Tom Haig Marriage Celebrant in Murray Bridge, South Australia | Wedding venue

Tom Haig Marriage Celebrant

Locality: Murray Bridge, South Australia

Phone: +61 439 687 529

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25.01.2022 Yesterday at Strathalbyn I officiated at the wedding of Robert and Caitlin with less than 20 guests attending. Social distancing was practiced by all. Of cours...e, had the wedding taken place today, only 5 of us would have been at the ceremony itself. Naturally enough, some of my clients have postponed their weddings until this virus is behind us all but for those who still want, or need, their wedding ceremony to take place, other guests can still participate and be a part of the ceremony from a distance as it were via social media. Couples can choose to live stream the ceremony or possibly set up a Facebook group where the wedding can be FaceTimed live while also allowing those not immediately available, to watch it later? In short, with a bit of creative thinking we can comply with the law whilst maximising the involvement of family and friends. The face to face reception party can always happen at a future date and time. I thank my professional association, the AFCC, for sharing these ideas with its members recently. So if you still want or need your ceremony to take place during this time hopefully these ideas (and no doubt others) can be of assistance. In the meantime, keep safe and well. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

23.01.2022 A popular trend with my couples is to have a ‘ring blessing’ as part of the ceremony just prior to the ring exchange itself. The wording is ‘May this ring be blessed so that he who gives it, and she who wears it, may abide in peace and continue in love until life’s end’ and vice versa. These words precede the ring exchange words themselves which are typically chosen by the couple either entirely on their own or with my assistance. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Ce...lebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

21.01.2022 Today was my final wedding for 2019. The venue was the beach at Port Willunga with Peter and Stacy the happy couple. Looking forward to 2020 as bookings are in already including one in October in Alice Springs.

19.01.2022 Who can marry in Australia? This is a question I am asked from time to time. In short, two Aussies can marry each other, an Aussie and a ‘foreign national’ (a party to the marriage who is born overseas) can marry here, and even two foreign nationals. Where one or both of the parties to the marriage are foreign nationals, they should check that their marriage in Australia has the same legal status in their own country. For example, New Zealanders married here are afforded th...e same legal status in NZ. In all cases of course, to be married here they need to be of marriageable age, that is 18 years, and be free to marry. That is, that they haven’t been married before, or if they have,to produce evidence of how their previous marriage ended. Foreign nationals may travel to Australia on a fiancé visa. It is important to note that marrying an Australian citizen does not confer Australian citizenship. After two years, a person may seek residency in Australia. In some cases, where a party to a marriage does not speak or understand English well, an interpreter can be engaged at both the interview stage as well as in the ceremony itself. This is to ensure that the person fully understands what he/she is entering into and is doing so of their own free will and accord and without coercion of any kind. I have done many weddings involving a party born overseas so feel free to contact me for your wedding or to explore the process further. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

18.01.2022 To all my friends and followers, please check out my new website www.tomhaig.com.au built and designed for me by my cousin Claire Garner of PB Publications. Claire is one heck of a talented, energetic and genuinely nice person who is also a first rate photographer and graphic designer that I have worked with on many weddings and family functions over the years. Her website is www.pbpublications.com.au and its well worth a look. Thanks for everything Claire.

18.01.2022 The Winehouse at Langhorne Creek was the venue for Sarah and Brendan’s wedding today. A very nice spot it is too. After the ceremony I had one drink to toast the happy couple. Given its name and location can you guess what it was? A clue, it wasn’t beer!

18.01.2022 Its always nice to get comments from happy couples such as Adrian and Ashley who were married at Auchendarroch in Mt Barker on the weekend. Clearly from the photo, they are one happy couple!! 'Tom, Adrian and myself would like to thank you for officiating our wedding you did amazing work over the weekend. Thank you'.

18.01.2022 Civil Celebrants can and do officiate at more than just weddings. Baby Naming, Anniversaries, Renewal of Vows and Funerals are among these significant life events. While we are still in the grip of COVID 19 and largely home-bound, now is as good a time as any to plan for your special family event for when things get back to some sort of normality for, as the old proverb says, This too will pass. I have officiated at all of the above events for clients and couples over the ...years and am happy to discuss planning for your special day post COVID-19 and pencil your date in my diary. Just contact me. In the meantime, keep safe and well. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

17.01.2022 COVID-19 restrictions on a wedding party of just 5 didn't diminish in any way a special day for Danny and Elena on Sunday 19th April at Sturt Reserve Murray Bridge.

15.01.2022 Officiated at the wedding of Trevor and Samantha this morning in the beautiful grounds of Auchendarroch House, Mt Barker. The name is Scottish Gaelic for ‘Holy Place of the Oaks’ and was the summer home of the pioneer Scot, Robert and Joanna Barr Smith. A truly magnificent wedding venue.

14.01.2022 Thanks to PB Publications for sharing. Guests attending weddings now need to have their details registered on-line in advance until further notice.

12.01.2022 In planning your wedding, a couple need to have their completed Notice of Intended Marriage signed and witnessed and lodged with their celebrant, no earlier than 18 months and no later than 1 month before the wedding. In certain circumstances, where a 'shortening of time' is requested by the couple....that is, they want to be married inside the one month minimum..only a prescribed authority has the power to grant this shortening. The circumstances the authority can be consid...ered are employment related or other travel commitments, wedding or celebration arrangements or religious considerations, medical reasons, legal proceedings or error in giving notice. The granting of a shortening of time is not automatic and any couple seeking to do so should first discuss their circumstances asap with their celebrant as documentary proof and a completed Notice will be required by the authority to consider. Phone 08 8531 1726 home or mobile 0439 687 529. [email protected]. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/

11.01.2022 Well, you don’t get a more Aussie wedding than today’s for Christina and Walter. In a dusty brown paddock, clear cloudless skies, friends and family happy and smiling and of course, the uninvited flies. A memorable day nonetheless at Monarto, SA.

11.01.2022 Can I afford to get married? I am constantly amazed by the amount of money couples think they need to spend to have a great wedding. Figures in capital cities now range between $30,000 to $50K and over when flowers, cars, venues, music, videographers, photographers, printers, caterers etc are all included. Ironically, often the most inexpensive part of these weddings (and yet the most essential component) is the celebrants fee and yet couples often quibble about that while t...hinking nothing of hiring stretch limos at sometimes three times the celebrants’ cost? Do you need to spend that amount of money? In short, no. Surely it could be better spent for example by using it as a part deposit on a home? We are all continually bombarded with marketing and advertising (and increasingly, TV shows) encouraging us to spend lavishly to ensure our day is ‘simply the best’. Yet an intimate, special and memorable wedding need not cost a fortune. So just because Jane and Malcolm told everyone that they spent $55K on their wedding and it was a really great day doesn’t mean that you need to spend anywhere near that amount to have an equally memorable and special day. A good celebrant should charge a reasonable fee that covers his or her time, their fixed costs (including annual registration and professional association costs) resources, travel, and of course, their expertise. Given that most celebrants would spend between 8-10 hours of so in working with and/or on, their couples wedding, expecting them to do this for next to nothing is simply not realistic. I offer couples a basic or ‘no frills’ ceremony (similar to what they would get and pay for at a Registry Office) or the more popular ceremony where couples have lots of input to the style and content of their ceremony. Naturally these two ceremonies vary in price. So, don’t be lulled into spending a fortune on your wedding and for an all-inclusive, fixed price celebrant for your Special Day, just contact me. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

11.01.2022 For Feb 2020 Do you remember good customer service? Why is it that these days many of us seem to accept that we won’t get good customer service from a range of suppliers including tradespeople? Calls and enquiries (even emails to their webpages) that simply go unanswered and the same with text messages to their phones? What happened to good old-fashioned courtesy and getting back to enquirers even if it’s only to say that they can’t help us due to other work they have on or ...that they will be back to us within x daysand then they actually get back to us? I am constantly amazed by the numbers of my clients who tell me that I wasn’t the only celebrant they contacted regarding their wedding but I was the only one who actually got back to them! Seriously, are those colleagues running a small business or just pretending to? Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business be they large, medium or small (or micro) just like mine. It means among other things, responding promptly and professionally to enquiries for your services and then working hard to secure the business that the customer wants to give you. Customers of course have preferences of where and when they shop and who they choose to do business with. Choosing a celebrant is no different. We simply can’t be all things to all people. Accordingly, I am more than happy to offer a free no obligation interview to any potential clients seeking one to ensure that they are happy and comfortable in engaging me as their celebrant. If they are not, I am happy to refer them to a number of my colleagues to choose from. No problems. Having said that, not a single couple who have met me have decided (so far at least) to go elsewhere. Word of mouth and written recommendations/testimonials from satisfied customers are powerful ways of giving confidence to potential clients regarding your abilities and service. They are also nice to receive too! A recent one from Leanne and Mick from Murray Bridge who are getting married on 10-10-2020 at the Roundhouse in Murray Bridge is reproduced here with their permission. Thanks so much Tom. It was truly so great to meet you. Mick and I both said when we left last night that we definitely made a great decision asking you to be our celebrant! We will get back to you in the next week with our chosen wedding ceremony. Thanks again Leanne https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

09.01.2022 I did it my way! So sang the famous Frank Sinatra all those years ago. In much the same way, couples can sing largely the same lines when they engage the services of a civil celebrant to conduct their wedding. The reason? Notwithstanding a few relatively minor legal requirements in the ceremony itself, they have more or less an open slather on the nature and type of ceremony that they want. This can (and does) range from a very traditional and formal style, to a semi-formal ...one, to a very informal and relaxed type of ceremony among just a few family and friends. The choice is theirs to make. A good celebrant will ensure that the chosen ceremony is delivered in the manner that the couple wants and that it reflects their personalities. Family and guests afterwards saying, ‘That’s just the style of ceremony they would want’ is a good indication that you’ve met that benchmark. The couple can also include family and friends (and even pets) in their ceremony, have live or recorded music (or none at all) if they want to, and can have a themed weddingsuch as themselves and their guests dressing up as Elizabethan characters or whatever, or even a nude wedding! Remember, it’s their day so they get (or should get) to ‘call the shots’. Working with a good celebrant will ensure that what you both want for your ceremony is what you both get. Give me a call anytime to chat about any ideas you have for your ceremony? Together we’ll do everything possible to make it a reality. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

08.01.2022 A wedding anniversary date you are sure to remember! For a host of different reasons, couples choose a particular date for their wedding. Maybe it was their favourite grandmother’s birthday, a child’s birthday, the date the first met twelve months previously or whatever. Some even want a date that is easy to remember so neither of them has any excuse in the future for forgetting their wedding anniversary? ... Surely a good example of this would be 10-10-20 and, at this point in time anyway, it is still available for you to book me on! But be quick, dates such as this tend to be snapped up quickly. So to avoid disappointment, contact me soon! https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

07.01.2022 Over the years I have officiated at quite a few bi-lingual ceremonies using an interpreter where English is not the first language of one or both parties to the marriage. The interpreter must sign a Statutory Declaration beforehand stating that they are able to interpret from English to the client’s language and vice versa, competently. After the ceremony, they need to complete another form stating that they have discharged their interpreter role faithfully. I have also used... the services of an interpreter for one or both of the parties at the wedding interview stage as well and this has worked well. By law, the celebrant must satisfy him or herself that both parties to the marriage fully understand the commitment they are entering into and are doing so of their own free will and accord. Where English is not their first language or where their level of English is limited, the services of an interpreter is often essential or highly desirable. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

07.01.2022 Listening to ABC 891 radio this morning at around 8.30am, I heard one of the political commentators (Isabel Dayman as I recall) expressing her view that couples rushing to get married on Wed 25th ahead of the five-person limit being imposed nationally that evening, were quote ‘pretty irresponsible’. Her view also happens to be pretty inaccurate. When the PM announced this measure a few days ago, couples simply then couldn’t choose to abandon their previous wedding date and ...rush their wedding through to beat the 11.59pm deadline even if they wanted to. Why they would want to do that in any event simply beggars belief. This is because couples have to give their celebrant at least one months’ notice in writing before a wedding can take place. This is the duly completed and lodged Notice of Intended Marriage. In short, the weddings that took place on Wednesday were planned for that date well ahead of the virus situation and couples who chose to still get married on that dayand in spite of social distancing measures and limits on attendees that were already in place.probably had to, and couldn’t postpone their wedding to a future date for a range of family, personal or professional reasons. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

06.01.2022 Do you want your wedding ceremony to be funny, memorable or both? Recently I had a couple who said they wanted a short, laid back, very informal style of wedding and even suggested I could add in a few ‘Dad Jokes’ if I so desired. At the ceremony itself, I resisted doing that and the couple finished up being very happy with the ceremony and the wedding overall. My rationale? The wedding ceremony itself is the culmination of a formal legal process. In the Authorisation (which ...is said aloud by the celebrant at the start of the ceremony) part of it includes the words that, ‘I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.. This is hardly an invitation for a belly laugh. Of course, the ceremony should also be a joyous occasion and the sparing and judicious use of humour (best when it is spontaneous on the day itself) can add to a relaxed atmosphere for sure, but like most things, overdoing it detracts from the solemnity of the ceremony and can lead to unintended consequences down the line such as ‘Well, at the wedding ceremony all you could do was laugh and joke. You didn’t take the thing seriously and I wonder if you have really ever taken me or our marriage seriously? My advice therefore is to think long and hard before planning to turn the ceremony itself into a really fun time for you and your guests. That’s best left for the reception afterwards, I think. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

05.01.2022 The COVID-19 restrictions are finally easing with regard to weddings in SA. From Monday 1 June, there can be 20 guests as well as the celebrant, venue staff and any other person required to facilitate the ceremony with no more than one person for each 4 sq m. This is good news and hopefully this number will increase as we begin to emerge from this crisis. So, get those planners out and contact me today to book your Special Day! https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celeb...rant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

04.01.2022 Have civil celebrants no beliefs? A popular misconception among some members of the public is that when you engage the services of a civil marriage celebrant that you can’t have a religious or spiritual dimension in your ceremony. Nothing could be further from the truth. As trained professionals, a civil celebrant’s job is to ensure the wedding ceremony you want is the one that you get. It should reflect both your personalities and tastes and of course, your values and belie...fs. Just because the majority of weddings (70% or so) today are performed outside of a Church, or that the couple may not regular Church attendees, doesn’t mean that one or both of them don’t hold strong values or beliefs. Individual celebrants likewise have varying values and beliefs so make sure you inform your celebrant of your wishes in discussing your wedding ceremony. If your celebrant finds your beliefs or values incompatible with their own and they simply can’t reconcile them, then they should do the right thing and disclose that to you upfront and if needs be, arrange to refer you to another celebrant. This should always be done with sensitivity and respect. Remember, to do your homework and choose a celebrant that you both feel comfortable with in every respect. A good match between the celebrant and the couple is essential to ensure your Big Day goes off just how you planned it to. Accordingly, I offer a free no obligation initial interview to all my clients (if they wish to avail themselves of that opportunity) to ensure that we are as comfortable and compatible with one another as possible. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile)

02.01.2022 The ‘fashionably late’ bride. Have you ever been to a wedding where the bride has kept everyone waiting and waiting for her to make her arrival and felt frustrated or even mildly angry? Completely understandable, particularly if her excuse is something like ‘My hairdresser arrived late’ or ‘The photographer insisted on some nice shots in the garden before we left’. Remember you have invited your guests to be there at a certain time and many have travelled considerable distan...ces to be there on or before the nominated start time. We all ‘expect’ you to be maybe up to 10 mins or so late but after that, our patience is starting to wear thin. After 30 or more minutes of a delay (as has happened to me and the guests while we were all standing around in 39C heat and with no shade) we were all well and truly ‘over it’. Without a valid reason such as the car breaking down or a late illness or similar, it is just plain rude to treat your family and guests like that. Where I have two weddings booked on the same day, I have my first couple sign an agreement to the effect that if I am kept waiting longer than 30mins, then I reserve the right to leave that wedding, go to my other wedding, then return afterwards to do their ceremony. In short, I won’t be late for my second couple due to a lack of planning or organisation on the part of the first couple. https://www.facebook.com/Tom-Haig-Marriage-Celebrant-128916723790053/ http://www.tomhaig.com.au/TomHaig/Home.html https://www.afcc.com.au/celebrant/tom-haig/ Phone 0885 31 1726 (home) or 0439 687 529 (mobile) See more

02.01.2022 Strathalbyn SA was founded by Scots in 1839. How fitting then that on Australia Day 2020 at the Rotunda in Strathalbyn, that an expatriate Scot yet proud Aussie, should officiate at the wedding of Lisa and Adam on a perfect summer’s day.