Australian Wedding Reception? Who sits on the Top Table?
Wedding Etiquette…. Who sits at the Top Table for an Australian Wedding Reception?
There are some British Wedding Traditions that seem to have been superseded in Australia, by more recent ideas from the USA. Many of these updated and newer ways are possibly more suited to our less formal approach to Weddings here in Australia however.
For example, in the UK, the bride and her father (usually) would walk down the aisle, followed by the bridesmaids. Here in Australia, we tend to follow the American style of bridesmaids first, with the bride following. If, however, the bride has a long train or veil, it can still be a good idea to have at least one person walking behind to make sure the train doesn’t get caught on anything.
I remember being the celebrant at one wedding, watching the bride and her father slowly and elegantly walking down the aisle towards me, when the bride’s head was suddenly yanked backward for no apparent reason! There was a shriek from the bride, followed by embarrassed laughter from the guests as it was realised that the long flowing veil had caught on a rough stone. However, the clips were so tight, that the veil stayed firmly attached – but the father got a real fright as his daughter suddenly seemed to flail away from him!
So always be prepared to ‘bend the rules’ when necessary. ?
Similarly, in England, a Top Table at a Wedding Reception is usually comprised of the Bride and Groom, along with both sets of parents, as well as Best Man and Chief Bridesmaid.
In Australia, we tend to have the Groomsmen and Bridesmaids on the Top Table, with the parents seated with other guests.
Now there are many reasons to make up your own rules around Formal Seating Plans. In days gone by, people married in the town or village where they had grown up. Families and friends all knew each other, so it didn’t really matter where you were seated – you wouldn’t feel lost.
However, nowadays it’s not uncommon for a parent, or parents, to travel from the other side of the world for their son or daughter’s wedding. Imagine the feeling then, of being placed with strangers at an ‘outside’ table, whilst the offspring sit on the Top Table with their friends, who make up the Bridal Party. Quite often, this arrangement also means that partners of Groomsmen and Bridesmaids might also be sat on an ‘outside’ table with people they don’t know. So there might be merit in reverting to the traditional English style for this one?
Every situation is different – so take great care with the Top Table seating plan… Getting this wrong is one of the main fears of every couple when planning the Reception. (It’s almost worth bringing in a Wedding Planner, for this reason alone!) One of my favourite Wedding Planners in Perth would have to be Mardie & Co.
Of course another way to avoid this risk altogether, is to opt for a Cocktail Party or a BBQ style Reception, with no formal seating plans…. Your Wedding, the Australian Way!
Legal Marriage Now: Wedding Day Later?
Sometimes couples just want ‘that bit of paper’, that a legal marriage provides – but the timing might not be right for the Actual Wedding just yet? The reasons for having the small ‘legal only’ ceremony are varied…… Maybe it’s about moving to another country – or maybe it’s about applying for a visa – or maybe it’s about financial constraints – or maybe you just want to get married and set up home together – having the ‘Wedding Celebration’ later?
The later ‘Wedding Celebration’ in many ways, would be the ‘Real Thing’ – as that would be the day when you, as a couple, exchange rings and declare your everlasting love and commitment to each other, with your family and friends as witnesses. That would be the day that you walk down the aisle and publicly declare your love for each other. Missing would be the Monitum, which is the part spoken by the Authorised Celebrant during a Legal Marriage Ceremony.
I recently had the pleasure of quietly marrying a young couple who needed to marry earlier than planned due to a family situation. They aren’t in a position yet, to have a ‘proper’ wedding, with family and friends present – so we met at a lovely restaurant, with two of their close friends as witnesses. (However, passers by can also be witnesses as long as they are over 18 years of age). We sat quietly and discreetly at a corner table and the Monitum was said; the vows were spoken and the Certificates were signed…. even the staff didn’t know a Marriage had taken place! This took about 5 minutes.
In a couple of years’ time, once this couples families and friends can all be gathered in one place (currently scattered all over the world) – the Wedding Celebration will take place.
If this is something that appeals to you, for whatever reasons, ask me how we can set this up – under certain conditions this can cost as little as $300 – I think that’s less than the Registry Office charges? (and without the inner city parking hassles!)
Contact me here if you would like a chat about this, to see if it would suit your situation.
Marriage or Partner Visas for Australia
Are you planning to marry an Australian and want to live here? Then you may be looking at your visa options for this purpose.
There are 2 distinctly different types of visa and it’s important to know the difference: the Prospective Marriage Visa, Subclass 300 – and the Partner Visa, Subclasses 820 and 801. The information you need is all on this website, but most people find it best to employ an agent to help them.
Please feel free to contact me for names of agents who I have worked with in Western Australia and who I have found to be very helpful and reliable. http://www.lizhayescelebrant.com.au/contact-me/
If couples wish to apply for a Prospective Marriage Visa, they will usually need a letter from a Celebrant, confirming that a Notice of Intended Marriage has been lodged and that a wedding has been booked.
My role would involve receiving (and lodging) a Notice of Intended Marriage for the couple and then to provide them with a letter for the relevant Embassy confirming that the couple has indeed lodged their intent with me
Simple Wedding overlooking the Swan River
A simple wedding overlooking the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia can be very beautiful, even if only a few guests. Have a look at this fabulous photo and see if you would like this for your combined wedding/ honeymoon in Western Australia…… Australia also happens to be one of the simplest places in the world to get married. There is no need to spend weeks in the country beforehand – in fact you can get married as soon as you get through Immigration – leaving you free to go off on your travels immediately! There is a document that needs to be completed and legally witnessed at least 4 weeks ahead, but that can all be done in your own country and then emailed to your celebrant. Contact me for a chat or email me if you have some questions about this. PS. You don’t need to be coming from another country to ‘elope’ either, you know…
Bali Wedding Cost? How much is it? Depends what you mean, really….
Bali Wedding cost – a frequent question! Well, firstly….. what is a Bali Wedding?
A Bali Wedding Cost varies greatly depending on what A Bali Wedding means…. To some, it means an incredible clifftop venue, overlooking the crashing waves of the ocean. To others, it’s a fabulous villa event, complete with fine dining and wonderful music. Or it could be a jungle resort in Ubud, with the sounds of the nearby Ayung River tumbling over boulders. With maybe 100s of guests flying in from all over the world
These weddings can cost anything from $25,000, up to ….. well, up to anything really. The sky’s the limit for a Bali Wedding.
For others, the idea of slipping away quietly to a tropical island, perhaps with their children and/or a couple of close friends, to be married in a romantic and stress free setting – is all that is needed. Simply wonderful and simply romantic. ❤
If you choose a Bali Elopement Wedding, this is what is offered.
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