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Your wedding ceremony can become the blueprint for the life you intend to live when you are married…………In choosing to create your own ceremony, you have indicated from the very start that you are willing to explore the possibilities of creating a tailor-made, unique masterpiece with the person you love. ~Daphne Rose Kingma
According to Australian law, all weddings solemnised by an authorised celebrant must fulfil all legal requirements of the Marriage Act (1961) and so must incorporate the following:
The celebrant identify himself or herself as the presiding authority: "My name is…and I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law." and must recite these words (commonly known as the Monitum.): "Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter."
"Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life." The couple’s full names must be stated at some point in the proceedings, and, in the presence of the authorised celebrant and two witnesses, (who must be over the age of eighteen), they must exchange the following vows:
"I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband.)"
(The Marriage Act, 1961, Sections 45 and 46) These are the only requirements for wording to ensure a legally valid marriage. There isn’t even an ‘I do’ or an exchange of rings! A wedding could be over in a couple of minutes, but of course you will want to make your wedding ceremony your own, and much more special. You can do this in any way you wish, as long as those required words are included. Most weddings will follow more or less a loose structure or framework, but it is infinitely variable and adaptable. You might want to incorporate words reflecting your feelings for each other, and enlarging on the commitment you are making and your hopes and dreams for your future life together. You may include readings of poetry or prose, and you might like to accompany the proceedings with music and singing. Will the bride’s Dad ‘give her away’? Would you like to exchange rings? There are also other beautiful rituals and symbols to express the depth of your commitment to one another – handfastings, ring warmings, lighting of candles and so on and on. You may wish to incorporate rituals which reflect your culture, and religious elements can be included where appropriate. You might also like to include or acknowledge children, or even a cherished pet in your ceremony. So where to begin? Of course, you may know exactly what you want, and feel confident about composing your ceremony entirely on your own, and you are free to do just that. But most couples are a bit bamboozled by all this information, and don’t quite know where to start. And that’s where I come in! I can inform, guide and assist you at every step, just as much as you need. I give each couple my wonderful information kit full of ideas and inspirations for every step of the way, plus lots of samples of real ceremonies so you can see how it all comes together. All my couples love this manual, and find it extremely useful in helping them formulate ideas for their ceremonies. You can cut and paste (literally if you like – it’s yours to keep), mix and match, add your own ideas, and gradually, your ceremony will evolve into the beautiful and meaningful words that are just right for you. And it’s not homework – but lots of fun, and a unique and rich opportunity for sharing all your thoughts and ideas about how you will declare your love.
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