Jo Mooney Celebrant Melbourne

Marriage Wedding Celebrant Melbourne

JoMooney

Questions to ask when Choosing your Venue

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As I have a background in Event Planning, people often ask me what to look for when booking a Venue.

Here are some handy questions to help you:

DATES:

• Is our date available?
• How many other weddings will be booked that day?
• Is the venue available for exclusive use?

LOGISTICS:
• What is the seating arrangement?
• How many guests does the venue hold?
• What type of tables do you have (shape, size)?
• How long do we have at the venue? How much are additional hours?
• Is parking available?
• Is public transportation easily accessible from the venue?
• If an outdoor venue: Is there a backup plan for rain?
• Are there restrictions for the photographer in terms of flash usage?
• Is there somewhere secure to store wedding gifts?

CO-ORDINATOR:

• Is there an on-site venue coordinator?
• What services are included with the venue coordinator, and are there additional charges?
• Will the coordinator serve as day-of coordinator?
• How much assistance can I get with the set up/decor?
• Is any set up/tear down service available? How much does it cost?
• Do you have signage to direct guests to the wedding?
• Do you provide assistance getting gifts or decor back to a designated place?

MUSIC:

• Are there any noise restrictions?
• Can the venue accommodate a DJ or live band? Are there any restrictions?
• Where does the band/DJ set up?
• Where is the dance floor, and how large is it?
• Do you have a sound system with speakers, or will that need to be rented?
• Do you have microphones for speeches?
• Can I hook an iPod or laptop up to your sound system?

 

MONIES:

• What’s included in the fees (rentals, catering, lighting, parking, etc.)?
• Is there a discount for an off-season date or Sunday through Friday?
• How much is the deposit, and when is it due?
• When is the balance due?
• What forms of payment do you accept?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do we need any insurance or permits?
• Do you have liability insurance?
• Is there a minimum spend?

Do I Need Readings At My Ceremony

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This is pure choice.
It is not a legal obligation to have readings in your Ceremony.
Most couples like to have readings,to involve someone they didn’t have as part of the wedding party.
If you choose Readings, I would suggest a maximum of 2, as you want to keep your family and friends engaged.
I always spread the readings throughout the Ceremony, for the reasons just mentioned.
They can be religious, spiritual or even “slightly” humorous, (save the jokes for the Reception) I have many samples of readings, and so does Google.

Celebrant Costs

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The very first question I get on my initial phone call from couples is: “we are just wanting pricing”. Sound familiar?

So how do you know what is the appropriate cost for your Celebrant…quite simply you don’t. Fees can vary, however, this is not an indicator of the Professionalism of the Celebrant. If you add all the total costs of your Wedding and allow 10% for your Celebrant, I’m sure you will be quite happy with the fee you have been quoted!

You need to chose your Celebrant based on your connection first and fee second. My fee is now listed on my Website for these reasons, as I don’t want to waste time for couples who only want to know costs, it’s an indicator only… meeting me is your true decision maker.

Remember your Celebrant plays a very important role in your Ceremony, quite simply if you don’t have a Celebrant you don’t have a Legal wedding!

I hope this has helped a little.

Jo