Sarah Woods

To get married in Australia you will need the following:Notice of Intended Marriage(NOIM) Original Birth Certificates or Current International PassportPhoto ID e.g., Current driver’s license or Proof of Age cardOriginal Decree Absolute /Certificate of Divorce (if you have been married before & divorced)Death Certificate of previous spouse (if you have been widowed)Proof of Name Change (if you have legally changed your name)I am legally required to sight all originals prior to the wedding ceremony, so you will need to bring your originals with you, however in order to ensure all the information is correct on the NOIM I also require you to send copies of these documents when you lodge your NOIM (you can also scan these to me).

All your documents must be in English or you must supply NAATI accredited translations if they are in another language.

Yes you do! You can jump on to the Douglas Shire or Cairns Regional Council website and book these yourself. Let me know and I can also help you out.

Absolutely! I believe it’s really important for couples to see and proof their ceremony before the special day for a number of reasons:– You know exactly what to expect on the day. You know how the ceremony flows, allowing you to relax and connect with each other.– You have the opportunity to make any changes you wish so the ceremony really reflects you as a couple.– There will be no unwanted or awkward ‘surprises’ on the dayI like to have a draft of your ceremony for your review at least a month prior to your wedding ceremony, this will allow you plenty of time of personalise it further and add your own ideas to make your ceremony uniquely you! As a wedding celebrant I am well aware that on the weeks and days leading up to your wedding, couples are typically flat out, getting all the little details finalised so you don’t need me also looking over your shoulder.

Lots of my friends are celebrants, so I have an amazing network that will rally to ensure that your wedding ceremony goes ahead.

As I have sighted your original IDs and registered your marriage with BDM QLD, I am also authorised to submit an online request with Births, Deaths and MarriagesQLD for an Official Marriage Certificate. BDM QLD then text/email you direct for payment and the Marriage Certificate is posted out to your nominated address. Then when you return from your honeymoon and have your hot off the press official marriage certificate ready and waiting for you to commence the change of name process.

Personally written vows are such a lovely way to incorporate your personalities into your wedding ceremony. I provide you with wedding vow examples, inspiration and how to guide on writing your own wedding vows.I am also more than happy to proofread them, print them for you and bring them on the day in beautiful VOW books ( saves you reading them from your phone or from some flimsy paper you grabbed in your hotel room).

One of the most common pet peeves that you hear from guests is that they couldn’t hear the ceremony, so a good quality PA System is vital. I have a professional PA system with cordless microphones so everyone can hear your ceremony and it means that you won’t have to yell your vows which is the last thing you want in such an intimate and personal moment.You can use my PA for your ceremony music free of charge, you provide the music to me and nominate a guest or your wedding co-ordinator to press play/pause (that way I can concentrate of getting the two of you married).If you are eloping, the last thing you want is a big PA system so I also have a smaller Portable Speaker that you can use.

Yes, I do. I am based in Port Douglas but will travel for weddings and elopements to Palm Cove, Cairns, The Daintree, The Tablelands, and surrounding Islands off the Barrier Reef and Cays.

Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance

The simple answer is NO. Just like getting married is about choice and preference, so is what you include in your ceremony.This is where I come in and work with you to craft the ceremony that is about you and the celebration of your love and whatever that means to you.