Service Contract
Let's do it already
The Celebrant Agrees
1) To provide Commonwealth Registered Marriage Celebrant services to the Clients in accordance with the
Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants (a copy of which is included in the Ceremony Builder and
Information Booklet provided by the Celebrant).
2) To attend and conduct the ceremony at the agreed time, date and place.
3) To advise the Clients as soon as possible if the Celebrant is unable to conduct the ceremony for any
reason, and to make all reasonable efforts to arrange for the ceremony to be completed by another
registered marriage celebrant.
4) If the Celebrant is unable to perform the ceremony due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances:
a) to refund to the Clients a negotiated amount or compensate the replacement celebrant, whichever is
appropriate, and
b) to pass the Notice of Intended Marriage to the replacement marriage celebrant, in a timely and
appropriate manner.
5) To incur the costs for alternative arrangements (e.g. taxi) if the Celebrant experiences problems on her
way to the wedding (e.g. traffic jam, flat tyre, car accident), in order to arrive at the venue 20 minutes
prior to the ceremony.
The Clients Agree:
6) To complete and provide Bel Nation a Notice of Intended Marriage within the time frame required by law.
Provide Bel Nation with all original documentation requested no less than fourteen (14) days before the
Ceremony Date including any accredited translation documentation requested by Bel Nation. If the Couple
fail to provide all requested documentation to Bel Nation within the specified time frame, Bel Nation is
under no obligation to provide the Services and may cancel the Contract. In these circumstances, the
Couple will forfeit all monies paid to Bel Nation.
7) Communicate all of their expectations to Bel Nation regarding the Ceremony no later than seven (7) days before the Ceremony Date. If the Couple fail to provide any such details to Bel Nation within the
specified time frame, all decisions regarding the content of the Ceremony will be left to the sole discretion
of the Celebrant.
8) To pay the Celebrant’s fee in accordance with the Fee Schedule, namely:
a) the non-refundable booking fee of $200, and
b) the balance of the fee not less than one calendar month prior to the wedding date
c) Balance of fees to be paid via direct deposit to the celebrant's nominated bank account, or by
alternative method as agreed in writing with the Celebrant.
NOTE: If full payment has not been made to the Celebrant in accordance with these terms then the
Celebrant will not attend or conduct the ceremony.
9) That they have booked the Celebrant for a particular date, time and location, and to advise the
Celebrant immediately in writing of any change to the date, time or place of the ceremony.
10) If the date and/or time of the ceremony is changed, the booking fee will be held over to the new date or
time, and the current Fee Schedule will stand, so long as:
a) the new date and/or time is within 12 months of the original date AND
b) the Celebrant is available for the new date and/or time.
c) and the date has only been rescheduled once. More than one reschedule and the celebrant reserves
the right to either terminate the contract, voiding any monies paid or increase the fee in line with the
current fee schedule at the time of postponement.
11) If the location of the ceremony is changed, the Celebrant reserves the right to review the Fee Schedule
and charge an additional travel fee if applicable.
12) In the event that the Celebrant is unable to conduct the ceremony due to the change in date, time or
location of the ceremony, the Celebrant reserves the right to terminate the agreement and,
a) retain the non-refundable booking fee, and
b) if the change is post-rehearsal, the Celebrant reserves the right to retain or charge an additional $20
paperwork expense fee.
NOTE: If the change is made on the wedding day and the Celebrant cannot accommodate the change, no
monies will be refunded.
13) If the ceremony is cancelled by the Clients:
a) less than one month before the ceremony date, no monies will be refunded.
b) more than one month before the ceremony date, all monies paid will be refunded within five (5)
business days except for:
i) the non-refundable booking fee.
14) The Celebrant has explained, and they understand, the legal requirements for entering into a valid
marriage, and they agree to comply with their obligations as requested by the Celebrant.
15) To provide the Celebrant with accurate information, and acknowledge that the penalty for making a false
declaration is four years' imprisonment.
16) If the Celebrant is unable to perform the ceremony and a replacement celebrant is arranged all original
documents must also be sighted by the replacement celebrant prior to the ceremony. This includes
passports, birth certificates and if applicable proof of how last marriage was terminated.
17) As an Occupational Health and Safety measure, the Celebrant may, in her absolute discretion, wear a hat
or other appropriate personal protective apparel or use personal protective devices, before, during and
after the ceremony.
18) Where the Celebrant considers that prevailing weather conditions such as extreme heat, fire, flood or
storm in the vicinity of, or en route to, the proposed ceremony, pose a threat to herself, her equipment
and / or her motor vehicle, she reserves the right to move, delay or not attend the ceremony until such
threat has passed or been averted. Every reasonable attempt will be made to attend and conduct the
ceremony and remedial action may simply be detouring around the threat or providing shade for the
wedding party and celebrant.
19) If the ceremony is to be changed to the alternative venue due to inclement weather, one of the Clients will
inform the Celebrant personally by telephone (not via email or text message), no less than three (3) hours
prior to the ceremony to ensure the Celebrant has sufficient time to travel to the alternative venue.
20) The Celebrant will take any steps she considers necessary to protect equipment, documents and
certificates if there is any risk of damage by rain or inclement weather or other situation.
21) The use of the Celebrant’s PA system is subject to favourable weather conditions and will not be used in
any circumstances where the unit may be exposed to harm by persons or the elements. Judgement to be
made at the Celebrant’s sole discretion.
22) Where the Celebrant's PA system is used:
a) if it is damaged through no fault of the Celebrant e.g. microphone dropped by groom, bride or guest
performing a reading, or through use of a Client's/guest’s iPod for music, the Clients will be
responsible for and pay all associated costs involved in fixing or replacing the damaged item.
b) the Celebrant undertakes to use her best endeavours to ensure that the PA is fully charged, functional
and tested prior to the ceremony. However, the Clients acknowledge that inanimate equipment may
malfunction from time to time and should the PA fail at any time prior to, during or after the
ceremony, through no fault of the Celebrant, the Celebrant will not be held responsible.
23) If either of the Clients has not arrived by 30 minutes after the agreed start time, or if the ceremony cannot
proceed for any reason outside the Celebrant's control, the Celebrant reserves the right to leave the place
of the ceremony without conducting the ceremony.
24) In the event of the above occurrence (23), the Clients will liaise with the Celebrant to mutually agree on a
later time and place for the Celebrant to solemnise the marriage for an extra fee, payable in advance.
25) In the event of the above occurrence (23), if the Celebrant remains at the venue and solemnises the
marriage, the Clients agree to pay an additional $100 for every 30 minutes' delay.
26) If the ceremony is delayed through no fault of the Celebrant, which results in the Celebrant incurring extra
charges such as parking fines, the Client’s will pay the Celebrant’s further costs.
27) The Celebrant accepts no liability for the late start of a ceremony due to the late arrival of any of the
Clients, their attendants or guests.
28) The Celebrant takes no responsibility for damage to property, personal injury or disruptive behaviour of
children/guests/the public prior to, during or after the ceremony. The supervision of children attending
the ceremony is a matter for the parent/s or carer/s of the children in question. The behaviour of adult
guests is the Clients' responsibility.
29) The Celebrant accepts no liability for the dissatisfaction of clients where the quality of the ceremony is
diminished due to disruptions resulting from the behaviour of children, adult guests, wildlife and
environmental factors such as temperature or rain/hail/snow.
30) To advise the Celebrant as soon as practicable if either of them is taking prescribed medication which may
change their demeanour on their wedding day.
31) That:
a) they will not arrive at the ceremony appearing to be inebriated or under the influence of any other
substance.
b) judgement as to inebriation of the Clients being under the influence of alcohol or any other substance
is at the Celebrant’s sole discretion.
NOTE: The Celebrant is not lawfully authorised to solemnise the marriage under these circumstances.
32) To nominate two official witnesses aged 18 years or over, who understand English and who appear sober
and not under the influence of any other substance, at the sole judgement of the Celebrant, otherwise
alternative official witnesses must be used.
33) It is the Clients' responsibility to meet the costs of all purchases made by the Celebrant of items required
for the ceremony e.g. items for symbolic rituals.
34) The Celebrant may use photos from the ceremony and testimonials in promotional material, on her
website and Facebook page, and in other marketing collateral/websites.