Chris White Celebrant: 10 Questions with Chris White

Marriage Celebrants - Chris White

Business: Chris White Celebrant
Location: Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Experience: 5 Years
Profile: Chris White Celebrant
Website: www.chriswhitecelebrant.com

1. Introduction: What's your story?

G'day, Im Chris White, a marriage celebrant based in Canberra and regional NSW, but have travelled far and wide for weddings. Having been an Army officer in Australia and abroad, and a public servant for over 35 years, I was looking for career 3 to be something that had me around people when they were at their happiest.

Weddings was the perfect fit and I haven't looked back. Even after 150+ weddings, I still get emotional when I hear personal vows and when I read the monitum and the explicit statement around the 'union of two people'.

Some things about me:

a. Ten pound pommie having moved from the UK when I was five months old (so pretty much born and raised Aussie).

b. Father of three beautiful, fierce independent women

c. Love throwing heavy things - hammers, discus, shot and javelins - and have done so at world (Masters) and national champs.

d. One way to reflect my personality would be Stephen King meets John Grisham, Dexter meets Brooklyn Nine Nine and Eminem meets Taylor Swift.

e. Speaking of which, I can recite most if not all Taylor Swift song lyrics, of which I am both proud and not!

f. Have just retired from the public service and moved out to regional NSW for a tree change, so can chat and perform weddings anytime, anywhere!

2. What's your experience as a marriage celebrant? How many weddings have you done?

I have been fortunate to meet amazing couples and preside over 150+ weddings. While the majority of these are the whole kit and kaboodle type ceremonies, I have as much joy performing very intimate legals only weddings with just the couple and two witnesses. The end result is the same and the sentiment and memory of these events are of equal importance.

I have performed weddings in the ACT, NSW, Vic and QLD and hope to travel even further. Gone are the days the celebrant has to be in your local town to be able to get to know you and deliver a ceremony that reflects a couple's story and the experience they are after for their guests.

Every wedding is a new memory waiting to be created.

3. How far in advance do couples need to secure your services?

Generally couples book me out at the 12 - 15 month mark. But of course have had some very short notice that needed a shortening of time or the minimum one month notice to the perform the ceremony. If I'm available, I am very happy to work on short notice. But this goes back to the first point, I usually get booked 12 - 15 months out. Much of 2025 is booked out, with dates for 2026 already snapped up.

I believe this is key for securing the main three vendors for a wedding - celebrant, venue and photographer - where a good bond, relationship is very important. If you find the one you feel you gel with then lock them in, or they will be snapped up quick.

4. How would you describe your ceremony style?

I think there are four things to remember for any wedding ceremony that probably defines what my style is:

a. Understanding the memory the couple want to take away from the ceremony

b. What is the experience the couple want for their guests, privileged to be there.

c. I prefer not to deliver a full on heavy/serious on sentiment only ceremony nor bang on about love and the sanctity of marriage - couples and guests know whey we are there and don't need a lesson from me.

d. I don't dress up as a dinosaur or as Gandalph the Grey; but the couple of course is most welcome to. If this is what you are after, then there are many celebrants out there who will. You do get to choose my outfit for the day to avoid clashing with your bridal party colours or the hues/florals for the day.

This last point about dress ups doesn't mean it is all serious. I love a good pun and will weave as much humour into the ceremony as the couple wants, but hey its tricky doing a hand fastening or performing a ceremony with tiny T-Rex arms.

Ceremonies to me are not about the traditional bouncing ball structure. Apart from the Legal Vows and the Monitum (words said by celebrant from the Marriage Act to state what is about to follow is legal) everything is up for grabs (in or out). So with this in mind, it is less about the non legal inclusions as it is working with couples to understand their story to this point - as individuals and as a couple - and weaving the inclusions into their story rather than copy and pasting their names into a templated run sheet. Your wedding, your structure.

Every wedding is a new opportunity to create something unique and wonderful.

5. What are your fees for a wedding?

Legal only - $600 (five - ten minutes) - couple, two witnesses and celebrant - no bells no whistles

Elopement Style - from $1100 - up to 15 guests, legal elements, personal vows, rings

Full Monty - from $1500 - as many guests as you like, all bells, all whistles

6. What do you wear when you officiate a wedding?

I will match your theme be that tuxedo through to smart casual (but not a dinosaur suit - maybe if I am MCing your reception we can discuss). You also get the chance to select what I wear to ensure I don't clash with your bridal party colours and blend well with your wedding hues/florals.

Jump on to my website and view my gallery to see the different suits on offer - there are many!

7. How many pre-wedding sessions will the couple need to have with you?

That is really up to you (and depends if it is legal only or the full monty type ceremony). But as a minimum:

a. The initial meet and greet to ensure we have the connection you are after.

b. We meet to sign the NOIM (this can be F2F or virtual).

c. We meet to understand more the memory you are after and the experience you seek for your guests, and walk through the proposed ceremony structure

d. A week out we meet to go through the final ceremony and cross t's and dot i's.

e. We need to sign the Declaration of No Impediment which is done as close to the wedding day (see d.) as possible (sometimes even on the day just before we start). This has to be F2F.

In between this time there a number of questionnaires I send to enable completing the administrative info for the legal documents as well of course as the content for the ceremony.

There are no limits on the number of phone calls, emails, texts, meets we can have. The quoted price allows for unlimited contact. The last thing we want is for you to feel you can't ask or have a question on the process and wished you had said something beforehand. Ask, ask, ask!

8. Will you be able to create a personalised ceremony?

This is my wheelhouse! If you look at my reviews on public websites or up on my website you will see this is the stand out point for couples.

It is about the memory you as a couple are after, not simply cut and pasting your names into a template. EVERY ceremony starts from scratch, because every couple is different, have a different story and are looking for a different experience.

I love it when I get approached by guests and the couple after the ceremony and they say 'you clearly have known them for a while', 'you've really captured them in the ceremony' or 'I've never seen a ceremony crafted like that, loved it'. This is what brings me joy.

If you want a full ceremony that isn't personalised, then I am probably not the celebrant for you.

That said the only time you could say I don't do a personalised ceremony, would be for those that after a legal only ceremony. On those occasions, we essentially sit around a kitchen table, say the legal words and sign the documents and we are done. I still make a point of emphasising that while small and intimate and no fuss, the sentiment and importance of what is about to occur is no less.

9. Are you available to travel if needed?

I will go anywhere, anytime. I'm retired and this is my full time gig, so lets go!

Usually there is no travel fee for Canberra and the regional area. If I am going more than about 30km from Canberra CBD then lets have a chat.

The basic rule of thumb is 75c per km >30kms.

If I can drive there it is possible I can make it a weekend away and as such probably wont charge for driving. But, if I need to fly - and I'm worth it :) - then the airfare and accomodation likely sit with you. But again, lets chat.

10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?

Terms and conditions

Couples intending to marry (and their celebrant) must comply with the Marriage Act 1961 and sign a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) at least one full calendar month before marrying. The notice is valid for 18 months and may be transferred to another celebrant at any time (eg. if one celebrant becomes ill).

Fee Inclusions:

· An initial in-person meeting/s to discuss your needs, provide you with relevant information on marriage and progress legal and booking documentation, including the NOIM;

· Conduct of the ceremony using a PA system as required (please advise if you wish to use this system to run music during the ceremony);

In the event of a cancellation by the couple:

a. at any time except within 7 days of signing the contract, the booking/lodgement fee is NOT REFUNDABLE;

b. within six weeks of the ceremony date (where the ceremony was booked in advance the couple will be liable for the full fee.

However, I will consider relevant circumstances and may agree to a lesser charge and/or give a discretionary refund, depending on the time and work undertaken to date and the likelihood that I have forfeited other bookings and income on or around the particular ceremony date; or

c. outside this six-week period before the ceremony, I will consider relevant circumstances and may charge either no further fee (other than the non-refundable booking fee), or a reduced, reasonable fee that reflects administrative time and effort and forfeited income opportunities.

Non-refundable booking/lodgement fees.

The non-refundable booking/lodgement fee (usually one third of the total fee or as agreed) is paid when you lodge your NOIM and booking paperwork with me. This confirms your wedding day, date and time booking. Prior to the receipt of this payment, all bookings are tentative only, unless otherwise advised in writing.

Outstanding fees

Outstanding fees are to be as a lump sum upfront. Following payment of the non-refundable booking fee, generally, the final payment is due four weeks prior to the actual ceremony date. Variations to this arrangement are generally agreed in writing at the time of booking. If final payment is not received before your ceremony, it will NOT go ahead. Please note that an appointment with me within the week or two prior to the Marriage Ceremony is essential to finalise all arrangements.