Coalition of Celebrant Associations

Australia’s Peak Celebrant Body

CHCCEL006 Interview clients and plan marriage ceremonies

SMEG: Suggested Approach to Assessment and Evidence Requirements for Marriage Celebrancy Units – 

CHCCEL006 Interview clients and plan marriage ceremonies

Suggested assessment activities:

Researched and documented the role of marriage and marriage traditions in different cultures and where possible, included an explanation of the history of the tradition

For the range of information/services available to enhance and sustain couples throughout their marriage, the candidate has

  1.  researched the range of information / services available
  2. identified the availability of services in the area / region in which the candidate resides
  3. conducted and interviewed at least three (3) providers, noting three (3) tips the service providers would give to any couple considering marriage
  4. created a list of information offering a range of information / services available to enhance and sustain them throughout their marriage for potential parties to marriage in their local area
Planned and designed a
  • detailed Client Information and Planning Form template for use with couples requiring marriage services
  • Marriage Ceremony Contract Form for use with couples requiring marriage services
  • Marriage Ceremony planner with a variety of ceremony components, elements and relevant symbols, information about music, poetry, prose and other appropriate information
  • an attractive double-sided A4 fold-out brochure detailing the marriage relationship support services available to couples in the local area as well as nationally
Prepared the text for a double-sided A4 Fact Sheet outlining the requirements for marriage in Australia by a Commonwealth marriage celebrant and a Commonwealth religious marriage celebrant

Compared and contrasted relevant sections of the Marriage Act and the Section 4 Marriage Guidelines to identify essential requirements and best practice for the matters and circumstances raised in the Marriage Guidelines

Conducted a telephone interview in line with legal requirements in response to an enquiry from one (1) party to the proposed marriage, requesting your services as a marriage celebrant, for the following different scenarios where the person contacting you requests your fees and in discussing their general needs you become aware that
  1. neither of the parties to the marriage have been married before, one (1) comes from a very religious background
  2. one (1) of the parties to the marriage’s divorce has not been finalised
  3. one (1) of the parties to the marriage is 17 years of age
  4. the couple are requesting to be married in a fortnight to coincide with a milestone birthday
  5. the bride to be does not speak any English and has only been in Australia for three (3) weeks
  6. the couple are both living in an aged care home
  7. the couple wish to marry in a nearby national park
  8. one (1) of the parties was born overseas
Conducted three (3) first interviews with at least three (3) types of couples
  1.   first marriage where both parties are under 35 years
  2.   second marriage of couple with teenage or younger children from a previous marriage
  3.   second marriage of an older couple with adult children

where the candidate, with professionalism, sensitivity, and in line with legal requirements

  •  explained the legal consequences of marriage in Australia
  • provided referrals for a range of information and services available to them to enhance and sustain them throughout their marriage
  • assessed the eligibility of the parties to the marriage to marry including identifying special needs to be addressed
  • discussed with the couple an understanding of cultural rights, multicultural contributions and the place of the arts in culture and ceremony
  • discussed and assessed the couple’s needs and wants for their ceremony
  • negotiated and confirmed a celebrancy service, including fees, terms and conditions, explaining confidentiality and privacy issues, using the Marriage Ceremony Contract designed above
  • explained to the couple the legal requirements for completing of the Notice of Intended Marriage form and lodging this with the celebrant, assuming they do not have all their documentation with them
  • completed the Client Information and Planning Form designed above
  • prepared an email confirming the requirements for their rehearsal and any other actions required prior to the ceremony
For each of the scenarios above, the candidate
  1. described the couple in sufficient detail to enable the celebrant to create three (3) unique ceremonies to suit their specific needs and desires as a couple
  2. prepared a mock-up of their Notice of Intended Marriage form, Declaration of No Legal Impediment to Marriage form, Official Certificate of Marriage, Form 15, and Record of Use form accurately
  3. prepared a full draft of the marriage ceremony of approximately 25 minutes duration, by applying principles of ceremony design and legislative requirements, including notations for management of resources, props, music, choreography, time management, involvement of readers and others, as well as instructions provided to the couple and the guests as part of the scripted ceremony provided a draft email to each couple seeking feedback on the draft prepared and outlining the ensuing steps required of the couple once their agreement with the draft is confirmed, up until the ceremony date itself

For one of the couples above, conducted and recorded a second interview by phone / Skype with the couple to ensure that their wedding ceremony meets their needs and prepared a revised draft of the wedding ceremony based upon their feedback.

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