I was appointed by the Attorney Generals Department in September of 2008 to conduct weddings. 
 
I am very committed and dedicated to delivering a unique, personalised and friendly ceremony. I work with my couples every step of the way determining exactly what they want for their ceremony and what inclusions they have in mind. I always take the time to guide my couple's, assisting with wedding vows and ring wordings along with music and reading suggestions.
 
There are some legalities of course that along with my duties as a Marriage Celebrant I will need to take care of. In the first instance, a Notice of Intended Marriage ( NOIM ) needs to be filled out. This can be done 18 months prior to your wedding taking place but no less that one month prior to your day. I supply this form when meeting with couples but it can also be downloaded by clicking on this link. This must be signed in front of your celebrant or other authorised person as stated in the instructions on Pages 1 and 2 of the NOIM. I will also go over with the parties to the marriage,  the Terms and Conditions of you engaging Life's Celebrations by Samantha as your celebrant.
 
An important aspect is to advise my couple's of the complaint's procedure in the unlikely event that an issue arises that cannot be solved between myself and the complainant. This is a legal requirement as per the Code of Practice  that all celebrant's must abide by.
 
As another part of my legal obligation to you, both parties to the marriage will be given a copy of a pamphlet issued by the Attorney Generals Department, Happily Ever, Before and After. I supply the original pamphlet to each of the couple. 
 
Identification of your date and place of birth must be provided to your celebrant prior to you getting married as well as photo identification. A birth certificate is one of the accepted forms of identification. If you were born in NSW and need to obtain your certificate, contact your local Births, Deaths and Marriages office. You can apply by clicking on the application form link here.
An Australian or overseas passport is also acceptable as proof of your birth.  
 
If either party have been previously married, divorce papers also need to be sighted by your celebrant. If you need to obtain your divorce papers, then this may be a good place to start.
Should your partner have passed away, then a death certificate is the document required.
If you need to obtain a death certificate, you can apply here. 
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If either of the parties to the marriage have been born overseas, and the identification or divorce papers are in a language other than English, then a translated certificate must be supplied. For information on getting certificates translated you can visit www.migrationtranslators.com.au. There are other translation services listed on google. 
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I am also a Justice of the Peace should you need any documents certified.
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Upon receipt of your booking fee which secures your date and time, you are supplied with resources that will help with all of the things mentioned above. Wedding vows in particular can be quite scary for a lot of people, but I make it a little easier offering suggestions that you may or may not wish to use. They may just give you some inspiration - something to help you to put together your own vows.
 
There are a lot of inclusions you may wish to consider for your ceremony. Included is a sand unity ceremony as part of my package. You can see some images by clicking here where some photos are showcased . It is a lovely memento as well as a nice way to maybe include a blending of families, as many weddings in this day and age are. It makes everyone feel included.  Other ideas include Candle Unity Ceremonies, Handfasting, Rose Giving ( to one another or to parents ) , Warming of Rings - there are of course many others.
 
For your ceremony, I supply a PA system so that everyone can hear the ceremony, as well as for playing the music that you have chosen. 
 
On your big day you are presented with a marriage certificate that will be signed by both parties to the marriage and two witnesses over the age of 18. You may hear this referred to as a commemorative certificate. Every celebrant or clergy provides you with this on the day. Whilst this is a legal document, you will still need to apply for the marriage certificate as issued by the Births, Deaths and Marriages Office within your state. I often apply for this on behalf of my couples. It is a much easier option as I apply to NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages when I register your marriage online. You can apply for it, but have to supply identification. Should you choose to do this yourself, an application form can be downloaded by clicking on this link. 
 
I am passionate about good service and making your day memorable. Why not get in contact today so we can catch up for a coffee and a chat to discuss one of the most important days in your life!