Margaret Barwell

Margaret Barwell Civil Marriage Celebrant

Melbourne metropolitan, Eastern suburbs, Dandenong Ranges

Australian callers: 0408 772 746

Overseas callers: +61 408 772 746

Email: margaret@margaretbarwell.com.au

Margaret Barwell is an award winning Civil Marriage Celebrant with many years of experience.

Melbourne is a very multicultural city. My longstanding reputation and recent recognition by the City of Whitehorse Business Group as a Winner of the Sole Trader Award, reflects my craft in designing individual ceremonies to suit clients from many cultures, faiths and backgrounds.

Having lived overseas for several years, particularly in Asia, I welcome couples of cultural diversity and some of my clients choose to have a Hindu, Buddhist or Muslim ceremony before the Australian government Civil ceremony which I then perform.

I listen to the vision of the couple and together we create the perfect ceremony which reflects your personalities, personal Marriage Vows and cultural requirements.

My many years of involvement with various prominent Celebrant Associations has enabled me to understand the importance of ceremony, ritual and rites of passage and the need to honour and celebrate important milestones in life.

I provide all necessary legal documentation including Letters for Prospective Marriage Visa applications and keep up-to-date with all Commonwealth Government legalities, current trends and ideas.

For clients living overseas or interstate who are marrying in Melbourne we can communicate via email or telephone.  For your convenience, I have all documentation and resources on email.

To present a professional wedding service I believe the marriage ceremony must be heard by all your guests. I provide a PA sound system with both stand and hand held microphones and my lectern is available for readings. I always arrive at least 45 minutes before the start of your marriage ceremony or at a mutually agreed time.

My fees represent the professional and quality service you expect for the most important day in your lives and you have my assurance and guarantee that you will receive a professional, sincere, stress free service of the highest standard incorporating all the legal requirements.

Your wedding day is your day and together we can plan and design your own unique ceremony from ‘no-fuss’ to a fully personalised ceremony.

My craft is to make your Special Day personal, stylish and memorable and together we can design and plan a ceremony that will be unique and memorable to you both. You may wish to choose your own wording and ideas, or I can suggest wording to make your ceremony meaningful and enjoyable for you and your guests.

For further information I welcome a phone call or email. I invite you to view my FAQ’s.

Registration of Marriage

After the wedding has taken place your celebrant will forward necessary signed paperwork for Registration of marriage to occur in the Department of Births, Death and marriages, (BDM), 595 Collins Street, Melbourne.

www.bdm.vic.gov.au

A Registered copy of the Certificate of Marriage is available for a small fee and it is recommended that all couples apply for this. Margaret Barwell provides all her clients with a copy of the form required to apply for this registered copy. It takes approx.… 6 weeks for this to become available from BDM.

Changing the Brides name to her husband’s name

Margaret can provide her clients with a Name Change Kit with all the relevant forms to change the bride’s name after marriage. You will be eligible for a new passport with your new married name free of charge, if application is made within 12 months of marriage.

Multicultural Weddings

Melbourne is a very multicultural city and I welcome clients from many diverse backgrounds. Having lived in Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia. I am familiar with Poruwa, Hindu, Buddhist and other marriage ceremonies. Clients engage me to conduct the entire marriage ceremony for them incorporating some of their rituals and customs or, some clients request that I attend to the Commonwealth Government legal requirements at the ceremony whilst the actual ceremony is performed in accordance with their culture.

Spouse visa letters

A client living in Australia who wishes to assist their proposed spouse who lives overseas to obtain a Spouse Visa must:

Meet with me and complete the Notice of Intention to Marry form. (NOIM)

I will then provide a spouse Visa Letter stating that they have met with me and completed the NOIM. This letter from me supports the client’s application for spouse visa.

When the overseas spouse arrives in Australia they must meet with me, produce relevant documentation (passport or birth certificate…. + divorce/death papers if relevant) and complete their section of the NOIM. The marriage date is then set, and the marriage must take place within 9 months of arrival in Australia.

WEDDING TESTIMONIALS:

Margaret you were BRILLIANT.  We can’t believe how you so calmly and professionally helped us to organise our ceremony via email when we were in theU.K. All our guests couldn’t believe that we had only flown in 4 days before and yet our ceremony seemed like it had taken hours to organise.  You are a true professional and thanks a million.”
Judy and Paul.

“From our first meeting to the finish of our ceremony your warmth, empathy, help and calm guidance was wonderful. We really appreciated your understanding of our cultural requirements which enabled us to please our families and we were overwhelmed with your innovative ideas which helped us to enjoy the planning phases of our wedding. Thank you for the time you devoted to us and for preparing such a meaningful, intimate and personal ceremony which was uniquely ours. We will be recommending you to all our friends.”
Tao & Lucy

“Thank you Margaret for making our ceremony a real celebration.  Your calm, caring nature and innovative ideas helped us to enjoy the planning phases of our wedding and your excellent presentation skills and professionalism on the day was commented upon by many of our guests”.
Christine & John.

“Thank you Margaret for the wonderful job you did as our Wedding Celebrant.  Everybody has commented on what a lovely service it was and how well dressed and spoken you were.    We can’t believe how from a few conversations and a bit of information you were able to create such an appropriate service that drew together all the bits and pieces of our complex family history and summed them up in such beautiful words. Thank you for helping make our special day such a memorable occasion.”
Julie and Nick.