FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Welcome to the Married By A Teddy FAQ page. Here, you'll find answers to key questions about our inclusive and personalised celebrant services, covering booking details, ceremony customisation, legal requirements, and package options. The aim is to provide clear guidance to make your planning process straightforward and ensure your day is seamless and memorable.

GENERAL INFORMATION

  • At Married By A Teddy, we specialise in personalised, custom ceremonies for various occasions, including:

    • Weddings (adventure weddings, themed weddings, intimate elopements, and more)

    • LGBTQIA+ ceremonies and affirmations

    • Vow renewals

    • Gender affirmation ceremonies

    • Identity affirmation ceremonies

    • Baby naming ceremonies

    • Memorial services

    • Graduation ceremonies

    • Emcee services

    Whatever you envision, if you can dream it, [provided it’s legal] we’ll make it a reality!

  • We offer a range of wedding packages, from simple legal ceremonies to fully personalised celebrations. During your initial complimentary consultation, we’ll help you determine which package best suits your vision, location, and budget. Whether you’re looking for a quick legal ceremony, an adventure wedding, or something completely custom, we have a package to match your needs.

  • No, we perform weddings across Australia and beyond! While we are based in Melbourne, we offer destination wedding services. We are excited to travel where your love story takes you, whether it’s a beach wedding, mountain elopement, or a faraway destination wedding.

  • A fully customised ceremony means we tailor every part of your wedding ceremony to your preferences. From your unique love story to personalised vows, rituals, and readings, we ensure that every aspect of your ceremony reflects you as a couple. You'll have unlimited consultations with your celebrant to ensure everything is perfect.

  • Booking your wedding or event ceremony is easy! Contact us through our Contact Page, or call us directly at 0423 67 00 33. We’ll discuss your ideas, select the perfect ceremony package, and schedule a consultation to start the process.

  • Here’s the typical process:

    • Initial Consultation: We start with a meeting, either a two-way phone interview or an in-person meeting, to understand your vision.

    • Planning: We create your personalised ceremony script.

    • Rehearsal (Optional): If requested, we’ll rehearse to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly.

    • The Big Day: On the day, I’ll handle the ceremony and all logistics to ensure everything flows perfectly.

    • Legal Paperwork: We’ll handle all legal paperwork for weddings to ensure your marriage is official.

  • Most wedding ceremonies last around 30-45 minutes, but the length can be adjusted based on your preferences. We can shorten or extend the ceremony based on the elements you want to include, such as readings, rituals, or special moments.

INCLUSIVE AND CUSTOM CEREMONIES

  • Yes! As an inclusive Melbourne celebrant, we specialise in LGBTQIA+ weddings, including same-sex weddings, gender affirmation ceremonies, and name change celebrations. We ensure that every ceremony is a safe, inclusive, and joyful space that celebrates love and identity in all its forms.

  • Absolutely! We pride ourselves on creating ceremonies that reflect the unique identities of every couple or individual. Whether you're planning a gender affirmation ceremony or prefer gender-neutral language in your wedding, we’ll work with you to ensure your ceremony is inclusive, respectful, and truly represents who you are.

  • Absolutely! We embrace cultural diversity and can include elements from various cultural or religious traditions. Whether it’s a bilingual ceremony or incorporating meaningful rituals, we’ll create a wedding ceremony that respects and celebrates your backgrounds.

  • Yes! We can conduct bilingual ceremonies or include elements in multiple languages. We can also work with an interpreter to ensure everyone understands and enjoys the ceremony.

  • Definitely! Your wedding ceremony should reflect who you are as a couple. We encourage you to include personal readings, poems, or symbolic rituals that have meaning to you. We’ll help incorporate these elements into your ceremony seamlessly.

  • Yes! If you’re looking for a commitment ceremony or another non-legally binding ceremony, we can create a beautiful, personalised celebration that reflects your love without the legalities.

PERSONALISATION AND CUSTOMISATION

  • Absolutely! We encourage couples to write their own vows, as it adds a personal touch to your ceremony. If you need help, we offer vow-writing assistance to ensure they match what you feel in your heart. Whether you want traditional or modern vows, we’ll guide you through the process to ensure they reflect your unique love story.

  • Absolutely! We love working with couples to create unique wedding ceremony ideas. Whether you're looking for themed weddings, adventure weddings, or intimate elopements, we’ll brainstorm creative ways to make your ceremony stand out and reflect your love story.

  • Yes! We love themed weddings and cosplay weddings. Whether you want to get married as superheroes, in a medieval setting or as characters from your favourite fandom, we’ll work with you to create a ceremony that fits your vision. We’ll even join in on the theme!

  • Absolutely! Surprise weddings are so much fun, and we’d love to help you create a magical reveal for your guests. We’ll discreetly plan everything to ensure the big moment unfolds just as you envisioned.

    However, your fiancé can’t be part of the surprise — in Australia, they must be willingly involved in the legal aspects of the ceremony. This includes completing all necessary paperwork together at least 30 days prior to the wedding day to meet legal requirements.

    But don't worry, we’ll guide you through the process to keep everything on track!

LOGISTICS AND PLANNING

  • We recommend booking your wedding ceremony as early as possible, especially for popular wedding dates. Many couples book their celebrant six to twelve months in advance, but we can sometimes accommodate shorter timelines depending on availability.

  • We understand that plans change! If you need to reschedule or change the venue for your wedding, just let us know as soon as possible. We are flexible and will work with you to find a new date or location that fits your plans, depending on availability.

  • Yes! As your celebrant, we will take care of all the legal paperwork, ensuring your marriage is officially recognised in Australia. This includes completing the Notice of Intended Marriage and lodging your marriage paperwork with the registry office after the wedding.

  • Rehearsals are a great way to ensure your ceremony goes smoothly. We’ll walk through the ceremony step by step, ensuring everyone knows their role, from the processional to the exchange of vows. This is especially useful for larger or more complex weddings.

  • Yes, we can provide a high-quality, technologically capable PA system for your wedding ceremony to ensure all guests can hear clearly. This is especially important for outdoor or larger weddings.

  • Yes, there are travel fees for weddings outside the Melbourne area, but these will be discussed upfront during your consultation to ensure complete transparency. We aim to make your wedding as stress-free as possible, so all costs, including travel, will be clearly outlined.

  • If we’re unavailable for your preferred date, we can recommend other trusted celebrants who match our style and values. We will always try our best to make ourselves available for your special day, but in case of a conflict, we’ll do our best to connect you with other amazing celebrants.

SPECIAL REQUESTS AND SERVICES

  • Yes! We offer professional emcee (MC) services for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Our Master of Moments emcee services offer Melbourne event hosting with an experienced emcee to ensure your event runs smoothly, with humour, charm, and energy, keeping your guests engaged throughout the day or night.

  • Yes! Our Scout & Celebrate package is designed for elopements and destination weddings. Whether you’re planning to elope in a scenic location or have a private ceremony, we’ll work with you to create a heartfelt, intimate ceremony for the two of you.

  • Yes! We love including pets in wedding ceremonies. Whether your dog is the ring bearer or your cat is a guest of honour, we’ll ensure your furry family members are part of the special day.

  • Yes, in addition to weddings, we also conduct vow renewals, baby naming ceremonies, memorials, and identity and gender affirmation ceremonies. Whatever special moment you want to celebrate, we can create a meaningful and personalised ceremony for you.

  • Of course! We can arrange an in-person or virtual consultation so you can get to know me and ask any questions before deciding. Meeting beforehand ensures we’re a great fit for your ceremony.

CONTINGENCY PLANNING

  • During our consultation, we’ll work together on a backup plan. Whether finding an indoor alternative or providing umbrellas for light rain, we’ll ensure your ceremony is perfect, rain or shine.

COSTS AND FEES

  • Our wedding packages range from simple legal ceremonies to fully customised wedding ceremonies. Visit our Services page to learn more about our package options. Contact us for a quote tailored to your ceremony needs.

  • Our cancellation policy depends on the timing and circumstances. If you need to cancel or reschedule, please contact us as soon as possible, and we’ll work with you to accommodate any changes. For detailed information, please refer to your booking agreement.