The skies cleared
The skies cleared and the beautiful view of vineyard and sea made a stunning backdrop for Ravi and Liesa’s wedding at the Red hill Estate on the Mornington Peninsula.
Melbourne Marriage Celebrant
AT YOUR SERVICE
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting my website.
I am a university-trained and federally registered Melbourne marriage celebrant with over 15 years experience in performing weddings, marriages, commitment ceremonies, renewal of vows, baby-naming and special occasions.
My personality is warm, natural and young at heart. I will listen to you, plan with you and together we can create a ceremony that is just what you want it to be. My training and experience have given me a deep knowledge of the importance of ritual and ceremony in our lives.
Please have a look around my website – I hope you decide that I am the marriage celebrant for you! If you would like to discuss anything at all, don’t hesitate to contact me.
“Rosemary Salvaris was amazing from the start. After meeting with a bunch of other celebrants, what we really loved about Rosemary was how warm and genuine she was. We were sooo happy with our decision to use Rosemary as our celebrant! She was reliable, responsive and just delightful. She wrote us such a beautiful ceremony which was exactly fitting with what we wanted and our requirements. Our wedding was a mix of our two cultures and Rosemary was very flexible and helpful in blending these in a perfect ceremony. On the day she was fantastic too!! So reassuring and calming. We would 100% recommend her to everyone!! Thank you Rosemary for making our day so special!!!”
Jessica Green
“Rosemary was fantastic! She created such a special day for us! She was always so kind, with her beaming smile. It is good to work with someone who knows what they are doing. It is GREAT to work with someone who seems like she is genuinely enjoying herself as she does so š Would absolutely get married by her again (but hope not to be a return customer)”
Alex Donald
“It was an absolute delight having Rosemary as our celebrant. We had wanted a dignified yet personal ceremony, and it was exactly what we desired. Rosemary was professional, knowledgeable, open and warm. We received many comments from family and friends throughout the night about how wonderful our celebrant was. Thank you Rosemary for helping make our dream day perfect.”
Angie Dickinson
About Me
Your first question might be, āDo I want this person to be my marriage celebrant?ā So, hereās some information about me myself to give you an idea of what I am like. I hope that the stories, photographs, and testimonials on my site will give you the best impression of me, but you might also be interested in what motivates and qualifies a person to become a celebrant, so that is what I have tried to address here.
I have two adult children and have been happily married for over fifty years, and Iāve lived in Melbourne my whole life. I have retired from my career in education which spanned over forty years. This has given me vast experience in event organisation and planning, public speaking, and most importantly experience with people.
I am a qualified and professional person. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma of Education from Melbourne University, and a Graduate Diploma of Civil Celebrancy from Monash University. My studies, which took several years, have given me a much more thorough education than the short TAFE course offers which is what most celebrants have.
Becoming a marriage celebrant in my retirement was a natural choice for me. I have a warm, friendly personality; a lively sense of humour and a realistic understanding of human nature. I am calm and relaxed and extremely well-organised. I decided to become a celebrant years before retiring from my career in education.
The most important thing people know about me, is that they can rely on me and trust me. My goal is to be one of the most professional, sincere and fun marriage celebrants Melbourne has to offer. I am sure that I can help you develop the right ceremony for you and rest assured I will always put your needs and wishes first.
If you would like to know anything else about me, please don’t hesitate to ask.
“Rosemary was absolutely wonderful. She listened to everything we talked about and carefully and thoughtfully adapted it into our ceremony. We adapted the ceremony into a very relaxed but still very moving event and Rosemary was with us every step of the way. So many people commented how great she was, and we felt supported and guided by her during our nervous time before. Thank you Rosemary for helping us create such a special day and being an integral part of it. We highly recommend Rosemary if you’re a legend and want a legendary celebrant!”
Amy Bennet
“Rosemary helped guide us and was so kind and thoughtful. I have no idea how we would have managed without her. She listened to our vision and really helped us make the day so special. I will always be in her debt.”
Roka Gold
“Thank you Rosemary for such a warm, personal and fun filled ceremony! All our guests kept telling us how wonderful our ceremony was – and different from the usual, monotonous ceremonies. Mark and I especially loved that you included our son Liam as part of the ceremony too. Thank you once again for a day we will never ever forget xxx”
Andrina De Fry
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We do!
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“We really appreciate having had Rosemary as the celebrant for our wedding. Rosemary’s kind, sincere, and engaging nature helped everyone to enjoy the smoothly run ceremony she prepared for us. We recommend Rosemary to anyone who wants to have an excellent wedding.”
Dave Bunting
“Rosemary was gentle and pleasant woman to deal with. She was very welcoming to us. We really appreciate her time and effort.”
Selorm Kwame Leh
“Rosemary was fantastic. Such a personal touch with a great understanding of what we wanted and a respect for the occasion. We loved her from our first meeting and were thrilled with her work on the day. Highly recommend.”
Simon Chapman
Weddings Walkthrough
Your wedding is special and unique! Naturally, you feel excited, but maybe also a little overwhelmed! You want your ceremony to be meaningful, dignified, joyous, memorable and fun ā all at the same time!
You know what you donāt want, but you may feel less certain about how to express the emotions and significance you do feel. This is where I can really help you. I love to work with couples to develop a marriage ceremony that is personal and the ārightā style just for you ā whether relaxed and simple; traditional and formal; or even a bit āout thereā!
Here are the 6 steps that I will take you through to develop your wedding ceremony:
After an initial contact to establish whether I am available on the date you have booked, we have an obligation-free first meeting to discuss my services, costs and a general outline of your ceremony. I will have a folder of material for you and you can ask any questions you want. If you are planning a very small wedding, I can offer my home in Thornbury for the ceremony, free of charge. After this initial meeting, you decide whether I am the celebrant you want.
We have another meeting in which we complete the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) and then discuss your wedding concept and various options within the wedding ceremony. At this meeting you must show me evidence of: your date and place of birth (preferably your birth certificate or it can be your passport); your ID (usually your drivers licence); and the end of any previous marriages, if applicable. Allow at least an hour for this meeting as there are some additional items to cover: sign our āConfirmation of Details and Costsā agreement; pay the deposit; receive Relationship materials, the Celebrant Code of Practice, the Complaints Procedure and the process for obtaining a Victorian Certificate of Marriage after your wedding.
I give you a questionnaire to fill in about your wedding ceremony and your background. I use this to fill in the details of your ceremony and to write your story. After you return the questionnaire, I write the first draft of your ceremony and then we have ongoing consultations about details like wording, readings, rituals, marriage vows, order of service, etc. I keep liaising with you until you feel the ceremony has the words, music and symbols that truly express the love and commitment you feel for each other.
About a week before your wedding, we hold the rehearsal, preferably at the venue, with key members of your wedding party, if they can be there. You sign the āDeclaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriageā, make your final payment and any last minute adjustments to your ceremony.
Itās your Wedding Day! I arrive about 40 minutes before the start, set up and test the sound system; put the three prepared marriage certificates on the signing table; check that the groom is feeling calm and confident, the best man has the rings and the people who have roles to play are ready to go. At the conclusion of the ceremony, I present you with your Ceremonial Certificate of Marriage.
After your wedding, I submit all your paperwork, both electronically and by mail, to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria, where it will be registered. And finally I send you my congratulations and ask you for feedback about your wedding ceremony and my services.
And of course if you have any questions please feel free to ask.
“My husband and I are so grateful to have found Rosemary as she made our wedding day special and supported us along the way. Rosemary was kind and generous with her words and time and we both valued her guidance and experience. Her speech and the story she created for our wedding was personal, funny and romantic – reflecting our personalities and individual journey. We could not have been happier with the experience and would definitely recommend her services. Thank you Rosemary for making our day so incredible enjoyable and memorable.”
Liesa Winkler
“Rosemary was such a great celebrant to my husband and me. She was extremely communicative, organised and friendly throughout the process, and put together a lovely and moving speech about us on the day. She is also progressive (supportive of LGBTQI) and culturally aware (such that she was able to tailor her service to recognise my husband and my cultural religions/traditions). Thank you Rosemary for being a great Celebrant.”
Chloe Green
“My wife and I were very delighted to have Rosemary officiate our ceremony on such a memorable day. Rosemary was very kind and helpful, she helped us every step of the way.”
Matthew Fitzgerald
Weddings FAQ
These are some answers to questions I am often asked, especially in relation to weddings. I hope you find my answers helpful. I have included links to other sources of information where it seems appropriate.
From early December 2017, marriage equality became part of Australian law, which means that the right to marry will no longer be determined by sex or gender. I have updated this FAQ section to reflect the changes to the marriage ceremony and the forms that are required.
A: As of now, I am delighted to answer āYes, I can!ā
Marriage is now redefined to be: āthe union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for lifeā.
This means that all eligible marrying couples can use the same marriage forms and celebrant must use the updated forms. In summary, a person getting married can choose to be described as āgroomā, ābrideā or āpartnerā. You must also indicate whether you identify as āMaleā, āFemaleā or āXā (for a person who is intersex, indeterminate or unspecified).
A: As of now, the answer to this question is also āYes!ā
A: A ritual can add another level of meaning to your ceremony, especially if its symbolism and history is explained to the guests so they understand why you have included it. I would love to help you develop a ritual that suits you and enhances the mood and meaning you want in your ceremony. I have actually written an article about various wedding rituals here.
Iām not a fan of filling out a ceremony with rituals that actually detract from the moment. Rituals can go wrong ā for example, the release of butterflies to symbolise new life and new beginnings when the weather is so cold that the butterflies donāt emerge; or a symbolic lighting of a marriage candle which splutters and dies out because of the wind. I will always suggest rituals that are simple to perform, that are filled with significance, that add colour and interest to the ceremony and most importantly, that are suited to your personalities.
A: Yes, I can, but the key thing is ā remember that they are your vows! No one else knows what is in your hearts as well as you do. No one else knows what is unique and fundamental in your relationship. So I always say ā start with you, and start with one or two words. Imagine I said to you: what do you value most in your partnership? Is it trust; honesty; unconditional support; space to grow; family loyalty; listening to each other; respect; good humour; predictability; shared values; friendship? Once you have chosen the key words, use each otherās names, then say āthis is what I promise ā¦ā Of course, I have some samples if you are stuck, but first trust yourself to speak from the heart. Your vows can also include something lighthearted and they donāt have to be the same. You donāt have to learn them by heart. I offer two ways of saying them ā either repeating them after me or reading from a card that I will have ready to hand to you when the moment comes. Some couples like to keep their vows secret from each other until the wedding ceremony. This can easily be done and itās beautiful to see the emotion it releases.
I must also remind you that there is a mandatory legal sentence which must be at the start of the vows, and after that, itās what you want to add
A: Yes, I do and Iām very happy to use it for your music and also for any Readings and for your Wedding Vows, if you want. I use a hands-free headset myself. When there are lots of guests and the ceremony is held outdoors, itās important to be heard clearly. I can provide a hand held microphone with both a long and a shorter lead if there are any Readings and I can also hand this microphone to you, so your wedding vows can be heard. At the rehearsal we work out where the PA will be situated and it is often easy to give one of the groomsmen or bridesmaids the job of handing out the microphone.
As for your music, I ask you to prepare three tracks ā one for the Entry; one for the Signing; and one for the Exit. I am happy to help you with the choices of music, but I find most couples already have their favourites! At the rehearsal we also time the entry with the music so you can feel confident on the day. My wireless portable PA system has an input for a standard headphone jack (3.5mm) and many couples use their i-Pods/players/phones this way on the day.
Before the ceremony; I do a quick check and run through with the person who you have asked to play your music. I regard being at the venue early is essential for checking out everything to do with the sound system.
A: Iām afraid that there are a few things that you must, by law, say aloud in your wedding ceremony. But donāt worry, Iām there to help you and I will also make sure you have a chance to practise at the rehearsal. One thing you must say is āI doā (but you can both say it together). Thatās after I ask you: āDo you declare before me, and before your witnesses, that you come here voluntarily, and without reservation, and that you are free by law to be married to each other today?ā The next thing you must say is one compulsory sentence for your wedding vows, which you can repeat after me, if thatās easier: āI call upon the persons here present to witness that I, your name take you, partnerās name, to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband or spouse)ā I can go slowly and divide the words up into small parcels so that you feel confident. Anyway, even if you do break down, so do lots of other couples who get carried away with all the emotion of this moment. You can feel sure that all of your guests are there to support you.
A: I suppose I donāt like the bluntness of the question, so I start by trying to find out if there is a reason behind it. However, the short answer is that there are some legally mandated steps and words in a wedding ceremony as laid out in the Marriage Act 1961 and Marriage Regulations 1963. If that is all that is done and said, the ceremony itself would be about 10 minutes long.
Note that there are legally required steps to be taken before the wedding which I am just summarizing here. A minimum of a month before the wedding ceremony the Notice of Intended Marriage has to be correctly filled in and witnessed and supporting original documents have to be shown to your celebrant. Also prior to the wedding, a Statutory Declaration of No Legal Impediment has to be completed with your celebrant. You also have to provide 2 adult witnesses for the wedding. Another legal requirement is that a Certificate of Marriage is prepared and signed in accordance with the Act.
āThe legalsā in the ceremony itself include:
The authorised celebrant must say to the parties, in the presence of the witnesses, the words:
āI am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law.
āBefore you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.
āMarriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.ā
Each of the couple must say to the other, in the presence of the authorised celebrant and the witnesses, the words of the vows:
āI call upon the persons here present to witness that I name take you name to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband) (or spouse)ā
A: Many couples plan to have a big wedding celebration in another country. This is fine, but you can only be legally married once. If you need to be married in Australia before you go so that you can get an Australian Certificate of Marriage, you need to be clear about the certificate you require. The ceremonial Certificate of Marriage issued by the Commonwealth of Australia will be presented to you by me at the conclusion of your wedding ceremony. However, you may need a Certificate of Marriage issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state you were married in, eg Victoria. In this case you have to apply for it after you are married and after the marriage has been registered. Currently, there is a waiting period of about 40 days. I will explain the application process to you or you can download the form here.
You also need to lodge your Notice of Intended Marriage with me one month before the wedding, so itās important to work out your timeline beforehand.
A: This is a commonly asked question, but the answer is always the same: you can only be legally married once. This now applies to same-sex marriages. If your overseas marriage is recognized in Australia, you cannot be married again. You can certainly have a ceremony to recommit or renew your wedding vows before your family and friends in Australia, but you have to make the nature of this celebration clear to everyone and they must know that you have already been married. I have performed this kind of celebration of a marriage many times and they have been very joyful and sincere ceremonies.
A: Yes, this is correct. I have provided many couples with these 2 documents and have had the joy of celebrating their weddings some time later when their visa has been granted. Celebrants are not immigration agents and must not provide immigration advice. The Department of Immigration link is here. The Prospective Marriage Visa is for people who want to come to Australia to marry their prospective spouse. It is a temporary visa for nine months. The person who is lodging the application must be outside Australia when lodging the application and when the visa is granted.
A: Yes, as long as court evidence of your partnerās divorce is provided before the wedding takes place and as long as you are able to provide the necessary documents for the Notice of Intended Marriage, namely: evidence of your date and place of birth, your identity and the end of any previous marriages.
A: Yes, since 1 July 2014, an amendment to the Marriage Act has made Australian passports acceptable documents for determining date and place of birth. The birth certificate is the more useful document in that it provides information about the names and places of birth of the couplesā parents.
A: Most of the weddings I do over the summer months are outdoors and there are many really beautiful parks, gardens and beach settings in and around Melbourne. You may need to book a space or pay to use an outdoor venue ā so check with the local council first. The one factor that cannot be controlled or accurately predicted is the weather! It is therefore essential to have a Plan B. This can be as easy as supplying umbrellas or setting up a marquee or organizing a fallback setting in the reception venue. Sometimes however, Plan B gets more complex ā especially if you are planning your wedding in a forest in the bush fire season. You cannot put peopleās lives at risk and you must consider the timing and details of changing your venue or evacuating from it, if necessary.
A: I am happy to offer my home as a venue for a small wedding at no extras cost. I have conducted many lovely wedding ceremonies with just the witnesses or a few close family members present.
A: Itās true that you do have to give one monthās Notice of Intended (NOI) Marriage. The NOI form can be found here.
However, the only way the statutory notice period can be shortened is if you apply for, and are granted a shortening of time. To do this, you have to go through the BDM (Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages) or through the Registrars at major regional Victorian courts. There are only a few exceptional circumstances that will be accepted as reasons for the shortening.
These are the steps you have to go through: You have to complete your NOIM and lodge it with your celebrant; you have to provide your original signed and completed NOIM and all the supporting documents you showed to your celebrant; you have to meet one of the exceptional circumstances; you have to complete a notice period shortening application form which includes a statutory declarations explaining your reasons; you have to provide supporting evidence for your application; you have to provide a signed letter from the celebrant agreeing to perform your marriage on the chosen date, if the application is granted; you also have to pay an application fee.
NOTE: This is an active page and I will update it with further questions in the future. Please contact me with any queries.
“Rosemary was a wonderful celebrant for myself and my husband! She was so kind and generous with her words and time and we really felt supported by her. She created a wonderful romantic story for our wedding and was attentive in keeping us on track with what we needed to do. She really was wonderful and I highly recommend her. Thanks Rosemary for being such an important part of this incredible day :)”
Marcella M
“We were delighted to have Rosemary as our celebrant for our wedding @RACV City Club library. Her care and thoughtfulness in preparing a warm and memorable ceremony for us was greatly appreciated. Our guests also commented on how lovely the ceremony was delivered. Rosemary is extremely well organised and professional and we highly recommend her to anyone preparing for their special day. Thank you Rosemary!”
Lisa Daly
“Thank you so much, Rosemary, for officiating at our very special union on the weekend. Your warmth, humour and sincerity made our wedding day a very memorable occasion. We could not have wished for a more perfect celebrant. We will always remember with fondness the part you played in evoking such emotion from our guests. Our heartfelt thanks to you!”
Cameron Sim
Contact Me
Please contact me with any queries you have by phone, email, Facebook or the contact form below. I will do my utmost best to reply promptly.