1. Do you want a religious or civil celebrant? 
   This is an important question as it will set the tone and sequence of events during the ceremony.  A religious celebrant will cater for faith specific ceremonies and may add Biblical references as well as a prayer or blessing to the ceremony.  A religious celebrant is often a registered minister and they can refuse on religious grounds to conduct the ceremony.  A religious celebrant may see it as their responsibility to ensure you are both well informed about the decision you are making and have a foundation of faith on which to base your marriage. 
   
   A civil celebrant, on the other hand, will focus on the union and agreement minus religion. A civil celebrant is more appropriate if neither you nor your groom have religious beliefs or are agnostic. This ceremony may be shorter in length, however, does not mean you cannot have readings from your favourite poet (Shakespeare) or even song lyrics (Sinatra).
   
   
2. Do you want them to give a message or sermon?  If so, how long should it be?  Will you be able to hear it in advance?
   
   
3. Do they expect payment upfront (on the wedding day), before or after? How much to they charge?  Is it a fee or donation?
   
   
4. Are they available on your wedding date as well as the rehearsal date?  Are they performing any other ceremonies on the day and therefore committed to a strict timetable?
   
   
5. Do they organize documentation or expect you to bring it with you?  If they require you to organize it, when do you need to present it to them?
   
   
6. Are they comfortable doing inter-faith ceremonies? (If applicable)
   
   
7. Do they expect you to receive pre-marriage counseling?  Most give it themselves, but if they do not, who do they recommend? 
   Don’t be scared off by the word ‘counseling’ as it is more a discussion and is often fun and informative.  Pre-marriage counseling is an opportunity for you and your fiancé to discuss issues you may not have thought about.  It is a profitable experience in communication, the key to all good relationships, and recommended whether you settle on a religious or civil celebrant.  It may be something you are thankful for doing for the rest of your marriage and is well worth the small charge and sacrifice of time.  Why not turn it into a date-night and have a nice dinner afterwards?  These times together will be special and often sparse in the hectic lead-up to your big day. 
   
   
8. What colours will the bridal party wear on the day?  Let your celebrant know what colours would be appropriate for them to wear.  Is there a dress code (formal, semi-formal)?
   
   
9. Give them a time frame for the whole service.  How long for vowels, sermon (if applicable), communion (if applicable) etc?
   
   
10. Ask your celebrant to show you sample ceremonies or vowels for you to choose from.
    
    
11. Ask if it is acceptable to write your own vows, include your own poems or readings?  Are there any restrictions on the type of music that can be played or readings?
    
    
12. Do you want the celebrant (and their spouse/partner) at your rehearsal dinner and/or reception?  Would they play a role there, such as give a blessing?
    
    
13. When do they want the marriage licensed to be signed? (Some prefer to have all signatures completed before the ceremony and ‘fake’ sign on the day, hint: make sure you have a nice-looking pen for the signing).
    
    
14. Are there any other restrictions you should know about, such as video and photographs in the church or room, throwing rice or confetti?
    
    
15. Most importantly, is this celebrant the person the one you want for your special day? 
    Always thank each celebrant for their time but if necessary, explain that you and your fiancé have not yet settled on a celebrant.  Be courteous and let them know as soon as possible whether or not their services will be required.  There are many celebrants available and it is perfectly acceptable to ‘shop around’ to find the one you are most comfortable with.

Free Matrimonial site Our articles are here to help you with all your wedding planning, advice from leading wedding professionals and most importantly some great hints and tips from Brides and Grooms that have been through the process already.

For every couple, your wedding day is just that – your wedding day.  Through the months of decision making, hoards of information and overload of options, it’s easy to lose sight of the purpose.  It is your wedding.  Here are some ways to personalise the big event, so through it all, it stays your day.  These personal touches are what you and your guests will remember for years to come.

       1. Creative Invitations
Decide on your colour and theme, and be sure to run these ideas through the entire event, including invitations, the order of service, place cards and thankyous. 

Some stunning ways to personalise it all include creating a logo of your initials – a cursive A & B monogram faintly behind the text, utilising a wax stamp to close correspondences or paper-origami to personalise and carry through the theme.

       2. Utilise or modernise wedding traditions
Add a personal twist to age-old traditions, incorporate your own cultures or borrow others and add a bit of fun and flair to your wedding.
 
Light a unity candle (symbolising your unity and commitment to the marriage) that you’ve made yourselves or take inspiration from Latvian weddings and throw your veil instead of your bouquet. In many European receptions, male guests pay to dance with the bride by placing money in her shoe or pinning it to her dress – sometimes the bride is even ‘kidnapped’ and the groom must pay a ransom to get her back! Or in the French tradition, let your bridesmaids pack you a trousseau full of ‘goodies’ for you both to enjoy on your honeymoon!

       3. Write your own vows
Personalising your vows by writing your own will have every guest full of emotion. 

The traditional vows are still beautiful words that you will say from the bottom of your heart.  But personal vows go even deeper.  You don’t have to learn them off by heart – make sure you let your minister/celebrant know, and they can help you along. To include your guests in the ceremony, face them instead of the front of the church.

       4. About the wedding party
In your service orders, include a section introducing the bridal party members.

Chances are, many guests will not know all or any of the bridal party, so it’s a good opportunity to share how they came to be standing next to you on your wedding day.  It makes the wedding party feel a bit more special and is a simple way to introduce them to your guests.

       5. The Jewellery
Getting the jewellery custom-made is a stunning way to personalise, while being the cherry on top of a gorgeous outfit. 

By talking to a jewellery maker, you can decide on the style, colour, size and length, while knowing it will be perfect for the dresses.  To personalise it even further, you can have slightly different styles for each bridesmaid, while still matching the colour and theme.

       6. Gifts for the Bridal Party
Nothing says “thankyou” more than a personalised gift. 

For the bridesmaids, ideas include an engraved diamante-studded compact mirror, an embellished perfume bottle with custom-made perfume, or a handmade photo frame.  For the groomsmen, personalised gifts include cufflinks that make their initials or an engraved card holder.

       7. Non-Floral Centrepieces
Get creative and crafty by choosing centrepieces that match your wedding theme and lifestyles.

The options are endless; make your own piñatas, use lanterns for an Asian themed wedding, place coral in vases for beach lovers or have statutes for art lovers. For summer weddings, embed tea candles in cut citrus fruits to make floating fruit candles in a goldfish bowl. Another idea is to have photo stands and display photos that share you and your husband’s relationship to your guests.

       8. Personalised Place cards
A very personalised touch is to write an individual note to each guest on the back/inside of the place card. 

The note can simply be a personal thankyou to the guest for their influence on your relationship, or any special memories you share.  Or, write a special love quote on or inside each place card.  These can be shared around the table, and add to the romance, atmosphere and love of the day.

       9. Special Glassware
There is a host of unique glassware available, which can be engraved and titled for the wedding party, parents or other special people. 

The bridal party will be delighted to be seated at the table and find their own unique “Groomsman” or “Bridesmaid” champagne glass, engraved with your name and wedding date.

       10. Say thankyou with wine
For a smaller and more intimate wedding, personalised wine bottles make perfect bonbonnieres. 

More wine companies are offering this option, and will print up a specially-designed label, featuring your names, the wedding date and a thankyou message, put on a small bottle of your favourite wine. 

       11. Say thankyou with music
Compile a CD of your wedding songs  - including the song you walk down the aisle to, the songs for signing the registry and your going out song – as well as your bridal waltz and other songs from the reception. 

It can include any songs that are important to you as a couple, or that conjure special memories.  The CD can be further personalised with specially printed labels that say your names, wedding date, and any message you may want to write.

       12. Say thankyou with perfume
There are companies who make small perfume bottles as gifts for the guests or bridal party. 

You can choose your favourites scent, and the labels can be personalised to match the stationery and have your names and wedding date on it.

       13. Thankyou notes
Offer a wedding keepsake in your thankyou notes.

The notes do not have to be long or over-the-top, but is a simple gesture of appreciation to each guest.  You may like to include a photo from the wedding as a keepsake, or even a CD of your favourite wedding photos. Or, buy and use postcards from your wedding destination for your thankyou notes. 

       14. Guest book/Photo frame
By providing a guest book or digital/video camera at the reception, each guest can leave their personal message to you, as a short and sweet greeting to the new husband and wife. 

This way, you have something personal from each guest, which are kept all together (unlike cards, which are more difficult to keep together).  Another idea is to purchase a photo frame with a large matting around the space for a photo.  Guests can then sign the frame, and you can choose a professional photo at a later date.

        15. A Thankyou for the Parents
A personal thankyou note to your parents left on their seat before the ceremony or reception. 

It can say whatever you like: a simple thankyou for their influence on your life, your hope that your marriage may be as successful as theirs, or a quick note of thanks for their help for the wedding plans.  They will be moved by your thoughtfulness, which doesn’t have to take a lot of time or effort.