnership and a wedding is the one day you choose to celebrate the beginning of that marriage.
Which ever way you choose to celebrate your marriage is totally ok - there's no judgement here, however be mindful of what is actually more important to you - the marriage or the wedding.
To find a TCN Celebrant to help you create an amazing celebration for what is sure to be a wonderful marriage - Click here.
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Don't Be Late!
Don’t be late!
Is it fashionable for the bride to be late to the ceremony anymore?
Was it ever fashionable?
There are valid excuses for being late:
Car trouble, traffic, wardrobe/hair/makeup malfunctions, nerves, forgot something vital to the ceremony… but intentionally planning to keep your guests waiting because you think it’s a tradition or so you can make a grand entrance is not necessary.
Being late is as much a tradition as it is lucky when it rains on your wedding day - it's just something people say... and your entrance will be grand regardless of what time you arrive.
Image source: stuff.co.nz
The same excuses can be allowed for guests, however intentionally arriving any later than 15+ minutes before the ceremony is due to start is not ok.
Perhaps people assume that the bride will be ‘fashionably late’ and therefore what’s the point of arriving early?
But what if this bride is considering the comfort of her guests and valuing her celebrant/photographer/videographer/musician/other ceremony service provider’s time and arrives on time for the ceremony - then you run the risk of missing the beginning of the ceremony or causing a ruckus coming in half way through.
Let’s ditch this idea that the bride (or groom) should be late to the ceremony.
Image source: Pixabay
Let me tell you an extreme, and yet very true story of what can happen if you choose to be late on a hot day.
Imagine, if you will, a very hot day - sweltering in fact... I'm talking up and over 40℃
Your guests have arrived 15 minutes early as instructed. They are dressed in their finery, ladies in heels and make up, gents in long pants and suit jackets. You have opted for the magnificent location of that park near that lake where there’s not a lot of shade. Your guests have not thought to bring hats or umbrellas, possibly not being familiar with the park’s shade offerings. So they stand uncomfortably in the sun, holding their clutch purses over their faces, slowly melting, silently hoping that the bride will be on time.
Photo credit: Shell Brown
The groom and his best man are dressed in their 3 piece suits, looking marvellous except for their glistening red faces and parched lips.
The bride is sitting somewhere in air conditioning having the finishing touches done to her hair and make up. The girls are having a last champas before getting into the air conditioned car to get to the ceremony….. it doesn’t matter if we’re a bit late, they decide - it’s fashionable, right?
Image source: Pixabay
Cut back to the park where the guests have now been standing in the blazing sun for 30 minutes, with no bridesmaid filled vintage limo in sight. The guests haven’t brought any water, as they didn’t think they’d be standing there for this long. One of the nanas has thought to bring a fan with her and she is starting to look way too flushed. Her breathing slows down as she slumps slightly in her chair.
Image source: totally-awesome.net
The girls are finally in the limo and are super excited to be on their way. The guests have been waiting for 45 minutes now and people are losing their patience and good humour. The limo pulls up to the park, it’s another 10 minutes while the bride has some photos in the car, then gets out of the car and has more photos in front of the car, then with the bridesmaids, then one with her dad, then a few of the bride with the bridesmaids fussing around her dress….
Image source: Pixabay
The guests can see she has arrived and are wondering, as they wipe the sweat from their eyes, waterproof mascara running, why she hasn’t started walking towards them yet. People can get cross and fed up in the heat.
The bride finally arrives and can’t understand why her guests all look furious and a little damp.
Sure - this might be far fetched, but people can get cranky in the heat! Image source: iloverealestate.tv
Nana manages to make it though the ceremony - only just and is then taken to hospital with heat stroke. Another two guests opt to go home because standing out in the heat has made them feel sick.
So… to be late or not to be late?
Image source: memes.com
If you would like some advice on how best to plan your ceremony so that everybody makes it through to the reception, why not #askacelebrant?
You can contact a TCN Celebrant by clicking this link.
And if you do have a guest suffer from heat stroke - here are some handy hints
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Thank you for joining us....
?? We would love it if you would let us know what you think ?.
There is a comment section ? at the bottom ⬇ of the blog for you to do just that.
? Click on the word "Comment" and go for it!
? Don't forget to subscribe ? to this blog - the "subscribe" button is up the top of the page ⇞⇞⇞ and the blog will magically ?? appear in your email inbox ?.
Also please feel free to share ? our blog on your social media ? so we can spread the love ?!
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Calling All Spring Brides.
Spring is just around the corner!
Here are some fabulous ideas to make your Spring wedding amazingly fresh!
An indoor-outdoor venue
Spring certainly makes you think of flowers, new life and sunshine after the cold wintery months. However, while a day full of glorious spring sunshine would be great, keep in mind that the weather is still a little unpredictable, so take this into consideration when you are choosing your venue.
You will, of course have a back up plan just in case, and if your Plan A venue has a Plan B location - even better!
Book early!
Spring is a popular time to get married so your favourite suppliers, like the celebrant you've been following on Twitter may well be booked up. Don’t be afraid to go with your gut and make that booking as early as you can. This way you'll be organised and relatively stress free, whilst avoiding disappointment. Win/Win!
Go seasonal
Spring brides have a great choice when it comes to flowers. Late spring flowers such as sweet peas and peonies come in an array of different colours and are stunning in both bouquets and centrepieces.
If you’re going seasonal with your flowers this can be a good place to start your planning in terms of a theme, as your colours may well be decided by the choice of blooms available.
Be prepared
Choosing an all-weather venue is a great start but you’re likely to want to have some photographs taken outside. Spring brides should definitely be prepared for showers and embrace the possibility of rain or wet ground by investing in a fabulous umbrella or a pair of statement wellies.
Rain on your wedding day is considered to be good luck by some cultures and remember that a wet knot is harder to untie!
Be kind to your bridesmaids
Floaty chiffon and tulle bridesmaid dresses can be stunning but aren’t the warmest outfits for a chilly spring day! If you’re opting for this sort of dress check out wraps or shrugs for them as well to ensure they are comfortable and are not a light shade of blue in the photos.
Spring Gifts
Think about how you can extend your Spring theme into gifts for your guests by planting small containers of spring bulbs as wedding favours, or maybe a packet of summer flower seeds to brighten up their gardens and remind them of your day.
Contact one of our TCN Celebrants and start sharing your spring wedding ideas!
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Thank you for joining us....
?? We would love it if you would let us know what you think ?.
There is a comment section ? at the bottom ⬇ of the blog for you to do just that.
?Click on the word "Comment" and go for it!
? Don't forget to subscribe ? to this blog - the "subscribe" button is up the top of the page ⇞⇞⇞ and the blog will magically ?? appear in your email inbox ?.
Also please feel free to share ? our blog on your social media ? so we can spread the love ?!
Please use this ? link: https://www.celebrations.org.au/blog when you share. ?
What do old Books and Ceremonies have in common?
What to do with those books gathering dust on your bookshelf?
Here is a fabulous, low-cost, easy and fun craft activity, which you can make yourself to decorate your ceremonial space.
A unique decorative idea for a wedding ceremony or any special occasion.
These lanterns are made entirely from old books and were made by my daughters at our local library school holiday lantern making workshop this week.
Why not gather your bridal party together and make many?
All you need is a book and some ribbon!! The older and more ragged the book with yellowing pages the better as the final product gives a fabulous vintage look to your lantern. Feel free to email me for the instructions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Posted by Robbie Fincham Civil Celebrant, Melbourne
What do we think is the most important part of a wedding day?
ASK A CELEBRANT BLOG: What does the ceremony do for a wedding?
Your wedding ceremony sets the tone for the rest of your wedding day and creates memories for you, your family and friends for years ahead
Getting married is about making one of the most important legal, emotional, social, economic and practical commitments you will ever make in your life.
It is a day too, that will never be able to be repeated.
The me, me, me wedding
ASKACELEBRANT BLOG:
This is a delightful personal story about the value of family and community in ceremonies and an example of the sorts of stories our couples and families could write about their wedding and other ceremony preparations.
http://www.tennantcreektimes.com.au/story/1771594/the-me-me-me-wedding/
What time should the Ceremony commence?
How many of us like to be kept waiting? I've never met anyone who did.
It has become fashionable lately to state on wedding invitations a start time, which is actually considerably different to the actual start time. On the face of it, it sounds like a good idea; after all, we don't all have good time-keeping skills and if guests have arrived in advance of the ceremony time then they won't miss the ceremony, or will they? Perhaps they were intending to miss the ceremony anyway and just turn up at the reception?
What exactly is a Ring Warming Ceremony?
Most couples marrying in Australia exchange rings during their wedding ceremony. Another lovely sub-ceremony to include, as a leadup to this time honoured tradition, which is gaining popularity these days, is the Ring Warming Ceremony. The "warming of the rings" which it's also called is a lovely way to also involve wedding guests. So what happens during a ring warming?
Hand tying or handfasting. But what coloured ribbons should you choose?
From Rebecca Skinner
The Celebrants Network Incorporated Blog Coordinator
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Celebrant Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com
Hand tying or handfasting adds a lovely new dimension to a wedding ceremony. But what coloured ribbons should you choose?
All colours have their significance. For instance red is the colour of passion, strength and fertility; orange represents attraction and kindness while yellow is linked to confidence and joy.
Green, often used by financial institutions, represents prosperity along with health while blue, the colour of the ocean, stands for tranquility, devotion and sincerity.
Purple represents power, white- purity and peace and black, strength and success.
Pink is the colour of romance, brown is very grounding while gold is linked to energy, wealth (of course!) intelligence and longevity.
Silver on the other hand is the colour of creativity and inspiration.
So knowing all that, which colours would you choose? Maybe a mixture of them all...