Wedding celebrant FAQs · Christchurch, NZ Everything couples ask me, answered plainly

It comes down to your budget, what matters most to you and how you'd like your ceremony to come together.

Would you prefer to choose from beautiful ready-made options, create something together, or have your love story written just for you?

Guest numbers may play a part, but you don't need to have it all figured out before we chat. That's what I'm here for! I'll help you explore the options and find what feels right for the two of you.

Absolutely! It's important that we feel like a good fit for each other.

Choosing your celebrant is personal. After all, I'm going to be standing beside you for a pretty important moment!

We can catch up in person or over a video call, whichever suits. No pressure, no obligation. Just a chance to meet, have a chat and see if we click.

As early as you can, especially if you have a particular date in mind.

But sometimes weddings come together quickly, so if yours isn't far away, please still get in touch. If I'm available, we'll see what we can make happen.

You'll need to have your celebrant confirmed before applying for your marriage licence, so if you know your date and think I might be your person, let's have a chat!

Once we've met and you've decided you'd like me as your celebrant, I'll send you access to your own My Celebrant planning portal.

You'll find your Ceremony Contract and invoice there, along with information to help you get started.

Your date is officially confirmed once you've signed your Ceremony Contract and paid your 50% deposit.

If you're still deciding after we've met, I'm happy to hold your date for a short time. I'll let you know exactly how long that hold is for.

Firstly, yay! We're doing this.

Once your Ceremony Contract is signed and your deposit is paid, your date is officially secured and we can get started on the lovely stuff.

Your My Celebrant portal will be our central place for ceremony planning. You'll find resources, ceremony choices, questionnaires and other information relevant to your package.

I'll guide you through the process, let you know what I need and when, and help you with things like vows, your marriage licence and the details that bring everything together.

You don't need to figure it all out on your own. That's part of what you've booked me for!

I offer three ceremony packages:

• ·Simply Say I Do – from $250
• ·Simply Yours – from $500
• ·Your Love Story – from $800

The difference isn't just the size of your wedding. It's how you'd like your ceremony created, how personal you'd like to make it and how much of your story you'd love to share.

Every package includes the legal requirements and marriage paperwork.

You can explore what's included in each option on my Packages page.

Life happens! Plans change, venues change and sometimes wedding dates do too.

If something changes, just let me know as soon as you can and we'll work through it together.

If you're changing your date, I'll check my availability. Other changes might simply mean adjusting a few details, or we may need to talk about what they mean for your ceremony or package.

The important thing is to keep me in the loop. We'll work out the next step together.

This bit is pretty straightforward. You can usually apply for your marriage licence online through Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Before you apply, you'll need to have your celebrant confirmed and know where you're getting married.

You need to apply at least three working days before your ceremony, but please don't take that as a challenge to leave it until the last minute!

Your marriage licence is valid for three months from the date it's issued, so there's plenty of time to get it sorted without any last-minute stress.

I'll provide guidance on how to apply and what you'll need. You'll also find helpful information in your My Celebrant portal.

NZ Government: Getting married in New Zealand

Absolutely! I'm an officially appointed New Zealand marriage and civil union celebrant.

For your marriage to be legally valid, you'll need a marriage licence, two witnesses and the required legal declarations made during your ceremony.

I'll guide you through what's required, make sure the legal wording is included and take care of signing and returning the marriage documents.

You can relax and enjoy getting married, knowing the important legal bits are covered.

You'll need two witnesses who are physically present at your ceremony.

They can be family members, friends or anyone you choose, as long as they understand what's happening and can sign the marriage documents.

And yes, if you're planning something very small, your witnesses can be the only two guests!

Absolutely!

As an appointed marriage and civil union celebrant, I can officiate both marriages and civil unions throughout New Zealand.

I also offer vow renewals, which are a lovely way to celebrate your commitment all over again, whether that's after five years, twenty years or simply because you feel like it!

Vow renewals don't require a marriage licence or witnesses, so we have plenty of freedom to create something meaningful and personal.

I also offer commitment ceremonies for couples who want to celebrate their relationship without a legal marriage or civil union.

Absolutely! Every one of my ceremony options gives you a way to make it yours. The difference is how much freedom and personalisation you'd like.

You might choose beautiful wording from my ceremony collection, write your own vows, exchange rings or include a reading or simple ritual.

Or perhaps you'd love to create something together, bringing in your personalities, traditions and meaningful touches. You might even want to go all the way and have your love story written into a completely bespoke ceremony.

Whatever you choose, we'll make sure your ceremony feels right for the two of you.

Of course! Your vows are one of the most personal parts of your ceremony, and they can be as heartfelt, funny, traditional or quirky as you like.

You can write them from scratch, borrow inspiration from somewhere meaningful, or choose from my collection of vows.

And if writing your own fills you with complete dread, that's absolutely fine too! I'll help you find words that feel comfortable and natural.

I'll also make sure the required legal wording is included, so you don't need to worry about getting that part right.

Your vows don't need to sound like anyone else's. They just need to feel like you.

Not necessarily. It depends on your ceremony and how many moving parts we have.

For a short, simple ceremony, we can usually manage beautifully without one.

But if you've got a wedding party, music to cue, people walking down the aisle, family members involved or a few other moving parts, a rehearsal can be really helpful.

It's not about practising every word or taking the spontaneity out of your day. It's about making sure everyone feels comfortable and knows what happens next.

A 30-minute rehearsal is included with Simply Yours, and a 60-minute rehearsal is included with Your Love Story.

For Simply Say I Do, a 30-minute rehearsal can be added for $100.

Absolutely! If you'd love to include the people who matter most to you, there are some beautiful ways to do that.

They might do a reading, hold the rings, take part in a ritual, walk with you, act as witnesses or have another special role.

And sometimes, the most meaningful involvement is simply having them there, sharing the moment with you.

We'll talk about what feels right for your ceremony and find ways to include your favourite people naturally.

After all, it's your wedding. You get to decide who plays a part and how.

I have a microphone available to use during your ceremony if needed.

I don't currently provide a full sound system or manage ceremony music, so if you're planning to have music played during your ceremony, you'll need to arrange that separately.

We can talk through what you'll need when we're planning your ceremony, so everything runs smoothly on the day.

Absolutely! I'm based in Christchurch, but I'm happy to travel throughout New Zealand.

Additional travel costs may apply for weddings more than 30km from central Christchurch, and accommodation may be needed for some locations. I'll always discuss and agree on any additional costs with you beforehand, so there are no surprises.

Planning a wedding overseas? I'd still love to hear about it! While my New Zealand celebrant appointment doesn't automatically authorise me to legally marry you overseas, I may be able to lead a symbolic or celebration ceremony.

Whether it's just down the road or somewhere a little further afield, let's have a chat and see what's possible.

See the areas I cover around Christchurch and Canterbury.

That depends on the ceremony you choose and what you'd love to include.

Simply Say I Do is usually around 10 minutes, while Simply Yours gives us more flexibility to create something meaningful together.

Your Love Story is generally around 25–30 minutes, depending on the storytelling and other elements involved.

But I'm not interested in making a ceremony longer just for the sake of it!

It's about creating the right experience for the two of you, whether that's short and sweet or something with a little more depth.

Ah, Canterbury weather! Sometimes it has a mind of its own.

If you're planning an outdoor ceremony, we'll talk about a wet-weather backup plan well before your wedding day.

We'll work out where the ceremony can move to, who makes the final decision and when that decision needs to happen.

That way, if the weather doesn't cooperate, there's no last-minute panic.

Rain or shine, we're still getting you married!