10 Questions with Sally Bruce

Wedding Diaries interviewed one of the most experienced and a highly sought-after marriage celebrant from Western Australia, Sally Bruce of Sally Bruce Celebrant. Perth based Sally is the founder and owner of Sally Bruce Celebrant.

Marriage Celebrants - Sally Bruce

Business: Sally Bruce Celebrant
Location: Perth, WA
Experience: 6 Years
Profile: Sally Bruce Celebrant
Website: www.sallybrucecelebrant.com.au

1. Introduction: What's your story?

Hey, I'm Sally Bruce, a Perth-based Elopement and Wedding Celebrant. I became a celebrant back in 2020 to bring together my love of people and stories, my epic admin skills and attention to detail with my years of experience working as a professional actor. It's the perfect combo! I get to hang out with awesome couples, hear your stories, and co-create amazing marriage ceremonies with you. Throughout our time together, and especially on the ceremony day, I bring the excitement - but my couples tell me my superpower is helping you feel calm. Behind-the-scenes I'm a super-organised admin queen making sure the legal paperwork is all in order and everything happens in an easy, simple process - because everyone's time is precious, right?

Elopements are my specialty. That’s because I love the intimacy of a simple, joyful marriage ceremony. Without all the distracting 'bells and whistles' that a 'traditional' wedding ceremony can bring, we can focus on the two of you and your love story. And because I love our beautiful planet, my business has the ethics of Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share at its core. I promote eco-ethical weddings and share info about how to make your wedding more Earth-friendly.

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

Since 2020 I've married so many awesome couples. (I don't know the exact number - words are my thing, not numbers!) I've conducted a beautiful spectrum of ceremonies, from tiny, intimate, top-secret elopements to crowds-of-people-cheering weddings. I've married people in backyards, Airbnbs and hotel rooms, in cafes, wineries, restaurants and function centres, under trees, by the beach, in pubs, parks and private homes.

What a privilege it is to hear couples' stories, and be trusted to tell them. My couples are rule-breakers who don't want to be pressured into having a wedding that doesn't reflect who they are. They care more about their marriage than their wedding. They are clear on their values and they are always, always, wonderful people.

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

I only open my books 12 months in advance, so I'm often available when other celebrants who open their books earlier aren't.

I reckon 2-5 months before an elopement is the sweet spot. If you're eloping, you're probably wanting a low-key, low-fuss experience. And trust me, the longer you have to plan things (and the more people who know about it), the easier it is for fuss to creep in! An exception to this time frame is if you're running away to elope in Perth. If you're booking travel and accommodation you might want to book your celebrant at the same time, which may be more than 5 months away - and of course that's fine.

For weddings, about 6-8 months before the wedding day is enough time to sort out the ceremony with me, without feeling rushed.

We do have to consider some legal deadlines though - the main one being the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) paperwork. The NOIM has to be prepared, signed and lodged with your celebrant at least one month prior to the ceremony date. This takes a bit of organising, so please don't leave it too late or we'll be rushing to get it done - which goes against my stress-free goals!

4. How would you describe your ceremony style?

Relaxed, warm, personal and fun is how I describe my style, and this is echoed in reviews from couples I've married.

My ceremonies are a co-creation with my couples. They're planned out with the two of you, and everyone involved knows the plan for the day well before the day. But as we know - things don't always go to plan! As a professional actor trained in improvisation, I'm good at thinking on my feet if things don't go as expected.

As an actor I know how to speak in front of a crowd, but it's not all about me - the focus is always on the two of you and your relationship. (What you WON'T get in my ceremonies: one-woman shows with me rambling about my opinions on the importance of marriage as an institution or what I think love is. Or a stand-up comedy act.)

My ceremonies are inclusive. If it's important to you, children are welcome, pets encouraged! I make sure we've thought about seats for those who might struggle to stand throughout the ceremony. I use inclusive language to make all your special guests feel welcome.

If you’ll be having an outdoor ceremony, you must have a realistic Plan B for a sheltered, or preferably inside, option. Perth weather is unpredictable and can be extreme. I’m not just talking about rain and wind here, but also the heat. I can’t risk your marriage paperwork getting wet or blown away, or us fainting from heatstroke mid-ceremony. So I'm the sensible one making sure we're all safe as well as the bringer of good vibes :)

5. What are your fees for a wedding?

Elopements - from $1200
Weddings - from $1950
An experienced celebrant you vibe with and can trust - priceless.

Please see my website for more details, or contact me for a free quote.

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

I ask my couples what they're wearing and to see any mood boards or details about styling/flowers etc. Then I choose something that fits the vibe of the occasion and doesn't clash. If you look, you'll see the same outfits repeated in many of my ceremonies. That's because my eco values mean I invest in quality items and look after them so they last.

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

We'll meet up at least once, either online or in person, for
1. NOIM Signing Meeting - to witness and sign the Notice of Intended Marriage paperwork
2. Ceremony Planning Meeting - to plan out the ceremony
Sometimes these meetings are combined into the one meeting.

Everyone's time is precious and I've streamlined the planning process by writing ebooks for couples to look over when it suits them.

Couples can also choose to book a no-strings attached 'vibe check' chat before booking - details on my website.

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

Of course - all my ceremonies are personalised and co-created with the couple. No cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all ceremonies here! I encourage all my couples to write their own vows (and show them how to do it!) because I believe that's the easiest, best and most eco-friendly way to make your wedding unique.

9. Are you available to travel if needed?

I'm based in Perth and the majority of my ceremonies are in Perth metro. I also love a sneaky down-south elopement! While I'm aware of my carbon footprint, I do love exploring our beautiful country, so please contact me to see if I can work in with your plans.

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

I understand that sometimes things don't go according to plan and so I aim to be transparent and fair about what happens in those instances.

If you couldn't do your booked date, I would work with you to see if you wanted to postpone - ie move your ceremony to another date - or cancel it altogether. We would then all sign either a Cancellation or Postponement Agreement so we're all clear on what the expectations are going forward. In the case of a postponement, I may be able to simply move everything to another day, possibly with a small fee to cover additional administration costs.

The first payment on the invoice is a non-refundable booking fee which locks the date into my calendar so I don't take any other bookings at your time, and covers admin costs of starting the marriage process for you at my end. You'll sign a Service Agreement Contract at the time of booking which will include details about cancellation and refunds.