10 FAQ with Sally Bruce Celebrant
Updated: 3 days ago
Sally Bruce Celebrant answers the top 10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
FAQ 1. What's your story, Sally Bruce Celebrant?
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
epic admin skills
attention to detail
calming energy
years of experience working as a professional actor.
It's the perfect combo!
Now I get to hang out with awesome couples, hear your stories, and co-create amazing marriage ceremonies with you, as my job!
Throughout our time together, and especially on the ceremony day, I bring the joy - and also the reassurance. My couples often tell me that my superpower is helping you feel calm if any nerves kick in.
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?
My professional acting background gives me skills I use at every ceremony. I know how to speak confidently and engage a crowd. You might catch me doing vocal warmups in my car before your ceremony!
While I don't believe your ceremony is a performance, there are performative aspects that do need to be considered. I'm the one thinking about sightlines and shifting position to check your guests can see you, arranging music cues and stage-managing our 'props' like wedding rings and vows.
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.
FAQ 2. What's your experience as a marriage celebrant?
Since becoming Sally Bruce, Celebrant in 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
hotel rooms
cafes
pubs
wineries
restaurants
function centres
parks
private homes
under trees
and by the beach
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.
FAQ 3. How far in advance should couples book Sally Bruce Celebrant?
I only open my books 12 months in advance, so I'm often available when other celebrants who open their books earlier aren't.
Elopement bookings - ideally 2-5 months before the ceremony
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.
Wedding bookings - ideally 6-12 months before
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.
While I smoothly manage this process for all my couples, it does take 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!
FAQ 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.
Ceremonies reflecting the couple
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.
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.
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.
Co-created unique ceremonies, not cookie-cutter
My ceremonies are a co-creation with my couples.
I work with my couples to make sure that every element included in their ceremony holds meaning and significance to them.
No generic cliches, no cookie-cutter copy-and-paste scripts, and definitely no AI-generated slop.
They're planned out with the two of you, and everyone involved knows the plan for the day well before the day.
Plan A, Plan B, and improvising
But as we know - things don't always go to plan!
As well as the bringer of good vibes, I'm the sensible one making sure we're all safe, thinking about thing you probably haven't.
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 if you’ll be having an outdoor ceremony, we will make a realistic Plan B for a sheltered, or preferably inside, option. This makes deciding what to do in case of severe heat, storms etc much easier if we're not scrambling to find an undercover solution at the last minute.
Sometimes even the best-laid plans are unexpectedly affected. As a professional actor trained in improvisation, I'm good at thinking on my feet if things don't go as planned.
Inclusive ceremonies
My ceremonies are inclusive.
I use inclusive language to make all your special guests feel welcome and part of your day.
I make sure we've thought about seats for those who might struggle to stand throughout the ceremony.
If it's important to you, children are welcome in your ceremony.
I also love it when pets are part of your wedding or elopement.
I include an Acknowldegement of Country in my ceremonies.
Authentic, intimate, relaxed ceremonies
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.
Some of my couples want the relaxed vibes of an elopement but with all their best people cheering them on - and they should book my Wedding package.
FAQ 5. What are your celebrant fees for a wedding?
Current fees are always up-to-date on the relevant page of my website - see Elopements and Weddings.
An experienced celebrant you vibe with and can trust - priceless.
FAQ 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.
You can see my style at these blog posts of real weddings I've conducted.
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.
FAQ 7. How many pre-wedding sessions will the couple need to have with you?
Everyone's time is precious and I've streamlined the planning process.
I usually meet couples for one pre-wedding session. Depending on factors like the couple's location and how complicated the ceremony will be, sometimes we meet twice and occasionally, three times.
Meetings may be online via a video chat, or in person.
The two factors that need a meeting are:
NOIM Signing Meeting - to witness and sign the Notice of Intended Marriage paperwork
Ceremony Planning Meeting - to plan out the ceremony
Often these are combined into the one session, and we can and will meet up more if needed.
Couples can also choose to book a no-strings attached 'vibe check' chat before booking.
FAQ 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! See how personalised ceremonies are a key part of my process at How would you describe your ceremony style?
FAQ 9. Are you available to travel if needed?
I'm based in Perth and the majority of my ceremonies are in Perth metro.
But I also love a sneaky down-south elopement!
While I'm aware of my carbon footprint, I do love exploring our beautiful country, and as a Commonwealth-Registered Marriage Celebrant I can legally marry you anywhere in Australia.
Please contact me to see if I can work in with your plans. If I can, I'll provide a quote which will include any additional travel fees.
FAQ 10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?
You'll sign a Service Agreement Contract at the time of booking which will include details about cancellation and refunds.
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.
All photos on this post are by Kat at Red Eclectic
More questions? See my FAQ page
