The Celebrant Talk Show

We chat about the importance of exchanging value and not simply expecting things for free, we give a rundown of what we've written about for the Celebrant Institute over the past month, and we talk a bit about Vic BDM's new online system (spoiler alert, it's coming "soon").

00:04.14 Consolidating photos, systems and using Dropbox.

We recorded this episode on 6 July 2018, before Sarah had a chance to read the fact sheet from the AGD about the change in the one month's notice period, so we don't discuss that in the episode. Sarah will write more about that change soon; suffice to say she's fighting it because she believes it's a mis-interpretation of the Acts Interpretation Act.

In this episode we launch The Celebrant Institute: what it is, why we're doing it, and why we hope you'll support us!

As always, please check in at [email protected] if you have any questions or anything you'd like us to talk about in future episodes!

00:01:08 Josh and Sarah catch up on each others news

Sarah & Josh, chat about Sarah's experience performing Eurydice Dixon's funeral; Paperwork only, legals only, registry style weddings and the legalities surrounding them; Copyright for marriage celebrants.

1.30 Advice and tips for anyone using a microphone

Sarah & Josh spend most of this episode talking about some major changes in the legalities of how we do our work:- changes to the gender and sex questions on the NOIM through an updated Compulsory OPD booklet- the new Marriage Regulations 2017- the new Draft Guidelines on the Marriage Act.

1.20  Is there such a thing as wedding season

As the introduction on the title address says gay-weddings are NOT a thing they are just weddings!!

This podcast features Josh and Tara Baker who is one of the brains behind Dancing With Her a publication for LGBTQ+ women in love.

Together Josh and Tara discuss a range of topics that people within the LGBTQ+ community face on a daily basis and how the language we use is vitally important when connecting to couples. The need to be authentic in what we share, do we use the correct language on our paperwork, no longer using the Bride & Groom tag etc are all parts of the whole.

With the legalisation of same-sex marriages in Australia on the 9th December in 2017, weddings among the L.G.B.T.Q + the community have been on the rise.  So, when as a guest or vendor you find yourself working or witnessing their vows, it might be helpful to know-how you say something could offend the couple you so dearly love as you celebrate with them. Labelling same-sex couples as different from any other wedding is the root of the cause. The qualifier to describe the wedding signals that it’s unlike a wedding of a heterosexual couple. It feels exclusive. BUT it is a legal marriage like any between a man and a woman. A same-sex couple and a straight couple both say the required vows and sign the same marriage paperwork to be recognised as legally wed. So why has it taken time to get the language briefly and clearly expressed?

In this exclusive interview, Tara and Josh discuss the subtle differences of meaning, expression, or sound when engaging with couples. No matter how couples identify it is up to us to ask the question, how do you present yourselves?… what pronouns would you like me to use? Don’t just assume. This session also discusses the language used when addressing guests, the need to be inclusive to all.

The burning issues that came out of this podcast:

1:05: Begin by honest conversation, not assumptions. Taking responsibility on how to make a  spouse feel with conversation/language

Delivered with love and setting the tone for what was is to follow in this Podcast. Immersing their audience in a story is something both Josh and Sarah do because a well-told presentation will stick in their audience's brain for years to come!

2:17: Victorian/Melbourne Death Scene. How's life in the funeral industry? why celebrants must diversify their roles within the industry, not just rely on one form of industry work. Figures from Springvale Botanical Cemetery show the drop-in funerals for February and March. With no apparent reason, the bottom fell out of this market. there is a reoccurring issue. and you can bet that the same time the following year it was reversed. We need to think about the way we market death! Weddings have changed “enormously” in the past decade, and for the better, with people taking greater ownership not only of their ceremonies but also their marriages. Civil celebrants, for example, have overseen the majority of weddings in Australia since 1999. Similar “exciting developments” have been slower to show in the funeral industry. Now we see families looking for a celebrant who fits in with who they are. However, many are at the whim of a Funeral Director. Which says to us, don't just rely on this form of recommendation. to produce a sustainable business!

We know it’s been a while, but welcome back to The Celebrant Talk Show!  In this episode we’re responding to questions from you, our lovely listeners. Feel free to send us your questions by email to [email protected], or even record yourself asking us your question and send us the audio file!

Marriage equality has come to Australia! Finally! And it came in like a wrecking ball, changing everything for marriage celebrants whilst also delivering equality, love, and compassion to a large part of our population. There's so many questions to be asked about marriage equality and what it means for celebrants, so we hope you enjoy this episode - Josh is sorry for his terrible audio quality, it was recorded in a Brisbane co-working space which was noisey and echoey, sorry!

Is Australian society now doomed? Is my marriage now less valid?

This episode answers so many crucially dumb questions, you can’t afford to miss it.  (Even if it is just for the giggle).

4.47: The biggest change after Marriage Equality – 7th December 2017