Meeting Giuliana

On your sacred and blessed day....

Binding & Blessed Ceremonies has got you covered. Nothing would give me a higher honour than being able to contribute to your special event. Be it a wedding, commitment ceremony, vow renewal, baby naming, belly blessing, sacred circle or life celebration, I am here to take this journey with you all.

Choose Love

Welcome

Well hello, my name is Giuliana Pottini-ElHaouli.

I will stand before you as a Commonwealth-Registered Civil Marriage Celebrant.

Firstly, thank you for considering Binding & Blessed Ceremonies where I will help you create a truly magical day.

Now, a little bit about me before we begin our journey together. My background is of Italian origin and my husband of over 28 years is a Lebanese Muslim. This makes my husband and I an unconventional couple, with so many fabulous, fun moments, full of laughs when people hear of our stories. Now so many years on, shows that we work together as a truly magical force. We have 3 awesome kids that are the bond of our magic and love.

I have interests in all cultures, customs and rituals for all occasions. Nothing excites me more than experiencing the world's people. This illustrates the diversity I can offer you within your chosen ceremony. Your ceremony can become a humble and quaint affair or as loud and wildly extravagant as you wish it to be. What an experience to be blessed with.

I began my adult life as a hairdresser and with no surprise my favourite part of hairdressing was Weddings. The privilege of transforming a bride and her bridal party on her Sacred Day was nothing short of magical. I have also worked in the medical field, as my desire to help people was always strong within me.

That sounds like a meaningful and fulfilling decision! Here's a refined version of your sentence to better convey your journey and aspirations. As time went on, I found myself missing the joy of celebrations. I decided that my next journey would be to embrace the honour of performing unions and various other celebrations.

With the array of the world's people, I am soaking up wisdom from which I feel blessed.

I am located in the Central Highlands in Victoria but am more than happy to attend alternate destinations to be a part of your celebration.

Blessings to all

Giuliana Pottini-ElHaouli

Marriage is... My Heart Your Heart Our Heart... - Giuliana Pottini-ElHaouli

My Approach... Making the Process Easy

First Impressions...

Let's keep it simple and be straight up. This will be our no obligation free introduction to one another face to face.

Here we will have a chat either at my home, your home or a mutually convenient location. Together we can get to know each other, and discuss whether I am the right person to help you on your journey. After all this is your important day. The day that you will walk through a new gateway into your new life and you have to feel confident, safe and sound that you are making the right choice in me, the celebrant.

I will be able to advise you of all the legalities required for your ceremony. At this meeting we will discuss what type of wedding you have in mind, time, date, and location ideas. We will also begin with some ideas to plan your blessed ceremony and if you have any rituals or special thoughts in mind.

Documentation, Planning & a cup a tea...

Once you have chosen me to officiate your ceremony on your blessed day, We will book another in person meet, where a cup of tea is in order and we will start to fill in all the legally required paperwork.

Prior to this meet I will provide you with information of what you will need to bring with you.

The Notice Of Intended Marriage (NOIM) is required by law to be completed and lodged with myself as early as 18 months before your ceremony or no later than one month prior to your date of marriage.

Here I am also obligated by law to provide you with a pamphlet of "Happily Ever...Before and After" to read.

Now the legal paperwork is completed we can begin to flow between us to create your magical day.

I can present you with some samples and ideas of wedding services. After we have your ideas and my thoughts, I can commence a preliminary plan. There after you can also take home the samples and together create, add, change a little or change a lot to create a vision that suites you both as a dynamic duo, and ignite your passions in what you feel embodies a beautiful ceremony for you both. Between commencing this plan and leading forward to your wedding day I will be in full contact with you either via phone, email or in person if you wish to create our final details of your masterpiece that is your wedding ceremony.

After this meeting a non refundable booking fee is payable by cash, direct bank transfer or Paypal. This will secure your date with me for your wedding day ceremony and for the lodgement of your NOIM form. I will also provide you with a Service Agreement of Fees that we have agreed upon.

Final Meet/Rehearsal...

It is my recommendation a rehearsal is held before your wedding. Giving all your wedding crew the opportunity to visualise what to expect on the day.

This helps fine tune ceremonies and aid in the pre nerves department. This can be performed at my home or yours.

This meeting will be scheduled approximately a week prior to your ceremony and I will have a checklist for you.

Also at this meeting we will sign the document of "No legal Impediment to Marriage". This is legally required to be signed prior to your ceremony.

Please be assured that I may be contacted at anytime if you have anything that pops to mind or just need to confirm for the 10th time... that is absolutely ok with me.

The Blessed Day...

Here’s a refined version of your message:

Your blessed day has arrived. Together, we have crafted a ceremony that will be performed stress-free, allowing you to focus solely on enjoying and basking in your glorious day.

Prior to this in our last meeting. I will provide you with an itinerary of how we will proceed with time scheduling so as to you are absolutely visually, mentally and physically prepared for your journey.

LET’S START
PLANNING
What we need to get started....

Welcome, let me help you with what you will need to provide me with to begin our journey...

What I will require:

Photo ID.
You to fill out a NOIM (Notice of intended of Marriage form) This must be filled out between 18month prior your chosen date to a minimum of one calendar month before your chosen date.
Confirmation of your birthdate. Birth certificate. You may obtain this from BDM Registry in the State or Territory you were born. You may also produce a passport if you obtained one after 2014. Drivers Licence.
Confirmation If there was a previous marriage and when it ended. I will require a certificate of divorce or divorce order.
If you are a widow or widower, you will require a death certificate of previous spouse.
Upon our meeting and choosing a date a non refundable deposit will need to be fulfilled and then we are ready to rock and plan your special day.

Get in Touch

So you want to get Hitched.
Some Frequently Asked Questions...

The following are the MUST in legal requirements to be married in Australia and to be performed by a registered Civil Celebrant. - A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) The NOIM must be given to the celebrant no earlier than 18 months and no later than one month before the date of the marriage. (Some exceptions according to Section 42 (5) of The Marriage Act 1961 "the reason for seeking a shortening of time must fall within one of the prescribed categories (described at 4.3.1 of The Marriage Act 1961) before the application can be considered". This must be approved by the Prescribed Authority). I can help guide you with this. - Under section 44 of the Marriage Act, a marriage may not be solemnised unless at least two persons are present at the ceremony who are, or appear to the person solemnising the marriage to be, over the age of 18 years. - The marriageable age in Australia is 18 years. (If one party is between 16 to 18 years of age please check section 12 of The Marriage Act 1961) - You will both be required to sign a document of No Legal Impediment to Marriage. This states that you are not currently married to someone else (Section 39G(1)(d) of the Marriage Act). - For the ceremony to be binding and legal I have to say 4 things. - Introduce myself as a registered celebrant. - Introduce the couple by their full legal names. - Read the Monitum. - And the legal vows must be spoken and repeated by the couple.

Completing your NOIM... What I will require: - Photo ID. - You to fill out a NOIM (Notice of intended of Marriage form) This must be filled out between 18month prior your chosen date to a minimum of one calendar month before your chosen date. - Confirmation of your birthdate. Birth certificate. You may obtain this from BDM Registry in the State or Territory you were born. This must be an Original. You may also produce a passport if you obtained one after 2014. Drivers Licence. - Confirmation If there was a previous marriage and when it ended. I will require a certificate of divorce or divorce order. - If you are a widow or widower, you will require a death certificate of previous spouse.

Why choosing the RIGHT Celebrant... It matters! When you both decided to share your life together, it was because you fit. You met your best friend and partner in crime, your "ride or die" mate. Well, I am not your partner for life but I am the one that will be speaking on behalf of you two and you yes thats right you! have to be confident and have some sort of bond or feeling straight up that I can do this for you. That I can provide you with all you need to make this day a magical one. I will put in hours of work in researching and wording your special day into a short ceremony and making sure your ceremony is one to remember. So yes again I will say it, you need to have that comfortable feeling with me and like I have mentioned before this day is about you both, my job is to help you express all your feelings and some memorable moments that you will wish to share with your audience that will leave warmth and some giggles in everyones heart. This is why if you don't think we fit then that is ok as I only wish blessings onto every new marriage.

Do we need a Rehearsal?... On this spesh day, where both of your are the centre of attention I think it is a fantastic idea to have a rehearsal. It's a chance to see how you feel. What your up for and get some sensation on what emotions you may build up within you. So together we can take a little pre walk down the aisle and help steady the nerves.

Changing your name after your married... - Once you are married you have the option of keeping or changing your name. Here is what follows... - I will register your married with Births, Deaths and Marriages in your state or territory. (Please be aware this can take up to 4 weeks to process) - If you have ordered an Official Certificate of Marriage from the government with myself, it will automatically be generated and posted to you once processed. - If you have not yet ordered one, I can forward you a link via email and give you instructions in obtaining this. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED FOR ALL LEGAL NAME CHANGE. - When your certificate arrives you may then start contacting independant institutions and fill out any relevant paperwork requesting your name change. - Please be aware that you will have to source each independant institution to change your name. It is not a legally required part of marriage to change your name, you may keep your maiden name, the choice is yours.