wedding planning, wedding advice
Camille Abbott
How to Change Your Name After Your Wedding in ...

If you’re looking to change your last name after your wedding, but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone.

In my experience as a marriage celebrant, up to 90% of newly-married brides (and a few pioneering grooms and spouses) choose to change their last or family name after marriage and are super confused about how to go about it.

It’s a real process that can take around 8 hours over several days or weeks to complete. This is because every company or institution has their own unique process and is not legally permitted to share your details with anyone else.

The good news is, I can help save you a lot of time and even some money too.

Let’s get started!

How to Change Your Name After Your Wedding in Australia
real wedding
Camille Abbott
Alana and Peter’s McLaren Vale Micro wedding

Alana and Peter's wedding plans (like so many engaged couples worldwide) were thrown into disarray in 2020.

Between the NSW border closures due to COVID-19 and their original venue in Byron Bay burning down (true story!) Peter and Alana tried for a 3rd and final time to have a super low-key, no stress day just for them and their immediate family.

Something simple, but beautiful, elegant, but without any pretence.

Alana and Peter’s McLaren Vale Micro wedding
real wedding
Camille Abbott
Emily and Sam's Romantic Adelaide Hills Wedding

Sam and Emily make time to see their families, to share special moments together, and they love talk on the phone often. They wanted to bring this warmth and appreciation, that had always been shown towards them, into their wedding ceremony too.

With COVID border closures, the tyranny of distance and for those who'd passed away, some of their family were not able to be with us in person, so we incorporated them and their interests as much as we could through readings, a memorial and with a big smoochy kiss right down Alex's lens. 😅

Emily and Sam's Romantic Adelaide Hills Wedding
wedding planning
Camille Abbott
EVEN MORE unique wedding ceremony readings

I’m not one for fluffy and OTT poetry and I think it’s fair to say that the majority of my couples aren’t massive fans either.

But I do recognise how the power of a well chosen wedding reading in a ceremony can be instrumental in bringing about a feeling of gratefulness, humanity, and hope.

And a great reader who takes the time to deliver a quote, reading or poem with poise and intention can really lift a modern wedding ceremony above and beyond the ordinary.

But first, you need a great wedding reading.

Hopefully this post, along with 5 Wedding Readings That Aren’t Too Soppy and More Unique & Beautiful Wedding Readings For Your Ceremony, will help you to narrow down the search.

EVEN MORE unique wedding ceremony readings
wedding advice
Camille Abbott
5 wedding readings that aren't too soppy

What are your options if you want to include a reading in your wedding ceremony, but aren't a fan of Shakespeare and don't want to have 1 Corinthians 13?

The great thing about civil ceremonies in Australia is, apart from 3 sentences that I have to say from The Marriage Act 1961 and 1 legal sentence you have to say in your vows, the rest is completely up to you. The sky's the limit.

And you can make your ceremony even more meaningful by finding a reading (or two) that you LOVE - rather than something you think is 'just okay'. Readings can come from anywhere; lyrics from songs, quotes from movies or the words from your team's victory song (God help us all..)

Here are five of my favourites..

5 wedding readings that aren't too soppy

wedding music

Lucy & Duncan - Longview Vineyard

Lucy & Duncan - Longview Vineyard

When I first sat down with Duncan and Lucy, I didn't know at the time that they are both immensely musically talented (Lucy is a classical double bassist and Duncan a multi-instrumentalist), but we just clicked. 

There is soooo much to love about their December wedding day and I literally could not cull down the number their photos that I wanted to share with you any further than I already have. Simon Bills is just amazing and the story he has captured here is incredible.

Seriously, just have a scroll through these and you will feel as if you know the Bride and Groom.

Corinne and David - Music Festival Wedding

Corinne and David - Music Festival Wedding

David and Corinne first met 6 years ago when they worked together at the (sadly) now closed Krypton Discs in Glenelg. Their mutual love of music drew them together and so it was only fitting that their wedding day had a healthy helping of quality live music as well.

They took their special day to the next level by introducing an upmarket (with mismatched vintage furniture from By The Oaktree & toilets that worked!) music festival vibe complete with picnic blankets and an awesome food truck at Karka Pavilion in the Belair National Park.

Amicus Strings

Amicus Strings

One of the most uplifting, and yet sometimes subconscious, first impressions a guest has of a wedding ceremony is conveyed via the music they're greeted with. The atmosphere live music creates at a wedding can be emotional, calming and magical.

Enter Amicus Strings; a professional string quartet founded in 1996 by Carolyn Lam. I've worked with the girls at several wedding ceremonies over the years and have admired their professionalism and polished performances. 

Carolyn and I got the chance to sit down for a chat last week about what sets Amicus Strings apart from other quartets and how couples CAN afford live music no matter what their wedding budget.

David of Griffin Alliance (they're DJs, people..)

David of Griffin Alliance (they're DJs, people..)

Did you know that there is just one question you need to ask to help determine if someone is a trained, experienced and professional wedding DJ? 

It was during my interview with wedding photographer and nice guy, Luke Simon, when I first heard about this cool DJ/businessman that I have never crossed paths with before; David Bartholomeusz. David's level of commitment to client satisfaction and business excellence is inspiring. And even though David and I couldn't match our schedules for a face to face chat, he generously volunteered to record his answers to my hard-hitting questions for us.

I hope you enjoy his take on DJ trends, the science of holding a crowd and the difference between extroverted and introverted DJs as much as I did. One day, we may even get to have that face to face chat.

***READ ON TO FIND OUT HOW TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE 14-PAGE, 300+ SONG EBOOK: WEDDING CEREMONY MUSIC GUIDE!***

Over to you, David!

Brian Ruiz from The Shizzle

Brian Ruiz from The Shizzle

Nothing can match the celebratory nature and heightened sense of anticipation that live music can impart on a wedding ceremony. In my past life, I was a performance music degree graduate and although I try to stay out of the way of the musos while I’m doing weddings, I can’t help but notice when an artist gets it right; there is a big difference between ‘just playing a song’ and performing an original interpretation with energy and integrity.

Brian Ruiz is one of the most soulful musicians and fun guys that I have had the pleasure of working with at my Adelaide weddings. It was great to sit down with him at Patch Kitchen & Garden, Stirling and have a chat about what he does and why he believes (contrary to musician snob rhetoric) that performing at a wedding is the best gig in town.