Jennifer Rodger spoke to the club on her new vocation as a Marriage Celebrant.
To be a Marriage Celebrant must have completed a Certificate IV in Celebrancy and be registered with the Attorney General's Office. Became official on 17/05/2022.
Celebrants bound by a Code Of Conduct and performance review. There are approximately 10,000 authorised celebrants practicing in Australia, and in 2020 80% of all marriages were conducted by a celebrant.
The Marriage Act became legislation in 1961 and amended in 2017 to provide for marriage equality in Australia. The Marriage Act defines marriage as the union of 2 people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.
A marriage occurring in Australia may be solemnised on any day, at any time and at any place. with the marriage registered in the State or Territory where the marriage occurred within 14 days.
Celebrants have an important role not only because of the legal consequence of marriage, but also because of their central significance to the parties.
It is the responsibility of each party to a marriage to satisfy the celebrant that they are free to marry.
A Declaration of No Legal Impediment must be signed by the couple before the celebrant as to their conjugal status and belief and that there is no legal impediment to the marriage. This usually occurs at the wedding rehearsal.
The celebrant liaises with the couple to organise the ceremony and is usually responsible for providing the PA system, and if music is played the necessary copyright obligations.
A wedding ceremony must have both parties present, a celebrant and two witnesses and takes 20-30 minutes.
Jennifer then conducted a mock wedding ceremony with Rex Shields and Judy McDonald.
