Here is a list of ceremonies I perform and a little bit about them
Your wedding day is a wonderful occasion, which can be made even more enjoyable knowing that your ceremony is personally and professionally arranged.
My aim is to work with you to create a wedding ceremony that reflects your own values and personalities to ensure that your unique marriage ceremony reflects your personal, spiritual and cultural beliefs and is all you ever dreamt it would be... and more!
It is your ceremony, not mine and I will assist you to ensure that your ceremony reflects your individual requirements and guarantee that all the legal requirements are met.
I will offer you an extensive collection of ceremonies to choose from, which are constantly updated and also a range of alternate ceremonies and I encourage you to contribute to your vows BUT this is not compulsory!
It can be as elaborate or as simple as you like, as formal or as informal - it’s up to you. Most importantly it should be special and memorable for you and everyone who comes to celebrate with you.
Handfastings are an ancient and beautiful ceremony that may incorporate Wiccan or Pagan beliefs. The term is derived from Old Norse dialect, hand-festa, "to strike a bargain by joining hands". Beltane, 31 October in the Southern Hemisphere, is a popular date on which a couple might choose to be handfasted. They are usually held outdoors in a natural setting such as a beach or forest.
The marriage vows taken may be for "a year and a day" which is traditional, a lifetime, "for all of eternity" or "for as long as love shall last". Whether the ceremony is legal, or a private spiritual commitment, is up to the couple.
Modern handfastings are performed for hetrosexual or homosexual couples, however in the case of homosexual couples the handfasting can not be made legal according to Australian Law.
As with many Neopagan rituals, some couples may use historically attested forms of the ceremony, striving to be as traditional as possible, while others may use only the basic idea of handfasting and largely create a new ceremony incorporating some of the rituals such as the knotting of the couples wrists, the loving cup and the jumping of the broom.
The Belly Blessing or Mother's Blessing Ceremony and also known as The Blessingway or Blessing Way Ceremony has been practised by many cultures around the world and dates back to pre Christian times. The Belly Blessing ceremony is akin to a Baby Shower. It is a very positive ritual, affirming that a woman will have a natural and beautiful birth experience.
The ceremony marks a woman's rite of passage. All the attending women pamper the mother to be during the ceremony. She will receive a foot massage, her hair brushed and adorned with flowers and if she wishes, a Plaster Belly Cast of her child to be. It is a ceremony of empowerment near the time of birthing. Within a circle of friends in a quiet, gentle, spiritual ceremony, those attending will celebrate sisterhood; welcome a new baby to earth and honour mother, birth, life and rebirth.
Baby Namings or Wiccanings are similar to a Christening where family and friends gather to bless the baby with well wishes and prosperity for their life.
There are many versions of this ceremony, which can be altered to suit yourself and your baby.
The planting of a tree is a popular sub ceremony as is the presentation of gifts to bring health and wealth by the Grandparents, God parents and/or legally appointed Guardians.
There are times in our lives, which we name as being most important in our lives, such as 13th, 16th, 21st, 40th, 50th birthdays, engagements and divorce just to name a few.
Ceremonies can be arranged to mark whatever passage of life that you wish to celebrate and announce to the world.
In days gone by, the crones (women) and sages (men) were the wise and respected matriarchs and the patriarchs of the community. Through living a full and long life, the elders were respected and sought out for their understanding of the human condition and honoured by their tribes. Today’s contemporary world views the crone and sage in a very different light.
A croning or saging ceremony is a wonderful way to empower yourself or the crone or sage within your life.
The death of a loved one is always a time of sorrow and mourning but with the right celebrant to guide the service, it can also be a time to reflect and smile at the memories of the departed.
Michelle offers services tailored to you and the deceased regardless of what religious denomination you may have.
A final rite of passage is a Pagan ceremony which has its roots in the pre Christian celebrations of the dead. The Pagan belief that the soul is anchored to the living body via a thin silver thread is depicted within this rite. It is believed that when the body dies, the silver cord is severed allowing the soul to progress to the next plane.
We all love our pets. They are a part of our family and our constant friends. They are there when we get home to wag a tail, purr on our laps, or squawk a greeting. Yet, when they pass, we grieve for them and cry for our lost companions.
A pet funeral can be conducted at your choice of venue with reverence and love.
A collection of photos from ceremonies I've performed
Find the answers to your queries
The following legal requirements must be met for a marriage conducted by a registered marriage celebrant to be considered legal in Australia:
To complete the NOIM:
The Attorney General’s Department website has more information for couples who are about to get married.
My service fees are dependent upon:
Please email me with your ceremony date, time, venue and any other particulars and I can give you an appropriate indication of cost
Most civil marriage ceremonies last between 15-20 minutes. Your ceremony may be shorter or longer depending on the content you would like to include but generally, allowing 30 minutes from start to finish is a good guide.
Creating a ceremony that is designed especially for you is a part of my service. You may have some ideas about what you would like to include or say and I am happy to accommodate your wishes but alternatively, if you don't yet have a clue about what you would like to include, I have the resources and experience guide you along the way. We'll work it out together.
Rehearsals help to fine tune the script and clarify the ‘when, where and why’.
All people participating in the wedding ceremony should attend the rehearsal if they are in town at the time – this includes the bridal party, readers, those involved in the giving away and the person you have chosen to operate your recorded music (if applicable).
The rehearsal ideally takes place 1-2 weeks before the wedding, and preferably not immediately after the buck’s or hen’s night.
Within 2 days after your wedding I send the forms to Births, Deaths and Marriages SA for processing. The office of BDM SA will then process your marriage. This can vary in time length due to the number of marriages performed upon that weekend and peek seasons such as Easter and Valentine’s Day.
The name change registration process in South Australia is managed by the South Australian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages.
If you want to change your name, you will need to apply to register a change of name. Forms and information is available from the South Australian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages website or you can call them on 131 882 if you have specific questions. There is an exception to this process, where you will not need to register a change of name.
If you are changing your name to your husband's name after marriage, you will need an official copy of your Marriage Certificate (that’s the certificate I give you on your wedding day) that has been registered with the South Australian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages, in order to change your name. You do not need to register a change of name, just use your Marriage Certificate.
If you are changing your name after marriage to anything other than your husband's surname, you will need to apply to register a change of name. Forms and information is available from the South Australian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages website or you can call them if you have specific questions.
Find out what people have to say about me
You did a great job and it was nice to have someone we knew conduct our ceremony. Thank you for making our special day come true it was absolutely awesome.
You were always available to talk through many ideas and always returned each draft very quickly. You listened to our ideas and gave us some extra ideas too. It was great that you made us feel comfortable and were always available to us. Thank you so much, we are very happy and plan to stay that way.
We were very satisfied with the way you conducted not only the ceremony but also the pre-planning. We are happy to refer your services to family and friends. They ceremony that you conducted for us was very dignified, thank you so very much.
Two thumbs up for the naming ceremony and services provided. Michelle not only offered a very professional service but also a very personal one. We are extremely satisfied and will be recommending her. Michelle was well organised and had many options for us to consider. Her acceptance of our booking at such short notice was greatly appreciated. The whole ceremony was very direct, clear and definitely a day to remember. A great job done well.
Everything from the first meeting to the conducting of our wedding ceremony was smoothly organised and performed. Michelle's calm and easy going manner as well as her excellent organisation made all my worries disappear. We are happily married and we thank you so very much for making it happen.
From the very beginning Michelle understood exactly what we were after for our relaxed Marriage Ceremony. Michelle offered very appropriate samples of sub-ceremonies which meant tailoring our ceremony took very little time and was a breeze. Thank you so very much Michelle, we will never forget our special day.
The BlessedBe service
Get in touch with Michelle
101 Mount Road, Mount Crawford SA 5351
T: (08) 8524 6436
M: 0418 988 120
temyahro.com
T: (08) 8524 3644
M: 0417 865 828
littlewhitedoves.com.au