This has been a dream of mine ever since I entered the wedding industry as a celebrant. I’ve always been a creative person, loved writing, and with an extensive background in health and wellbeing, I’ve always had quite a lot to say!

Why Another Wedding Magazine?

One of the things I’ve noticed about the wonderful world of weddings is that there’s a lot of focus on aesthetics. I get it. For many people, they’ve spent their whole life dreaming of this day and have picture-perfect images in their minds. But as someone who is not particularly traditional, who believes in the power of moments, not things, and wants to leave the world a better place, I can’t help thinking there is so much more that can be aspired to in a wedding.

So, this magazine aims to fill the large gap in existing wedding information and create new ideas and visions for couples who want to break away from traditional norms and incorporate their values and passions into their weddings. As a celebrant and an MC, I’ll be creating content that covers the whole wedding experience for couples, and explores ways to weave unique touches throughout the day that reflect who you are, and possibly what you stand for.  These tweaks don’t have to be overwhelming, and can create something so unforgettable that they leave you and your guests feeling like it has been “totally you” and “the best day ever.”  Can you already sense my excitement?

Published monthly, the online articles should become a familiar treasure trove of information under a variety of topics. In this month’s edition, there are articles related to aligning your wedding with your values in the areas of sustainability, cultural inclusions, and the power of change. 

The magazine also aims to inspire couples to create ceremonies that are truly unique in the way they reflect a couple’s personalities and passions (or should we say obsessions!). There are articles on destination weddings, including the ever-popular Bali weddings, themed weddings (as well as highlighting a Harry Potter-themed wedding I did recently), and a special cornerstone article this month on how to create “a wedding like no other.”

Each month, I hope to introduce a variety of wedding suppliers who also want their values to shine, as they share more about themselves and what’s important to them. And this month, one of them, Jake Daulby, has an amazing fundraising event on Feb 4 that you might be interested in – so make that your first stop so you don’t miss out.  Perhaps we’ll meet at the Woolshed?

Since getting married isn’t something you do every day, or even more than once or twice in a lifetime, I know that the planning process can be confusing. So there will always be an area devoted to Q&A – which I fondly call “what, why, where, when” – (or some combination of this) which aims to answer all the questions about weddings that you never knew you had.

As a team of one at this stage, there is so much more to share. Slated on my editorial board are future articles planned in the categories I’ve already mentioned, along with human connectivity, the personal touch, giving back to the community, wedding inspo “bytes”, and other types of unforgettable events. And for wedding vendors – there’s even a section just for you, for that little touch of inspiration.

You’ll find everything arranged by category to make it easy to jump to what’s important to you, but no need for an index in an online magazine, just keep scrolling!

In the future, I’d love to collaborate with others, invite readers, vendors, and experts to contribute their stories, advice, and ideas. If you have ideas of what you would like to see in this magazine or questions you would like answered, please drop me a line [here]. My aim as celebrant & MC is always to inspire and make your wedding journey as easy and amazing as possible – and this venture is just a natural extension of this. I am beyond excited to launch this first edition.  I can’t wait to inspire as many people as possible in the creation of unique, personalized, value-driven weddings and celebrations!

A Word of Thanks

If you’ve made it to this magazine, and you’ve read all the way down to here, thank you so much for giving it a look over. You, as the early adopters, will be critical to the success of this magazine. Please feel free to share things that interest you on social media and help grow a larger audience who would benefit from this, or drop me a line with some feedback. I’d love to hear from you.

The post Welcome! A Love Note From the Editor appeared first on Love Celebrations by Lisa - Lisa Cockington | Marriage Celebrant | Adelaide.

“This is a common question celebrants are asked. It’s good to ask and wonder about things, and here’s the lowdown from my perspective, the possibilities, the limitations, and the “good to knows.”

So – can a friend marry me – the short answer?

No. (That’s very short, isn’t it?)
At least, not in Australia.
In Australia, you can only be legally wed by an authorized civil celebrant or a minister of religion.
So, unless you are getting married in a church, you will need to book a celebrant.

So – can a friend marry me – what’s the longer answer?

There are a few options or workarounds to this – but it doesn’t change the fact that you need to book a celebrant.

1. You may have a friend (or a relative) who is also a celebrant. Nothing in Australian law prohibits this friend or relative from marrying you. An easy tick!
2. You may have a friend who is willing to train to be a celebrant. However, the course and registration process can take 12 – 18 months, the person must be of “good standing” in the community and approved by the Commonwealth of Australia, and the cost of the Certificate IV training is probably greater than the cost of a celebrant. A not so easy tick.
3. The Co-Pilot solution. You can book a celebrant to work with a friend and deliver the ceremony together. The celebrant must complete all the legal parts, and your friend can do the rest. A workable tick.

The “Good to Knows” about  friends becoming celebrants and co-piloting weddings

The Friend Who’s Agreed to Train As A Celebrant

Keep in mind that this is a big commitment for this person – and juggling all the study and practical requirements (yes, there are practical assessments of conducting ceremonies, etc.) on top of a day job may be challenging. This may lead to a blowout in time, meaning they aren’t qualified in time for your wedding date. There are also factors outside of your control that affect meeting this deadline, such as the turnaround time frame on assignments and government registration.

The second thing to consider is that it is likely that your ceremony will be your friend’s first wedding. The risks with this are fairly obvious – it’s not likely to be their best work, and there may be issues or unexpected stressors with the legalities. Something for you to weigh up in your choices.

The Co-Pilot Solution

Often, people like this idea for two reasons. One – they’d love to have someone who is special to them marrying them, and secondly – it’s thought to be a cheaper option. The first is a lovely thought, but the second has implications you should know.

Firstly – it’s not necessarily cheaper. This is because the majority of the fee you pay a celebrant is not for the time spent “doing things” in a ceremony. You’re paying for their expertise in the planning and preparation in the lead-up to the wedding, and of course, the processing of the legalities. A co-pilot will need support and advice in how to create a ceremony, and the components within it, how to deliver it, etc. Think of the celebrant as needing to be a mentor. (And the end quality of the ceremony is a reflection on their business too). It’s often as much work (if not more) for the celebrant as there is one more person to communicate and collaborate with. Plus, on the day – whether they are speaking or not, they are still devoting that time to your wedding.

It can be difficult to find a celebrant willing to Co-Pilot – for two reasons:

1. As mentioned above – if you are wanting a cheaper price – it’s usually not worth it for the celebrant – as the workload is almost identical.
2. And if you do find a celebrant offering this option at a reduced rate, most will not want to do so on a Saturday in peak wedding season, as they are foregoing a full paying wedding – so be prepared to do this in quieter months or on a different day.

I

Summary

So, a friend who isn’t trained as a celebrant can’t marry you, but they can participate in your ceremony alongside a celebrant
And there you have it – the long and short of having a friend marry you, and some things to think about in terms of options.

If you have any questions, I’m always happy to hear from you.

The post Can a Friend Legally Marry You in Australia? Exploring Celebrant Rules and Creative Ceremony Options appeared first on Love Celebrations by Lisa - Lisa Cockington | Marriage Celebrant | Adelaide.

“Making the world more beautiful and growing connections with music”

Jake, tell me about your business, and why you do it?

I’m very lucky, that I know my life purpose is to share music, perform and entertain. I love music, and I am in the business of celebrating music, giving it the proper tribute that it deserves and sharing that love of music with others.

I perform either as a Solo Acoustic artist (voice, guitar, stompbox), Acoustic Duo (voice, guitar, drums), or a Band (voice, guitar, bass, drums) depending on what an event requires. 

I love performing for weddings. I love being able to use music to help create the perfect mood for the moment, and taking everyone on a journey throughout the course of the day, starting from gentle acoustic ballads for the ceremony and evolving to filling the dance floor with during the reception with party bangers and anthems.

I love what I do, as I get to experience first-hand how music can deeply touch one another, how it brings people together and allows human beings to connect more deeply than any other form of communication.

I also love the healing properties that music can provide. That someone could come to a show after having horrible day or week, and for that few hours that I perform, I can potentially help take them away from that misery (even for a moment), giving them a licence to smile, laugh, dance, sing, and create new memories.  They can leave a show feeling refreshed, and feeling connected hopefully giving some clarity to tackle their next challenge life throws.

Being a musician means I’m never bored, as I am always learning new skills and growing to make sure I’m always able to deliver the best show and performance possible. I enjoy the challenges my work can offer, because at the end of the day, My goal is to serve music, and to serve the people by using my craft to celebrate music and the incredible songs that have touched all of our lives throughout the years.  My aim with every performance is provide an experience that leaves my audience feeling better than when they arrived.

What’s on the top of your list for changes you  would you like to see in the world?

I would like to see more support and education for people in the arts. 

I believe there are a lot of artists who are exploited, especially when it comes to the business aspect of art, and  I honestly think it’s because most artists aren’t savvy when it comes to business. Artists who want to step into the professional realm need to be educated about the importance of finding the balance between being a unique authentic artist that creates art of the highest quality, but also the importance of “how can i use my art to run a business but remain true to my art?”. 

If more artists were educated in this way, we would have less “struggling” artists, who end up burning out trying to make ends meet (working harder, not smarter). Ultimately they can lose their vision (and themselves), start to compromise their art trying to fit into a niche of what they think is popular, or what they think people.  Instead we can encourage artists to produce quality art whilst maintaining their integrity and authenticity, which really is what everyone truly wants.

I want to help ignite peoples passion in the arts, the importance of art when it comes to growing a cultural movement, and the connection art can provide.

I am currently a committee member of “Musicians Australia” , which is Australia’s Musicians Union. We are working on increasing the minimum pay for working musicians,  we are also working on an Act that will hopefully prevent the exploitation of musicians (particularly by booking agents) by capping the percentage an agent can take from an artist for booking a show. We are also working close with venues, so both the hospitality  industry and the performing arts industry can work together harmoniously to help create a thriving arts culture that will benefit everyone.

You have a very specific event coming up that others can support – tell us about it.

I am hosting a Charity Event on February 4th, 2024 from 12pm at the Woolshed on Hindley. 

“Jake Gets Shorn at the Woolshed” is a fundraiser for Australian Charity SUPPORT ACT, where I will be shaving off my dreadlocks to help raise money for people who work in the music industry that are unable to work due to illness, mental health issues, or other crisis they may suffer. Tickets are available via OzTix.

I think we are currently in a time where a lot of people are afraid to be their authentic self, resulting in a lot of people pandering to each other in hopes to not stand out or cause any waves.

If we can all remain authentic, we then have the freedom to create  beautiful, unique things of the highest quality because it will be something we truly care about and will be born out of passion. 

People who live a life fuelled by their passion, create more beauty for everyone. I’m lucky enough to have found my passion, and aim to live a life of example in hopes it inspires others to find theirs and help make this world even more beautiful,

What do couples love about you?

Couples are very happy with the variety of songs and genres perform. My specialty is Mash-Ups, where i will take a song and “Mash” other songs into it. I find this a really effective way to get everyone involved and having fun as I will tailor my sets so they cater to everyone. Whether it be the “oldies”, young kids, and everyone in between I keep the energy and the vibes where they need to be so everyone will be entertained. I put 100% into every show and I am told the energy and fun I put in is infectious.

I will read a room, and will perform for what the moment requires. For the ceremony, I will sing more mellow acoustic songs getting everyone in the mood for wedding vows. For receptions, I will start with more relaxed music while guests mingle and eat, and as the night progresses will step up the energy, opening up to full party numbers that get the dancefloor going. 

I also aim to be as “stress free” for couples as possible. I understand that there is a lot to organise when planning a wedding. so the last thing they need to worry about is whether or not the entertainment they have booked is going to be reliable and/or deliver what they need to make their wedding a memorable one.

I will adapt and tailor packages  to suit what ever the couple requires for their special day and ensure clear communication when they book me, so we are all on the same page and there is no confusion.

OK – so people are keen to know more – what should they do?

I recommend for couples to check me out at a live show, or watch some of my videos on YouTube so they can get an idea of my performing style; as (generally speaking) music is quite subjective. 

If you are planning your wedding or event and you LOVE music I guarantee that booking me to perform for you will be one of the best decisions you make for your special day.

Thanks Jake!

You’ll find Jake on Instagram – @jakedaulbymusic

And on You Tube @JakeDaulbyMusic

Don’t forget “Jake Get’s Shorn at The Woolshed” on Feb 4 – and I may see you there!

Or if you can’t make it – you can donate here

The post Let me introduce……Jake Daulby appeared first on Love Celebrations by Lisa - Lisa Cockington | Marriage Celebrant | Adelaide.