Ongoing Professional Development Did you know that celebrants must attend a 5-hour workshop annually to update their knowledge and continue their registration as Authorised Marriage Celebrants? Before the advances in Marriage Equality, I could call myself a “Civil...
“COVID” weddings don’t sound very romantic, but truly they can be the most romantic of all.ElopementsWhat could be more romantic than running off with your beloved to a secret location?Just the two of you, me and two witnesses.I did a beautiful such ceremony at...
How we celebrate weddings has changed for the foreseeable future. Until the borders re-open to overseas relatives and couples can plan an overseas or even interstate holiday; until you can joyfully dance with whomever you please in celebration, A Ceremony by Design is...
If you’re looking at a function where all the work is done for you, menus and service and dedicated wedding set-up, choose a reception venue where fabulous parties are their thing – somewhere like Dunbar House at Watsons Bay. All the work will be done for you if you...
I’m fortunate to work in the mountains, a wedding destination, and to have seen how special it is for couples from outside the area to celebrate at one of our beautiful retreats for a whole weekend. While the day always has its spontaneity, it helps to plan so that...
When couples think of a Harbourside location for their wedding they often only consider Port Jackson (Bridge and Opera House) – but there are plenty of “suburban” spots with stunning harbour views. Here are 5 I’ve conducted weddings at...
One of the loveliest things about being a teacher is the connection that you make. Concurrent to being a civil marriage celebrant, I was a teacher of languages other than English for 35 years. Sometimes decades later you might bump into students with whom you...
Following the tradition of “Christmas” in July, it makes perfect sense to organise your wedding in the winter months in the mountains. The allure of settled weather, crisp mornings, noondays when the air is frosty but the sun is warm, the invitation of crackling open...
After the heat of summer, March and April are glorious months to be married in the mountains. It is always a busy time of year for the wedding industry, coinciding as it does in Australia with Easter. Yet to be married during Easter is a civil, not a religious wedding...
Susan Artup is a straight woman with a 45-year connection to the gay community and is delighted with the recent change in marriage law. She has been a civil celebrant since 1995 with “ A Ceremony by Design … true to your relationship…”, defining her approach to...
Before it was ever associated with love, February 14th was a feast day held in Roman times to honour various martyred saints called Valentinus, in particular St Valentinus of Rome. This Valentine was imprisoned for his faith in 269 and executed because he wouldn’t...
Driving up the mountains and through the Hawkesbury on my way to conduct a wedding at Allview Escape at Blackheath, I stopped off to deliver some Christmas cheer to three of my most frequented ceremony venues. I am grateful to have been working at these venues for...
