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Your Ceremony

Breaths are held, eyes brim, tissues are at the ready… it’s the moment they’ve been waiting for. And if it makes your guests’ hearts beat a little faster, just wait until you feel what saying “I do” does to your own.

This is what gives the rest of your celebrations meaning and the strength of your emotions may take you by surprise. You are saying “I love you” in the most profound way and it’s a moment that is both sacred and moving.

When the bride arrives at the ceremony location, the ushers should ensure that everyone is seated. Traditionally, as the bride faces the front of the church or area in which the ceremony is taking place, the bride’s family sits to the left and the groom’s to the right. Parents are seated in the first row, grandparents in the second, and relatives in the third, followed by special guests and then friends.

The wording you use in your ceremony is completely up to you. However, certain elements are required under Australian law. First, your celebrant must introduce themselves. Then, before your vows, your celebrant is legally required to remind you of the binding nature of the marriage relationship. When you say your vows, you must include words to the effect that you are taking each other to be husband and wife. Then comes the exchange of rings, followed by your first kiss as a married couple.

You and your witnesses then sign the necessary documents, before your celebrant hands you the marriage certificate and introduces you to your guests as husband and wife. Then it’s time for you to walk back down the ‘aisle’, taking the opportunity to greet both sets of parents and other close relatives along the way.

Find out how to deal with emergencies on the day