The Celebrants Network Inc - BLOG

This weeks featured celebrant is Pamela Fynan from Parramatta, NSW.

I live in the heart of Parramatta and grew up here, I went to school at Macarthur Girl’s High School. My Parents came from Millthorpe and Orange and moved to Camden in NSW before settling in Parramatta.

Mainly of a Scottish heritage I am a member of the Mackay Clan and I have relatives in Edinburgh Scotland.

I am Mother to two lovely Daughters and Nana to three beautiful Grandchildren.

I became interested in being a celebrant years ago. As a Justice of The Peace I like serving the Community. I did actually apply in the ‘80’s but there was a cap on the numbers and by the time the Attorney General contacted me years later I had changed direction.

This week featured celebrant is Sonia Collins from Batemans Bay NSW.

My name is Sonia Collins and I am a Civil Celebrant in Batemans Bay, New South Wales.   This is a very popular area for weddings, with couples coming from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, and country towns across NSW and Vic, as well as our local area. The area has great venues for weddings and for receptions and with the natural beauty of the coast and the bush it is not surprising that Batemans Bay is a first choice for many couples especially those with happy memories of time spent here on holidays.I have enjoyed a satisfying career in Human Resource Management and my interest in people led me to undertake the training to become a Marriage Celebrant.

ASK A CELEBRANT BLOG: (www.celebrants.org.au) Customer Satisfaction rankings - Australia’s leading business review website womo.com.au (word of mouth online) has released new research revealing civil celebrants in the nation’s top 10 best  performers for customer satisfaction.

This weeks featured celebrant is Anna Wong from Melbourne VIC.

My name is Anna Wong and I am a mother of 3, a grandmother of 3, a  registered civil celebrant, trained nurse, midwife and childbirth educator.

I was born and brought up in England, trained as a nurse and midwife in London and moved to Singapore in 1980 with my Chinese Singaporean Husband. He was a General Surgeon, I a Nurse, and, in a stereotyped manner, our eyes met over an operating table....... I founded my own health education centre called Birth & Beyond in 1985 and quickly became a leader in the field of childbirth education and parenting. I spent over 24 years educating, supporting, empowering and inspiring women and their partners through pregnancy, birth and beyond in Singapore and Indonesia. 

ASKACELEBRANT BLOG - Are you a bride or groom wondering about whether marriage is really for you? Marriage is a long term commitment. Even in a country where there is divorce, marriage carries thousands of years of expectations and hope that this is a relationship  "for life".

So what questions do you ask yourself to figure out if you are ready to take that BIG step?

Here's an article that uses no religious arguments - yet would be very much at home in many religious faiths - and what's more it is written by a bloke!

Our thanks to Seth Adam Smith for sharing his personal experiences on marriage :

http://sethadamsmith.com/2013/11/02/marriage-isnt-for-you/

This weeks featured celebrant is Jenni Bolton from Melbourne VIC.

My name is Jenni Bolton and I was registered as a Civil Celebrant in September 2005. Since then I have officiated at many weddings,  renewal of vows, namings and funerals.I am a secondary school teacher now working part-time to allow me time to look after my 4 grandchildren with another one on the way.I was attracted to training to become a celebrant because I love working with people to achieve a goal, and I suppose my background in education and theology gave me the confidence and the skills needed to successfully fulfill the role.

ASKACELEBRANT BLOG:
This is a delightful personal story about the value of family and community in ceremonies and an example of the sorts of stories  our couples and  families could write about their wedding and other ceremony preparations.

The me, me, me wedding - By Hannah Seligson

http://www.tennantcreektimes.com.au/story/1771594/the-me-me-me-wedding/

This weeks featured celebrant is Pat Slee now in Brisbane, recently moved from Fraser Coast QLD.

I encountered my first wedding when I was 19 a little while before I was to head off for National Service. I found it a strange mix of traditions and mutterings and took it all in.The next one was my own, after I came back from Nashos and got my head back together, (well 95% anyway.)

What a tangled mess of religious hypocrisy that was. A confused Agnostic marrying a non-active Catholic in a Methodist Church because the Catholics and the Church of England’s would not have either of us… and my fiancee’ wasn’t even pregnant at the time!

This weeks featured celebrant is Lorraine Stokes from Port Stephens NSW.

I am happily married with 2 married children, one granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. I worked in the finance industry for over 30 years and during that time often did public speaking at conferences, seminars and staff nights so was reasonably comfortable standing out the front and speaking to groups of people. I left that industry 12 months ago and also moved from the Blue Mountains to the Port Stephens area so I have really had a sea change. What made me become a Celebrant was my attendance at 2 weddings within 2 months of each other both conducted by Celebrants. The first was beautiful well written and very personal the second one was over in what seemed a flash with no feeling. I felt sorry for the Groom (who was my nephew) and Bride and thought everyone deserves a beautiful wedding day, I had a number of friends and family come up to me after the second wedding and say they felt I would have done a better job of it.

This weeks featured celebrant is Lise Rodgers from Northcote, Melbourne VIC.

It was in 2006 that I first contemplated becoming a civil celebrant. That year it seemed as though every one I knew was either getting married, having children, or losing a loved one. I’d never been to so many weddings in one year and apart from the pleasure of sharing the celebrations, I found myself beginning to compare the occasions.

Why did one ceremony stand out more than another? Did I as a guest enjoy and relate to what I was watching and hearing?

An odd approach you might think, but then my background is as a professional performer. With a couple of stand out exceptions, some of the ceremonies were ok and the rest were uninspiring. The couples concerned were people that I knew well, yet the ceremony seemed to have nothing to do with them - rather they were long winded, full of generalised clichés, poorly delivered and not engaging.

Response by our TCNA Life Celebrant Member Dally M Messenger III to a Recent Letter

Unwedded bliss

Peter Waterhouse repeats an old slur often told by supporters of formal marriage, that de facto relationships just take the form of some sort of ''holding pattern'' until ''something better comes along'' (Letters, 15/8). My partner and I have been in a loving de facto relationship for more than 25 years, producing two wonderful sons on the way. We have never had any intention of either looking for something better or of getting married.

Congratulations to our lovely Lyn Knorr

Lyn achieves 40 years today as civil celebrant having been appointed in Australia on 24th July 1973, the second Civil Marriage Celebrant appointed in Australia and the first  in Victoria.

Celebrants and Celebrations Network Australia - TCN is privileged to have Lyn Knorr as one of our founding TCN Inc Committee members and a TCN Life Member. 

And with some long-timers at the 40 the Anniversary last Friday of the appointment of the first Civil Marriage Celebrant, Lois D'Arcy.

Lyn shared some of her memories of the Early Days at a 2005 celebrant conference. 

We thank her for her faithful service to the Australian public and our civil celebrancy profession and wish her all the very best in the years ahead.

Love Locks are gaining popularity in Australia and as The Age newspaper reported this week, Melbourne’s CBD has been hit with love lock fever, with several locations in the inner city, becoming popular places to “lock your love”. 

Love locks is an ancient custom, believed to have originated in China.  There are many cities around the world adorned with fences and bridges decorated with padlocks, symbolizing everlasting love.

Love locks are also gaining popularity in wedding ceremonies; a symbol of love and commitment between two people with the locking together of specially made “heart shaped” locks.  The key is then thrown away, symbolically locking their love together.

Whilst attaching padlocks to bridges in Melbourne may seem harmless enough, it seems the idea doesn't appeal to everyone and could actually pose a safety issue.

Read the full story in The Age, 16/7/13

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-lock-of-love-secures-romance-20130716-2q14g.html

Photo supplied by: Getty Images

Article supplied by Robbie Fincham, Melbourne Civil Celebrant, www.robbiefincham.com.au

Stonewall UK has confirmed that Queen Elizabeth has granted royal assent to the marriage equality bill, concluding its process and officially making it law. This makes the UK the 16th country to pass marriage equality, and same-sex couples will be able to begin marrying in England and Wales by next summer.

See more:
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/07/17/2313921/marriage-equality-is-officially-law-in-the-united-kingdom/?mobile=nc

How many of us like to be kept waiting?  I've never met anyone who did.

It has become fashionable lately to state on wedding invitations a start time, which is actually considerably different to the actual start time.  On the face of it, it sounds like a good idea; after all, we don't all have good time-keeping skills and if guests have arrived in advance of the ceremony time then they won't miss the ceremony, or will they?  Perhaps they were intending to miss the ceremony anyway and just turn up at the reception?

This weeks featured celebrant is Daphne Cole from Canberra ACT.

I am a Canberra mother of three, married for over 30 years. I love helping couples create a personalised service to celebrate their special wedding day.

I perform weddings, reaffirmation of vows and baby naming ceremonies in locations in and around Canberra and the NSW South Coast. I plan to continue my passion well into the future, operating from the beautiful coastal town of Tomakin.

I enjoy travelling to nearby towns to do ceremonies and think that Canberra and nearby NSW surrounds have some of the most beautiful formal and informal venues to celebrate special occasions.

I love visiting the chapels, gardens, lakes, beaches and home backyards and helping people choose the ceremony that is right for them and their situation.

Earlier this year the Australian Government revoked its ban on issuing same-sex couples with the documents they needed to marry overseas.  Now it's time to revoke the ban on legally recognising these marriages. Fourteen countries currently allow Australians to enter same-sex marriages.

Several, including Japan and Israel, already recognise foreign same-sex marriages even they don't perform such marriages themselves. 

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has introduced a Bill to lift this ban. This is the Australian Parliament's final chance before the election to represent the majority of Australians who support marriage equality and to show the world that Australia has a heart.   

If you wish to sign this petition the link is below.

www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/julia-gillard-and-tony-abbott-allow-australian-same-sex-couples-married-overseas-to-be-recognised-under-australian-law?utm_source=Australian+Marriage+Equality&utm_campaign=ddd64a1c2e-PetitionOSMarriedCouples&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_401f97f215-ddd64a1c2e-99488249

Blog entry supplied by Robbie Fincham, Melbourne Civil Marriage Celebrant
Photograph courtesy Lars Paysen Photography

Later this year I will be marrying a delightful couple who were both born in 1943 which makes them 70 years of age.   This really is wonderful, and testament to the adage that “it’s never too late for love and marriage”.  Marrying later in life is by no means the “norm” in Australia, but makes me wonder if it will become more common, in light of a report released today, 27^th May 2013, by the Australian Institute of Family Studies.  

Essentially the report saysthat there is growing evidence that more couples are delaying divorce until after 20 years of marriage.  This delay may be because they are waiting until their children reach adulthood. 

Therefore, it makes sense that if couples are delaying divorce, then they may also meet and marry a new partner much later in life. 

Like to read the article in full in The Australian today? Click here: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/more-divorcing-after-20-years/story-e6frg6nf-1226650908092

This weeks featured celebrant is Dianne Sherrington from Townsville North Queensland.

I have worked in the meat industry for 30 years the last 10 years was in the training program, as I have a Certificate 4 in Assessment and Workplace Training, I was conducting in a class room of up to 50 people all inductions for the new employees. Teaching new employees skills required for the task they must performed.

I feel this role has given me the opportunity to feel relaxed and confident to stand in front of a large crowd and perform my ceremonies.

From Rebecca Skinner
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia & TCN Inc Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com/‎

'Ethical Wills' are a Jewish tradition and the Hebrew Bible first described them 3,000 years ago (Genesis Ch.49).

Ethical Wills, which are not legal documents, can be either the life story of a person, the lessons they have learnt and wish to pass on or even their dreams and wishes for family members.

This weeks featured celebrant is Wayne Loughrey from Perth Western Australia.

For the last 40 years I have been involved in the Australian agricultural industry, firstly in NSW and Victoria finally settling down 26 years ago in WA with our family in Lesmurdie. My wife Rosemary and I have been married for 38 years this year and we have both travelled to various countries throughout the world and have now just about completed our list of places to travel. I am and have been involved in many community groups such as Rostrum, Apex, Local Bush Fire Brigade, Masonic Lodge, RSL, and previously a member of the management committee of the South of Perth Yacht Club.

Being a  Civil Celebrant means that we are creating Ceremonies of love for  people within the community.  Ceremonies that Recognise and Celebrate the milestones in a person’s life. 

It does not matter whether it is a Marriage ,  Naming,  Commitment, Anniversary, Birthday, Rite of Passage, a Funeral or Memorial, a  Ceremony attached to any  Celebration adds meaning and enables the love to be shared by all who attend.

We Celebrants love what we do;  We love being able to create meaningful and memorable ceremonies for  people;  and in the words of Leo Buscalia, “We don’t love to be loved, we love to love!”  

On the 9^th and 10^th June in Melbourne at the Amora Hotel in Richmond, there will  be the opportunity for Celebrants to join together  to share experiences, to learn, to get to know each other and to celebrate and to share the love. 

It would be wonderful to see lots of Celebrants at the conference.  To find out more about this go to:

http://www.celebrations.org.au/blog/entry/general/invitation-celebrant-conference-not-to-miss

Proudly sponsored by:

Relationships Australia

From Roslyn McFarlane
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Member
The Celebrants Network Inc Vice Chair

http://www.accesscc.com.au/

When you think of a wedding, one normally thinks of the Bride wearing a beautiful white dress, a stunning bridal party dressed in colour co-ordinated clothes, amazing flowers and a wonderful reception at a  fancy wedding venue.   Often the choice of words,  music and vows  will be very predictable.  But it does not have to be that way!

Published by Robbie Fincham, Civil Celebrant based in Melbourne, Vic & Chairperson of TCN Inc.
www.robbiefincham.com.au

The song "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes was the finale music played at Suzi and Evan's Commitment Ceremony, I had the very great privilege of conducting in January 2013.  What a fitting song it was too, as you will understand when you read about this most remarkable love story, which has spanned more than 35 years!!

Most couples marrying in Australia exchange rings during their wedding ceremony.  Another lovely sub-ceremony to include, as a leadup to this time honoured tradition, which is gaining popularity these days, is the Ring Warming Ceremony.  The "warming of the rings" which it's also called is a lovely way to also involve wedding guests.  So what happens during a ring warming?

Looking for something different to  include at your wedding?

What about a Sand Ceremony?

This is a lovely, unifying idea based on the idea of blending the bride and groom's families. Two containers of sand represent the single journeys the bride and groom were once on as well as their own families and friends.

From Rebecca Skinner

The Celebrants Network Incorporated Blog Coordinator
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Celebrant Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com

Hand tying or handfasting adds a lovely new dimension to a wedding ceremony. But what coloured ribbons should you choose?

All colours have their significance. For instance red is the colour of passion, strength and fertility; orange represents attraction and kindness while yellow is linked to confidence and joy.

Green, often used by financial institutions, represents prosperity along with health while blue, the colour of the ocean, stands for tranquility, devotion and sincerity.

Purple represents power, white- purity and peace and black, strength and success.

Pink is the colour of romance, brown is very grounding while gold is linked to energy, wealth (of course!) intelligence and longevity.

Silver on the other hand is the colour of creativity and inspiration.

So knowing all that, which colours would you choose? Maybe a mixture of them all...

“A Loving Heart is the Truest Wisdom ..” Charles Dickens
Free On-Line Memorials in our "In Memory Of" section

Introducing ASKACELEBRANT''s newest section "In Memory Of" on our www.celebrants.org.au website.

Do you have a loved one or friend, or respect a community member for whom you would like to make a tribute for their life?

Every day there are short poppies that stand tall in the lives of families and communities who never receive a public acknowledge in the "Obits" of even the local papers. ASKACELEBRANT wants to hear some of their stories.

Rona Goold
Coordinator Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia
Civil Marriage and Family Celebrant

Last year our family had a tragic loss when one of my husband's nephews died while snorkeling. He was 26.

His life just opening up to all the wonder of life's creation and opportunities. "Life cut short too soon, wise, soft . . ."#

It was a bitter, bittersweet time to review his life. Seeing Sam as baby, a toddler, child, teenager and young man brought back the memories hidden in the mind and heart.

His ceremony strengthened resolve to treasure all our loved ones, with awareness that life is short. To honour all those who give a part of who they are, to become a part of who we are. To be present to pain and loss. To support those who grieve beyond ending. To be present to the love within us and around us. And yet to face a new dawn with courage and hope for one more day of life's journey, knowing our turn comes inevitably to join the mystery of death.

Civil ceremonies tap deep into the human need to honour life, to share our stories, our pain, our truth and  hope. They may or may not acknowledge the specific religious beliefs of some present, but they all aim to treasure life.

Easter time can be for everyone a time to mourn and treasure the past, reflect upon presence and the present, and renew hope for the next moment.

May this Easter bring peace of mind and heart to all - with a touch of delight in the shape of an egg!

# Words texta-d on Sam's coffin.

This weeks featured celebrant is Barry Blundell from Tumut, Riverina and Snowy Moutains Area.

After completing high school at Tumut NSW; I moved to Sydney where I commenced a long career with the Post Master General’s Department (later to become Telstra). I returned to my home town ten years later, as an employee of Telstra in a customer service representative role. I have become more familiar with my local area and nearby regions of New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.

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Post by Meg L’Estrange
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Member
Melbourne Victoria
http://meglestrange.com.au

Can a funeral be fun? 

You bet! 

For some families this is the best way to honour the person they have lost.

Bo:  Bo was a larger than life personality and stories of his antics abounded.

From ASKACELEBRANT: www.askacelebrant.org.au
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Many thanks to Helen for providing her profile.

Wollongong Helen Rice Authorised Civil Celebrant - Appointed February 2009

I’ve worked in libraries for many years so have a love of books and literature. Married with 2 daughters (grown up). I have seen relationships flourish and then fall apart, both marital and familial relationships. Like most others I have many life experiences.

 

This weeks featured celebrant is Sheryl Massey from the Gold Coast.

My name is Sheryl Massey and I reside on the southern Gold Coast, just below the Qld. border in Banora Point NSW.Originally from Melbourne, although I was raised in Maffra, Gippsland in Victoria. My partner & I moved up to the Gold Coast 20 years ago and we just love it here, and wouldn’t live anywhere else. There are so many beautiful locations for a special ceremony, beaches, parks, gardens, resorts, the hinterland, rainforests etc.I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of two granddaughters and three grandsons, they all live in south Queensland, we are a very close family.I have worked in many areas over my working years, hairdressing, cosmetics retail & promotion, secretarial, medical administration.

This weeks featured celebrant is Meg L'Estrange from Eltham Victoria.

I am Meg L'Estrange, a celebrant for all occasions, a former teacher and school counsellor, and a family woman with three adult sons.

While I was teaching I experienced the death of my mother. When my dad had died two years earlier, she was so distressed by the funeral he was given, which was totally inappropriate for him, that she said, 'Let no man of the cloth come near me when I die!'

Post by Rona Goold
TCNA Coordinator
www.celebrants.org.au

Whether you received a special message today or not, isn't it great to have a day to acknowledge the value of love and friendship in our lives?

My husband and I will be married 20 years this year, so he did need the prompting of the local radio talk show to remind him that today is a special day :-)

There are many things to consider when choosing a Celebrant for your special celebration ...

Some people go on first impressions or “gut feelings”. Others choose on price – the least or most expensive. Yet others look for value for money.

Each of these on its own is rather limited when you consider the celebration can never be repeated!  So, what should you look for ?

From Rebecca Skinner

The Celebrants Network Incorporated Blog Coordinator
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Celebrant Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com

From every wound there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. And it's not just a story about pain and suffering, it's also a story about survival, the learning process, and seeing the silver linings.

We often treat troubles as real negatives. They come into all our lives with no notice and we don't want to have to deal with them. But the reality is, troubles can often open the door to many positives.

From Rebecca Skinner

The Celebrants Network Incorporated Blog Coordinator
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Celebrant Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com

Why do we wait until birthdays, Christmas or New Year's Eve to celebrate? I believe life is too short not to celebrate EVERY moment we can.

Without making the effort to mark a particular moment, life passes us by far too quickly and achievements and blessings can so easily get missed along the way...