"Your wedding day".

Since you are making a full, lifetime commitment to each other, your wedding day is a significant occasion.
Therefore, all the arrangements you make need to contribute to the success of the day's celebrations.
The venue, reception location, flowers, transport, photographer and, of course, your celebrant are all very important elements of your arrangements.
Careful consideration should be given to each of these matters.
When you have selected your wedding date, time and location you need to contact me (the Celebrant) to confirm that I am available to conduct your ceremony.
If you leave this too late then some changes to date, time and place may be necessary to some degree.
As your Celebrant I will attend to all the legal paperwork and advise and assist you in the selection of your ceremony and, most important, will attend and solemnise your marriage.

The ceremony that you select should firstly meet all legal requirements and should also reflect your affection and feelings on the day.
It should be something very special to you both. As a Civil Celebrant I am able to offer quite flexible options for your ceremony which can be a very moving and special event for you.
The ceremony can include readings and poems if you wish and these can be read by family members or friends 
The vows do not need to be memorised as you will usually repeat them in meaningful and manageable phrases after me. Similarly with the fitting of the ring or rings.
The giving away of the Bride, although an old tradition, is optional. If it is included it would involve either or both parents or other member of your family or a friend.

I like to recommend that music be included in the ceremony for when the Bride enters and walks to where the Groom is waiting for her, when the register is being signed and immediately after the closing of the ceremony. Music while the ceremony is being conducted is not recommended.
Nowadays it is not customary for the Bride to be late for her wedding. However, sometimes events occur that cannot be avoided and may cause a late arrival. Punctual arrival at your wedding should be seriously aimed for out of courtesy and consideration for your guests.

The signing of the register is done on a small table conveniently located near where the Bridal Party stand for the ceremony. The placing of two chairs behind the table allows for more convenient signing of the register by the Bride, Groom and the witnesses.
During the signing of the register the Bride's bouquet is usually placed on the table.
If you wish to have flowers in a vase or bowl on the table DO NOT have water in the vase or bowl.
Two witnesses are required to also sign the papers. They must be at least 18 years of age and can be anyone that the Bride and Groom may wish to select. The witnesses must have been present throughout the ceremony.

What you need to know to start the process of becoming Husband and Wife

Firstly, having selected your intended Partner, you will need to contact a Civil Marriage Celebrant of your choice to arrange a mutually suitable date, time and place for your ceremony.

You will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form which you can obtain from the Celebrant or it can be downloaded from the Attorney-General's web site at www.ag.gov.au/celebrants and follow the link to Notice of Intended Marriage.

This form, when completed, must be lodged with the Celebrant no earlier than eighteen months or later than one month and one day prior to the date of your intended marriage together with certain documents of proof of indentity.

Your Celebrant will explain what is required in this regard.