Creating your Dream Wedding Ceremony: A step-by-step guide with Stacey, your Sunshine Coast Celebrant

Hello, lovebirds! I’m simply thrilled to be on this wedding planning journey with you! My heartfelt thank you for choosing me to be your Celebrant!

Planning your wedding ceremony should be one of the most enjoyable parts of your wedding journey, and as your Celebrant with 17 years of experience, I’m here to make it a breeze for you.  

Here’s my step-by-step process to work with you both and create your dream ceremony.

Step 1: Signing the Agreement and securing me for your wedding day

Now that you’ve given me the absolute honour of being your Celebrant and have decided to entrust me with your wedding ceremony, the first step is to sign our electronic contract and pay the confirmation of booking fee.  I will email the contract and invoice to you, so it’s important to check your junk or spam folders, just in case.  This step locks me in for your date and sets the wheels in motion for the exciting journey ahead.

Step 2: The Fun Questionnaire

Next, I’ll email a questionnaire to you to complete together.  This is where the magic begins!  You'll get to share all the wonderful details about your relationship, your personalities, and your vision for a personal, relaxed, and fun ceremony.  Think of it as a mini date where you can relive your love story with me!  Ideally, I would love for you to return your questionnaire to me before we meet again so I can ask additional questions that may arise from your answers.

Step 3: Completing your Notice of intended Marriage Form via Zoom call to suit your busy schedule

I’ll email you a link to my calendar where you can choose your most suitable date and time to meet me on Zoom to sign your Notice of Intended Marriage form and dive into the nitty-gritty details of your ceremony.  Your Notice of Intended Marriage form is due one month prior to your wedding date. I will also need to see your original birth certificates (or current passports), current drivers licences and, if applicable, your original certificates of divorce. This meeting is essential for your marriage legalities and tailoring your ceremony to perfection.

Step 4: Drafting Your Ceremony

After our zoom call, the ball is in my court as I start writing the first draft of your ceremony! I’ll then email it to you both for review.  This is your chance to make any tweaks or changes to ensure it truly reflects your love story.  Let’s aim to finalise your ceremony three weeks before your wedding date, giving you plenty of time to feel confident and excited about your big day (it’s also another tick off the wedding to do list!).

Step 5: Writing your Vows and choosing your Music

To add even more personal touches, I’ll email my comprehensive vow writing guide to you. Within the vow guide, you’ll find examples to get you started. I’ll also advise what you need to do to create your ultimate ceremony playlist. Music sets the tone for your ceremony, and your vows are the heart of your ceremony (and future!), so I’ve done my best to make these two steps as easy as possible for you. The goal is to finalise your vows and have your ceremony playlist downloaded and ready to go two weeks before your wedding day.

Step 6: Finalising Everything

We’ll work together via email to finalise everything two weeks before your wedding. This timeframe is so important. This way, you can sit back, relax, and soak up the anticipation of your big day, knowing everything is perfectly in place. And remember, I’m only an email away if you have any questions!

Contacting Me

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and I’m incredibly honoured to be part of it.  With a fun, relaxed, and personalised approach, I aim to make your ceremony an unforgettable celebration of your journey together, your future vision and of course, your love.  So, let’s get started on creating a magical day you’ll cherish forever!

The best way to reach me is via email between 9am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. However, if you have any urgent questions about your ceremony, feel free to call me on my mobile - 0417 115 572 - as I’m here to support you every step of the way!

Photo Credit: Wall Flower Weddings