CIVIL MARRIAGE CELEBRANT
NORTH QUEENSLAND : CAIRNS : PORT DOUGLAS : ATHERTON TABLELANDS
CEREMONIES:
Mobile: 0419 799 637
kayearl@cairnsweddings.com.au
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I am a celebrant based in Cairns, North Queensland, but I also work frequently in beautiful Port Douglas and on the Atherton Tableland. There are just SO many places to choose from – beaches close to Cairns, Parklands, Resorts, Rainforest beside creeks, private B&B’s for elopements on the coast or on the Tablelands and private Chapels such as St. Mary’s in Port Douglas.
Whether you are a local couple (great, we can meet up soon!) or whether you are coming from interstate, other parts of Queensland or Australia, or even coming from overseas, I welcome the opportunity to assist you plan your marriage in the Cairns, Port Douglas or Atherton Tableland areas. Do look at my Testimonials for couples’ comments about how I can help, whether you live locally, elsewhere in Australia or Overseas
One of the concerns I have found from couples is “I live in (far-off area) so is it possible to do all the paperwork and planning for my wedding via email?”
Electronics make all communications simple to arrange what is necessary for your ceremony, no matter where you live.
I am conversant in all aspects of the legalities of marriage in Australia, (see my LEGALITIES page),
so feel confident that the information I give you is up to date.
(And importantly…... I make a point of answering my emails immediately if possible, or if not, as soon as I can – within 12-24 hours).
I am committed to making your ceremony one that will reflect your interests, your values and vision, and your personalities.
I am friendly, attentive, organized and professional. To me it is important that you have chosen a celebrant who is in tune with you, and your guests.
I speak almost as much to them as I do to you, because I regard your guests’ presence as an integral part of your celebration.
I was appointed in 1995, and until June 2016, have been the mentor (and still am) for the many of the new NQ Celebrants,
as well as having been the NQ delegate on the Federal board of Celebrant Stakeholders and the liaison person between the Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages Dept.,
and the celebrants of NQ.
I am a full-time celebrant, and I do go out of my way to help you with whatever plans you are thinking about or have already made.
I have been most fortunate to have been invited to officiate at weddings in the Blue Mountains of NSW, (“Withycombe” at Mt. Wilson), Sydney, Brisbane and
even the beautiful Fraser Island. I just love my work as a celebrant and have formed strong friendships with many of my couples.
Do look at my 'ABOUT KAY' page to give you a little indication of my personality and interests as well – even about my love of bushwalking, writing local history, travel, natural beauty, the desert and rainforests - to make sure we are suited! The rapport we create from the start is vital to ensuring a happy and involved ceremony.
It is important also, that your celebrant is a person you can relax and enjoy a laugh with. But just as important is to know that you are in good, and well-experienced hands. By the time of your wedding day, all the legal documentation will have been taken care of, you would have received and made your ceremony choices and sent them back to me 4-6 weeks before your wedding, so that I can have your ceremony almost finished by the time of our last meeting, and all the finer details (wishes and instructions) would have been noted and acted upon.
One of my ‘key’ factors is that I ask that you to either write me a few lines about yourselves, or complete the 'About Us' form I give you, just so that I can write a ceremony that will be absolutely relevant to you. No two ceremonies are the same. You will also have a wide range of Vows, Ring words and Readings to choose from, and you can choose any of mine, change them around, or be inspired to write your own.
If we have already met in the weeks/months before, I would have picked up on many aspects of your story and the journey you have already taken. For instance if you already have a family, or been together for quite some time this is an important aspect. So rest assured that by the day of your wedding, all these points will have been accounted for and will have helped me to write that personalized ceremony.
There will be no unexpected ‘surprises’ at the ceremony, and everything will run smoothly because we have both worked together to make your day as memorable as possible. But of course, if there is a little hitch (perhaps the little flower girl has had second thoughts!) then these will just make the day, not spoil it. Light-hearted moments always add to the occasion, so don’t be afraid to have a laugh or two. Over the years too, I have helped couples from ethnic and indigenous backgrounds to celebrate their marriages according to their own rituals and beliefs.
Aside from the photos on this website, you will find that in your wedding photos, you will very rarely find me in them. I am very conscious of not ‘imposing’ myself into your special moments. My ceremonies are always relaxed and happy occasions for everyone. Do read my TESTIMONIAL PAGE as I’m sure my couple’s comments will help you.
(See my Testimonial page for overseas couple’s comments on how I have helped).
I have a special interest in helping couples visiting Australia from afar as I am conversant in the aspects associated with registering your marriage once you are back home in your country of origin.Not all countries require their couples who have been married overseas to re-register their marriage – the couple only need to evidence their Official Certificate of Marriage as registered with the Australian authorities. But some countries do require you to register your marriage once you arrive back to your home country.
So before you leave on your trip, do contact your nearest Births, Deaths and Marriages registry (this is what it is called in Australia) and check with your Gov., as to whether you do need to re-register once you return home. Countries such as New Zealand, the UK, USA, do not require a re-register, but most of the European nations do. Once I know your requirements I can help you obtain the Certificate and advise on the next step.
As I am registered to do Online Marriage Registrations, I can certainly make any steps much easier for you – at no extra cost– only the Australian Gov. fee which is pretty minimal.
Firstly, once you have looked over the website and feel comfortable with what you have read you can then contact me to see if I am available at kayearl@cairnsweddings.com.au or you can give me a call on 0419 799 637. I am also on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CairnsWeddings/
You would need to read carefully the LEGALTIES page of this website.
If you are a Local resident, we will arrange a meeting and take care of the initial documentation including the signing of the NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE.
If you are from outside of Cairns, once the booking is confirmed, I will send you a rather long email outlining all the steps and give you the link to download the NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE (NOIM), plus some other helpful information. This NOIM is to be completed and then witnessed by the correct authorities, (in your area) and scanned back to me with all the relevant supporting documents (See Legalities Page on this Website). Once I have checked and officially lodged your proposed marriage document (NOIM), I will then send you your Ceremony choices, About Us sheet, and a Ceremony Detail Sheet which is ‘my picture’ for the day – whether you have 6 or 60 guests.
If you are a local couple, we can arrange a meeting at a place and time convenient for us both – either of our homes or coffee in the city perhaps.
If you are coming from outside of Cairns and arriving by plane, I quite often arrange to be there waiting for you at the Airport Terminal – nice to be greeted by a familiar face.
All the Ceremony choices would have been sent back to me well before then, over the weeks or months before, and by email or phone, we would have sorted out all the plans for the day, you would have received Guides to help, and there will only be original documents to sight of everything you had scanned, and the Declaration to sign that is your legal Statement that there are no legal reasons why you cannot marry.
North Queensland is a safe destination with so many options and so much to see. If staying at a B&B or Private Holiday home, do make sure that you check that the host is fine with holding your wedding on their premises. Most are!
There are –I realise this is an important part of your planning and budgeting, but it is important for you to be aware that my fee is fair and based upon the fact that I spend approximately 10-12 hours per wedding and I do go ‘the extra mile’ in helping you. I cannot give you here an estimate because every wedding is different. There may also be a minimal additional fee for travelling outside the Cairns area. I do not keep a deposit because in 24 years, I have never kept one in the sad case of a cancellation. But I do give you an Invoice and Service Agreement at the start, which is your guarantee that your wedding is booked with me. And whether your ceremony is very small and simple, or more formal and involved, the amount of paperwork is still the same. As with everything, a ‘cheaper’ fee may not be the ‘quality’ fee.
If you are budget conscious, or just wish to arrange things yourself, I don’t mind helping you with suggestions of suppliers, but I leave it to you to make the contacts. I do have a sheet that I am happy to send after Confirmation that will help you with low-budget ideas.
So if after reading all of this, I do hope that it has answered most of your questions and concerns, and I really do look forward to hearing from you. Email or Mobile phone is generally best.
