When Alyssa and Gio first contacted me, they had an unusual request. They wanted their good friends Jo and Sam to perform their ceremony, but needed a registered celebrant to cover the mandatory legal requirements. We chatted a bit about how this would work and came up with a plan. We would use my normal process – couple meetings and questionnaire – and I would write the ceremony. I would then send the ceremony to Jo and Sam for their input and for them to decide who was going to speak which parts (with me stepping in for the formalities).
It worked better than expected. Alyssa and Gio trusted me, Jo and Sam and agreed to keep their ceremony as a surprise for the day so they had a really genuine first reaction to the words that were said.
Jo and Sam were amazing! It was so special to see them deliver the ceremony for their friends.
It was also a lot of fun. I got to sit back and enjoy the ceremony like a guest.
Another fun twist that I’m seeing more and more of lately (thank you marriage equality for shaking things up!) is that Gio chose his two sisters to be his Groomswomen. Yes to that!!
There really aren’t many rules when it comes to your marriage ceremony. As long as you cover the legal requirements with your celebrant (either the way we did it with Alyssa and Giovanni or by doing the legals earlier or another day) you can really do whatever you want.
So if you have an idea, don’t be afraid to ask your celebrant. Chances are, they will have a wealth of experience to share with you and together you can collaborate to create a truly unique ceremony.
If you’re keen for a friend or family member to co-pilot for your ceremony, get in touch.
Location: Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
Photography: Siempre Weddings
Videography: c2films
Florals & Styling: The Marmalade Sky
Hair: Natalie Anne Hair
Alyssa: Personalised Weddings Couture
Giovanni: Oscar Hunt Tailors
Wedding Party: White Runway + Sassy Boutique