For many years this has been a custom but it is purely a personal thing and there is no legal requirement for a bride to do so. It can be a big decision at anytime but even more so if children from previous marriages are involved. There are no right or wrongs here, just care that everyone who is involved has their feelings on this taken into account. You will have to fill in a change of name certificate for each of your children and send that to the registry to officially change their names.

You do not need to change your name immediately you are married if you do not want to, you can do so anytime in the future. Once you have the Marriage Certificate from the registry, even if you decide to do this once the children have grown up and left home.  You could even celebrate and have a renewal of vows and a change of name ceremony for a significant anniversary.

On your wedding day you will receive a presentation marriage certificate from me, which some couples frame or have as a keepsake in their wedding album but you will also need to apply for an official one from the registry of Births Deaths and Marriages, in Qld. or the state that you were married in, if you wish to change your name or for other legal purposes such as visas and wills.  This certificate has more details on it such as, date and place of wedding, your names, addresses, occupations, Father and Mothers names, celebrant name and your witnesses names, as well as the name of the registering authority.

I will issue you with the Marriage Certificate Application Form and I can send the application form into the registry for you with your paperwork from your wedding.  This saves you sending ID into Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.  The cost for this legal certificate payable to the registry is, at this time, $39.00.   If you would like to apply for this yourself in the future, you can do that but you will need to send the required fee and I.D. to the registry at this later date.

I always supply my couples with a change of name kit. This change of name kit contains forms for the Motor registry, Medicare and the Electoral Roll, which is very convenient for you as gathering all the forms for change of name purposes can be a time consuming business in tracking them all down and printing them.

You will also need to change you name on your insurance policies, private health funds, taxation, passport and other miscellaneous memberships and accounts records.  The amount of paperwork may seem overwhelming but if you keep a careful list and tick them off as you go the task will not be as daunting and taking on your new identity as Mrs.. So and so… will be lots of fun.

If the Groom would like to change his name to his Brides name then he will need to apply separately to the registry for a change of name certificate before he goes through the steps of filling in all the above mentioned forms.

So … I now pronounce you Husband and wife….what ever you decide on, have fun in making these important decisions. 

Contact me today for more information. Simply call me on my mobile 0416 108 058 or email me.

“I’m getting married in the morning! Ding dong!
The bells are gonna chime. Pull out the stopper!
Let’s have a whopper! But get me to the church on time!
I gotta be there in the mornin’
Spruced up and lookin’ in me prime.
Girls, come and kiss me;
Show how you’ll miss me.
But get me to the church on time!”

…….Which brings me to mention the most
important fact of not keeping your guests waiting.

As a guest it is one thing to be waiting seated calmly in the church listening to beautiful organ music but totally another to be waiting in the hot sun, wind or pending rain, on a beach, nervously waiting for the bride to arrive.

I always feel for the grooms at this time; who are often sweating in their suits and trying to look composed while the groomsmen are saying, “She’s not coming Mate,” … “Stood you up,”  or other such words to that effect,  which of course, offered as a joke, only serve to make the dear grooms even more nervous than they already are.

It really does no one any favors to keep everyone waiting for too long.

So what are the factors that make brides delayed and what can you do to avoid being a late bride yourself?

Number one of course is to make sure that you allow plenty of time for hair and make up.    I always suggest to my brides that if you get most of your self ready before the bridesmaids, then you are not nervously awaiting your turn and if things are running behind schedule.  You can always touch up your lippy before you leave but we do not want the most important lady of the day feeling unprepared. 

If you, as the bride, are ready in plenty of time, you can feel relaxed, allow extra time for photos, make sure that you have a snack or lunch and a drink of water before you arrive and savor these moments with your bridesmaids and parents.

Remember your photos will reflect what you are feeling and you will want to look relaxed, unstressed, radiant and at your best.

If you are running late you will be more prone to nervousness and tears.

Make sure you have allowed plenty of time for photos as you get out of the car and as you and the bridesmaids are walking to the ceremony venue.  It is good to have time here to take a few deep breaths and make any final adjustments before you arrive.  If the car you are travelling in needs to be parked, this can take quite a while in busy beach locations.

Remember that most often, your guests have arrived at the ceremony venue at least half an hour before you and they have been standing chatting and waiting for the big event.  Taking into account the ceremony time and the congratulations and photos after, it often means they can also be there for another hour or so after you arrive and it can be a long time from their arrival time until the reception, so it is only common courtesy to consider your guests comfort.

A good wedding is more often than not, judged on how the guests felt so it is always good to get off to the right start.

As bride and groom, you both should have a big smile from ear to ear on your special day and with a bit of prior timing and planning it will make your wedding day as smooth running as possible; an event to remember for all to enjoy to the full.

Well a month has passed since my mother’s passing, and almost a month since the memorial.

I have been staying quiet, away from home, with friends, because it just hasn’t felt right being at home until now… anyway now I am back at home and starting to pick up all of my various pieces and put them back into order, or more accurately, find a new order for everything…

It is impossible to thank you enough for the wonderful way in which you handled the service for mum… you put me at ease from day one, the words that you wrote were perfect, and although we had a few little technical difficulties on the day, you made it all work perfectly and perhaps most importantly, your presence put me at ease… it was just lovely.  

I feel sorry that I probably didn’t get around to thanking you adequately on the day.  There were so many people from the past and so many demands on my time, I found it difficult to remember my manners.

Again darling Hari, thank you so much, it is so wonderful that you played such an important part in what will be an incredible lifetime memory for me, there is no one else that I wanted to do the job, you did it perfectly, and it was a wonderful blessing that you were available.

All of my love and thanks, and from all of the family too, thanks.

Love you.

It always is a delight to walk into a garden or home that has been prepared by the couple and their friends and families, the many creative touches are inspirational.

It brings a certain special ambience to the wedding when the couple have put their own thoughts and touches to the décor and a certain respect, sense of community and depth of meaning for the family home, to create such memorable events within its walls and grounds.

From the hand made cushions that adorn the top of hay bale seats and are special gifts to the guests, lovingly made by the bride; ……. to the hearts and flowers that hang from the tree under which the ceremony takes place ……. the candles in jars wrapped with ribbons ……. the photo book from the couples overseas holidays and other such adventures, ……. to the hand made place markers ……. Bouquets of flowers picked fresh from the garden ……. Guest comment and blessings book covered in shells or pressed flowers as mementos from special places……. to being greeted by the family dogs all dressed in bows and finery for the occasion…….

So many wonderful ideas to bring a wedding home to the family.  Especially lovely when family and friends have all taken part and have prepared the wedding feast for days in advance. If this is not an option, we are lucky on the Sunshine Coast that we have so many wonderful caterers who will come to your event with great food and waiters to make it very special.

There are always marquees and seats to hire ready to be assembled in your garden and decorated by you for the wet weather option.

All in all, a great way to have your wedding at your own home or one of the many lovely properties to hire in our beautiful hinterland.

• A Stunning wedding venue.. See our special wedding package which includes;
  3 Nights stay for 12 people and ceremony conducted with Noosa wedding celebrant Linda Hari Scholes.
• An idyllic holiday destination less than 15 minutes from the beaches of Noosa. Foxleigh is a charming country home beautifully situated and set in 16 acres of total privacy.
• 2 minutes to the wonderful Eumundi markets and 5 minutes to the Iconic Ikatan Spa (Nominated four times for Best Destination Spa in Australia).

This holiday house is a gorgeous retreat complete with tennis court and secluded swimming pool with the magnificent backdrop of Cooroy Mountain.

Arrive at the house via the 800m bitumen driveway to your own private haven. The lawned gardens are bordered by the Eumundi Conservation forest’. Walk through the private gate to enjoy the bridle paths & running trails. Elegantly furnished with a comfortable mix of antiques and collectables gathered from around the world.

This is a special place. Bring your family, bring your friends, bring your pets.

For further information about the venue visit www.stayz.com.au/116693

“What happens if it is raining?”

It is the wisest thing to have a back up in place as the best laid plans of mice and men can go sadly wrong if all avenues have not been covered. 

If it is raining lightly umbrellas can work well and often couples provide them for the guests but if it is pouring with rain the guests tend not to be fully present and not to listen or enjoy the ceremony, often thinking about their beautiful new clothes and hair do getting soaked.

Glad to announce that here in Noosa we have an abundance of wonderful wet weather venues happy to jump to the rescue in little time at all.

Some fantastic options to check out are :

• The River Room at the Boathouse Restaurant
• Noosa Springs Golf Club and Spa
• Ricky’s Bar and Restaurant
• Noosa RACV Resort
• Twin Waters Resort and Golf Club

The River Room at the Boathouse Restaurant

www.boathouserestaurant.com.au

Located on the mid level of The Boathouse, the River Room is one of the most unique venues on the Sunshine Coast. Offering light wide open spaces to capture and maximise the breathtaking 180 degree views of the Noosa River, the River Room is ideal as a wet weather back up for your outdoor ceremony.

The River Room can be secured for the full day in the lead up to your reception with guaranteed availability for your ceremony. The venue would be pre-set for your reception with the area on the
western side of the room available for your ceremony.

Download their brochure for further details and pricing

Noosa Springs Golf Club and Spa

www.noosasprings.com.au

Noosa Springs is one of the most beautiful wedding venues in SE Queensland. Our professional event managers will take the worry out of planning your event and ensure everything runs brilliantly.

If you are interested in booking Noosa Springs as a backup venue only, we can only hold your booking for four weeks prior to the day, pending availability.

Site Fee: $350

Inclusions
~ 30 guest chairs
~ Clothed & skirted registration table

For further information regarding Noosa Springs, please visit our comprehensive website.

Ricky’s Bar and Restaurant

www.rickys.com.au

Rickys River Bar + Restaurant is set on the waterfront of the Noosa River offering a mesmerising backdrop for couples looking for a truly fresh and inspiring wedding reception location.

We have a large outdoor area that is weatherproof in the case of bad weather.  It is adjacent to the sound park in Quamby Place. The park itself does of course need to be booked through the Sunshine Coast Council.

We do use this area for tables for the larger weddings. In the event of bad weather:
if the reception is in the evening – the outside area could be used from 5pm for the ceremony (prior to this we would be setting up for the reception); if it is a lunch time reception- the outside area could be used from 11am (again prior to that we are setting up for the reception).

For further info contact us on functions@rickys.com.au 

Download their brochure for further details and pricing

Noosa RACV Resort

www.racv.com.au/noosa/

Stylish, contemporary and a short drive from iconic Hastings Street, RACV Noosa Resort offers smart accommodation overlooking a pristine wetlands sanctuary.

Our facilities as a wet weather option for ceremonies, we have availability two weeks out from any date (for those who are not already holding their receptions with us). We currently charge a $450.00 venue hire fee for use of our undercover terrace.

Download their brochure for further details and pricing

Twin Waters Resort and Golf Club

www.twinwatersweddings.com.au

Our beautiful course provides a superb backdrop for your wedding day and our dedicated and experienced staff are available to assist in making your wedding day unique & memorable. We are located close to pristine beaches and parklands, ideal for ceremonies and photo opportunities.

We can offer our undercover terrace area, which is beautiful and still has that “outdoors” feel.  We do need 48 hours notice however and bookings will obviously be dependant on availabilities.  The cost for this is $350, which includes the site fee, 30 guest chairs and a clothed and skirted registration table.

Download their brochure for further details and pricing

The most popular ceremony locations being:-

Maison La Plage Grove, the grassy park along the board walk, in view of passers by, who often stop to witness your event. Great views of the ocean. Suitable for large ceremonies as well as small.

Casuarina Gardens, just off the boardwalk, a very popular little spot with Casuarina trees for shade and sand beneath your toes. Contains a side area which is sheltered from the ocean breeze as an alternative on a breezy day.  Great views of the ocean and Noosa Heads Beach.

Hidden Grove, a lush green beach bush setting next to Casuarina Gardens but as the name suggests, hidden from the view of passers by and shaded by trees.  Again, great ocean views between the trees.

Laguna Grove, In the grassy beach front park ext to the entrance to the groin, life savers tower and beach. Very easy access from the carpark and great views of Noosa Heads Beach, ocean and the classic life savers tower.

Beach access 15, is a beautiful secluded setting amongst the trees behind the North side of Noosa Heads Beach, it is not far from Laguna Grove and is easily reached from the car park. Lots of shade and Casuarina trees. Possibly not suitable for a larger wedding.

Beach access 12 and 13, unlike the above mentioned locations are places where you can have your wedding set up on the beach itself and feel the sand between your toes. Great sunset photos on the beach here and the sound of the waves lapping the shore. A great 5 min walk along the beach for guests or along the road 10 min walk from Hasting Street so advise your guests carry their high heels, car pool or better still provide transport for them.

River Mouth, a beautiful ever changing beach setting with fantastic views of the North Shore. The hinterland and Mt. Tinbeerwah in the back ground.  Fabulous for sunset photos even if you do not have your ceremony here. Close to the second groin and life savers tower.

Woods Bay, a small river beach or park option with the calm river setting. Close to car park.

Noosa Woods, A larger area of park land and river beach with several options for ceremony location including the timber Jetty which overlooks the Noosa River.

First Point, along the pathway and on the rocks between Main Beach and Little Cove. Suitable for small or elopement weddings fantastic views of Laguna Bay.

Little Cove Beach, beautiful small beach not suitable for weddings of over 35 people due to council restrictions.  Can be little sand in high tide, many beautiful rocks, if you feel Ok about walking on rocks.  No easy parking close by.  Be prepared to walk from Hastings Street or organise a bus to drop off guests, though stopping by the beach access causes congestion on the narrow road. Beautiful views of Laguna Bay.

National Park. The most popular beach to be married in the National Park is Tea Tree Bay as it is the closest to the car park.  It is a 10- 15 min walk up hill from the car park.  So take water on hot days and warn guests that high heels are best avoided.  No flowers are allowed in the National park.

To secure one of the locations for 2 hours, you will need to book a permit from Sunshine Coast Council.

www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au 

Call me for further information on any of the Noosa Ceremony Locations.