There are so many very good reasons to tell or record your life story, and a great way to express this is in a photo book. A beautiful book that tells the story of your life in words and photos. Written by Celebrant, Leslie Ridgeway from Ocean Grove, Victoria
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More Blog posts can be found in the Blog Categories to the right.
More Blog posts can be found in the Blog Categories to the right.
Jun
29
Jun
02
Are you getting married in Australia? Do you or your partner have limited English language skills? Are you or your partner hearing impaired? What about the two people you've chosen to be your official witnesses? Perhaps you have guests coming to your ceremony who don't understand English or are hearing impaired? There are a number of reasons why you might need to engage an interpreter or a translator when you are getting married....
May
25
The 16th of May was Global Access Awareness Day – the focus of this day is for the technology experts to think about how to ensure that the digital world is inclusive and accessible to all... Today, Celebrant Melanie Lawson is taking us through what we as celebrants can do to be more inclusive.
May
19
When you get married in Australia the law is that you must give notice in writing by way of lodging a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form with your celebrant/registry office/clergy at least one (1) month prior to your ceremony date. You can lodge your NOIM up to 18 months beforehand... but why the one month wait? Celebrant Shell Brown takes us through the ins and outs of a Shortening of Time.
May
12
I just got engaged.... what do I do now? This is a common question asked by many a couple getting married for the first time, and in fact, it is still asked by people on their second and third time around. Getting married is not an everyday occurrence, so it's not a natural thing where people simply 'know' what to do. Celebrant Shell Brown walks us through the process...
Nov
08
The 11th of November is coming up this Friday which is Remembrance Day. The day we pay our respects to those soldiers who died in the First World War.
May
05
Mothers Day is approaching, and with it, a flurry of hand written cards, hasty trips to the shops by dads, husbands, sons, daughters and partners, a myriad of school and pre school stalls, the busying of florists, jewellers, beauticians, and the stacking of installations of cards in post offices, shops, corner stores, and petrol stations. These are the Mother's Day Musings of The Celebrant's Network's guest blogger Lisa Philipsen....
Apr
27
Are you one of those people who can never remember what you're meant to buy your partner or your wife or your husband or your spouse for your anniversary each year? Is it paper? Is it wood? Which year do I give roses? Here's a handy guide for you..... you're welcome!
Jan
09
On the 9th December 2017 the Australian Government changed the marriage laws to allow same sex couples to legally marry. This has been a long time coming for the LGBTQI community, their families, friends and supporters and it's finally here. After waiting the required month after lodging the Notice of Intended Marriage form, those couples can, as of the 9th of January 2018, marry the person they love, regardless of their gender.
Nov
04
We've come a long way since filling out forms with old fashioned paper and pen. There are new rules, new technologies and a new way of doing things. Celebrant Shell Brown takes us through what we, as celebrants, can and can not do electronically.
Apr
19
If you think about it, there is always an element of formality to most events. When you think of formal events you think weddings, funerals and naming days, but there are many events in our lives where we can add ceremony. Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA shares some ideas as how to add a bit of ceremony to your celebration.
Apr
13
When we're faced with inevitable life transitions, such as death, we look to tradition to guide us through the difficult time and help us mourn our loved ones...
Apr
06
When you meet with your celebrant before your marriage ceremony, they will hand you a brochure called "Happily Ever Before and After" which gives you information about what happens after you're married and also includes information about relationship counselling and marriage education. Have you considered seeking relationship assistance? If so, great.... if not, why not? Today's blog has been written by Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA.
Mar
24
Australian people come from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds – 270 ancestries to give some idea. Canberra Celebrant Susanna Jose shares what we can do to promote and model cultural diversity...
Mar
21
Mar
10
When you have a pet, a fur baby, or a four legged best buddy, they become a very important part of your life, so why wouldn't you include them into your life celebrations? Celebrant Shell Brown talks to us about including your pet in your marriage ceremony.
Feb
24
At this time of year we enjoy watching the news reports from the world famous Sydney Mardi Gras festivities particularly the Fair Day and the Parade as well as scenes from other Pride Events across the country. Celebrant Sonia Collins reminds us that marriage equality did not end the struggles for the LGTBIQA+ community.
Feb
17
Turning 21 and celebrating your 21st is seen as the big celebration and the year that you become an adult, but turning 18 is actually more of a big deal - especially here in Australia. It not only marks your transition into adulthood, but there are quite a few responsibilities that go along with it.
Feb
11
Have you ever wondered about the legend of St Valentine's Day? February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and in particular, the 14th - St Valentine’s Day, but who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this special day? Celebrant Shell Brown tells us the story...
Feb
01
The 1st of February marks another Lunar New Year and it's many festivities - 2022, the Year of the Tiger. Mike Perry gives us an insight in to what Chinese New Year is al about...
Jan
26
The Australia Day public holiday falls at the end of our busy holiday season. As we think about getting back into the swing of work, school and the year ahead it is also a good day to reflect on how Australia Day means different things to different people, In today’s blog celebrant Sonia Collins looks at some of the issues surrounding our national day.
Jan
12
Christmas can be a time for family togetherness, happiness and love. Combined with good cheer and optimism about the year ahead, the festive season can prompt many loved-up couples to get engaged. If this is you, congratulations! Celebrant Melanie Lawson takes us through what to do next...
Jan
06
Every year people around the world make New Year’s resolutions. They might want to eat better, quit drinking and do more exercise. While many people are successful at keeping their resolutions, according to studies - 46%, others are destined to fail citing a number of reasons... one being that they made too many. Here are few tips on how to make successful choices in your resolutions.
Dec
23
This time of year can bring about some awkward family dynamics... today Celebrant Susanna Jose shares some stories and tips about dealing with estraged family around your marriage ceremony.
Dec
16
The feelings that we experience when a loved one dies are never easy to deal with, but they can be even more difficult during the significant dates in your life and the holidays. Celebrant Roslyn McFarlane walks us through dealing with grief at this time of the year...
Dec
09
5 years ago today Australia spoke out loud and proud about their want for Marriage Equality. Celebrant, Leslie Ridgeway takes us through some stats since that historical day...
Dec
02
Each year, December 3 marks the International Day of People with Disability. This day aims to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability. Celebrant Melanie Lawson spoke with her friend, Carolyn about how we, as celebrants, can be more inclusive in our work.
Nov
11
It is very easy to get overwhelmed during your wedding planning, so the first thing you need to decide is are you having a wedding or are you gettng married? Celebrant Melanie Lawson from Oberon, NSW explains why your wedding isn't a competition.
Jan
27
When a baby is born, when somebody dies, ANZAC Day, and most Saturdays at 3pm there are ceremonies taking place all over Australia... Celebrant, Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA takes us through the importance of ceremony in our communities.
Nov
29
May
29
Remember back to when marriage equality was introduced, one of the stereotyped expectations within the general community was that everyone in the LGBTIQ+ community would rush out and have a big gay wedding. Celebrant Bronte Price shares with us why this didn't happen...
Oct
07
Planning a wedding can be an exciting time, but before you dive in, there are some important legal requirements that you should be aware of before you set about making your love legal.
Sep
30
Thinking about getting married at sea? Today, on World Maritime Day, Celebrant Shell Brown from Geraldton, WA guides you through the ebbs and flows of doing so…
Sep
21
Should you write your own wedding vows? For so many couples, this is not an easy question to answer... but never fear, Celebrant Melissa Jones from Goulburn, NSW is helping us to navigate through.
Sep
16
The human and animal relationship has existed for millennia and the way they have been regarded has varied greatly between cultures over time. The ancient Egyptians and some Asian religions regard some animals as Gods, while in other societies they were simply food or beast of burden.
The keeping of animals as pets has been practiced for thousands of years. In today’s society we celebrate our animals in many different ways... Celebrant Ros McFarlane is talking to us today about pet ceremones...
Sep
02
Well... Congratulations! You have just got engaged, you might be wearing shiny new rings, and you have a wedding to plan. Celebrant Leslie Ridgeway is going to take you through the basics of getting married.
Aug
24
When the time comes that you need to engage a Funeral Celebrant, you may not be in the mindset to think of all the questions you'd like to ask... in this blog Celebrant Melanie Lawson has tried to make that as easy as possible for you...
Aug
12
The Celebrants Network is a not-for-profit association for professional civil celebrants with a focus on promoting our celebrant members and also a range of ceremonies and celebrations to the public.
Our members are marriage celebrants, religious celebrants, memorial and funeral celebrants, family and naming celebrants, student celebrants and celebrants for all occasions.
In this post, Celebrant Susie Roberts takes us through 11 of the reasons why you should join us...
Jul
22
Not sure how to navigate choosing music for a funeral or memorial? Celebrant Leslie Ridgeway has got you covered...
Jun
17
Who's up for an adventure? In today's blog Celebrant Melanie Lawson takes us through a rollercoaster of adventurous ideas for your ceremony...