Commonly Asked
Questions
Do we need to have lots of meetings?
No. We will meet first to see if we are a good fit for each other to make your day stunningly special. We will then meet to discuss all the components of your ceremony, then another meeting to discuss what I have written and make any changes you want. The last meeting will be just before the wedding day, and I will attend the wedding rehearsal also to co-ordinate the practical bits of the ceremony. At any time you want to ring, email or meet, I am happy to be available for you.
Do you charge for each time we meet?
My fee covers all the meetings, the wedding rehearsal, writing time and the ceremony itself. Travel within Christchurch is not charged, and I am willing to discuss any travel costs that may be incurred from travelling anywhere outside of the Rangiora to Rolleston (or similar travel timeframe) area.
Does your fee cover the cost of the licence and certificate?
The license is applied for through the Department of Internal Affairs website. You can also order the Marriage Certificate to be issued after the ceremony. The cost is $150 for the license and $33 for the Certificate. My fee is separate from the legal papers and is payable to me.
What happens if you suddenly can not make it on the day?
As a Registered Celebrant, it is my responsibility to make sure that someone can take my place if I suddenly can not make it on the day. This would only happen if there was an unavoidable emergency, and I will have a replacement sourced as quickly as possible. Generally, we have good resources and back-ups for any such eventuality.
Are you willing to dress as required?
If you have a Halloween-themed wedding and want me dressed as a pumpkin, then dressed as a pumpkin I shall be. I am happy to discuss your colours, styles, themes, and ideas, and I am willing to dress appropriately for the day. If a specific outfit is required to be purchased or hired, such as a pumpkin suit, an additional fee may be charged. This will be negotiated with you prior to any such expenditure.
Do we have to ask if anyone objects to the marriage?
This is from Medieval times when communication channels were nowhere near what we have today. The wedding had to be announced several weeks in advance, and this gave anyone time to find out about it and then charge down on their horse (ok, taking poetic license here) to stop it going ahead. This was, and still is, only done because someone was legally still married to someone else.
Today, all the legal stuff is tidied away before the wedding, so it is highly unlikely that someone can object on legal grounds. The Civil Celebrant is the only person, aside from the marrying couple, of course, who can decide if the wedding does not go ahead. This will only be if it is established all of a sudden that it can not proceed legally or if the Celebrant is not 100% certain that both parties want to get married to each other.
Another reason a Celebrant can decide not to proceed is if either of the couple is incapable of making a rational decision due to illness, alcohol or drugs.
We want the full wedding event but do not want to be standing in front of everyone for very long. Can we just say it really quickly and get it over with?
The only part that has to happen is what the Registrar of Marriages requires for it to be legal.
​
"I, first name, middle name, last name
take you, first name, middle name, last name
to be my husband/wife."
That's it. Just that. The rest is what I call fluff. But necessary fluff. It's the fluff that makes your ceremony special to you both. The fluff takes you from being engaged to being married.
It is a transition in your life, and your ceremony should reflect that. I want you to feel like you just got married, that you have just started a new aspect of your life, that this is a new and exciting start. Your guests should also feel like they have just witnessed a transition from the old life to a new life. It's the fluff that does this.
It doesn't have to be lots of fluff, and it doesn't have to be fluffy fluff either. If you want no fluff, then we can discuss that too. It is your day and your ceremony. It will be how you want it. It will be created just for you, and it will be unique.
We want the full wedding event but do not want to be standing in front of everyone for very long. Can we just say it really quickly and get it over with?
The only part that has to happen is what the Registrar of Marriages requires for it to be legal.
​
"I, first name, middle name, last name
take you, first name, middle name, last name
to be my husband/wife."
That's it. Just that. The rest is what I call fluff. But necessary fluff. It's the fluff that makes your ceremony special to you both. The fluff takes you from being engaged to being married.
It is a transition in your life, and your ceremony should reflect that. I want you to feel like you just got married, that you have just started a new aspect of your life, that this is a new and exciting start. Your guests should also feel like they have just witnessed a transition from the old life to a new life. It's the fluff that does this.
It doesn't have to be lots of fluff, and it doesn't have to be fluffy fluff either. If you want no fluff, then we can discuss that too. It is your day and your ceremony. It will be how you want it. It will be created just for you, and it will be unique.
Do we have to say 'I do'?
You do not have to say this but it can certainly be added into the ceremony. A nice way to do it is with the exchanging of rings.
