1. Lodge your signed & appropriately witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage Form with your Marriage Celebrant (this MUST be lodged a minimum of 1 month  before your wedding date and is valid for 18 months). You’ll need to prove you are who you say you are, that you’re old enough to marry and that you are not married to anyone else. (i.e.Produce your birth certificates and divorce or death certificate [if applicable]).
2. Pick the date & time for your wedding.
3. Pay a booking deposit to your Celebrant to secure the wedding date (and organise when final payment is due.)
4. Turn up on the day with 2 witnesses over 18 years of age and Get Just Married^®

Contrary to popular belief the most important aspects of a wedding in Australia are the witnessed exchange of vows between a man and a woman, voluntarily entered into for life. A Celebrant, 2 witnesses over 18 years of age, plus the Bride and Groom are the only “MUST haves” to Get Just Married^®. Everything else is an interpretive dance.

If you think you can dance, but need help with some simple steps Vows Now offer Simple, Legal and Affordable Marriage ceremonies for those who want to Get Just Married^®.

Recently I had a little bit of history inked under my skin by the talented Kimma at Blackbird Tattoos.
I’d like to share the story behind it with you…

When I was about 7 years old, every morning we would find a cartoon drawn on a blackboard in our family room. The cartoon related to an event that had occurred in the life of myself or my siblings. My sister was drawn as Miffy, I was J-OO (long story, but think of how you’d write the word ‘Jo’ loudly), my younger sister was a bullfrog and my brother was Edward the Bear. We always suspected that Dad was behind these cartoons. My father vehemently denied it. He said the drawings were most likely done by ‘The Phantom Chalker’. I believed him.

When a cartoon is created in chalk, it’s temporary. It wasn’t until after my Dad died, that I discovered he had procured original drawings done by The Phantom Chalker. Finally I could re-live those special memories of ‘The Old J-OO’. Every time I looked at the drawings they made me smile and recall how happy it made me feel when I was the child picked by The Phantom Chalker to have their story told.

I had been thinking of getting a Phantom Chalker drawing tattooed for a while now but I couldn’t quite work out exactly how or where to have it immortalised. This stuff is permanent you know? My sister found some photos of seven year old me and put them on Facebook. I was carefree, colourful and having the time of my life jumping off gutters in my purple suede roller skates. Exactly the picture that came to mind when I thought of The Phantom Chalker!

Decision made, I took my photos to Kimma and she worked her magic. She combined two drawings to create the final tattoo on my left foot. Everything was an exact tracing from the hand of The Phantom Chalker. I think it is the most special memory and now I smile with every step I take.
(Or at least I plan to smile once the swelling subsides)

For those of you interested if it hurts to get a tattoo on your foot, the answer is YES! I highly recommend taking a friend who has a full sleeve tattoo along with you so you are forced to act braver than you really are. My friend (and former bride) Trinity came along to take photos and eat snacks while she laughed at my facial expressions. Thanks for your support Girlfriend! While I was there, I decided to have my wrist tattoo that displays my wedding date ‘pimped’. We added a matching flower to carry the theme from my foot to my wrist.

Want to Get Just Married® on the NSW Central Coast by a Celebrant with the cutest ‘toughie picture’ you’ve ever seen? Have a look and tell me what you think?

1.Pop over to my garden with some scissors.
2. Cut some roses.
3. Hold them in a bunch.

Voila! You’ve made yourself a simple DIY Bridal Bouquet that will look stunning whether you wear a white gown or your favourite jeans. Too easy.

If you’re nice, I’ll let you take your bouquet home with you.
Sound like your kind of wedding? Call me on 0429 2 ELOPE and Get JUST Married.

I’m often asked if I can provide people with an all inclusive ‘elopement package’. As a Civil Marriage Celebrant, my expertise is in the ceremonial and legal aspects of the marriage ceremony. Wedding planning is the domain of the bride and groom or professional wedding and events stylist. Think of me as the official lady standing at the front who does her best to make it fun to Get Just Married® as well as make stuff legal!

I’m a woman who wore jeans to her own wedding, so I’m cool that you might want to take or leave my wedding package ideas.

Here are some suggestions that might work for you if you’re looking to minimise expense and want to create a stylish, intimate elopement package. As a Celebrant, I can’t plan or book the venue or extras for you, but I can offer suggestions and recommendations.

Remember elopers… you need to find 2 witnesses over 18 years, so a photographer can often be one and usually I can bring my husband as a second witness.

* The Chapel at Linton Gardens Reception Venue is available for private hire for about $375.

* There is also a gorgeous non-denominational chapel (a decommissioned church owned by Wyong Council) called Saint Barnabas at Yarramalong that is available for about $220. St Barnabas is run by a management committee and they decide if you can rent the facility. Contact Peter Say, Booking Officer on (02) 4356 1733

* There are plenty of professional wedding photographers who will also offer a great deal for you if you explain you are having a brief elopement and would like photos of the ceremony as well as some ‘portrait shots’. Obviously you’d need to negotiate with the photographer yourself, but most would be more flexible if you married on a weekday, rather than their busy Saturdays.

If you tell the photographer that the Celebrant is Johanna from Vows Now they’ll have a better understanding of how brief the ceremony will be. Ignore their ‘wedding package pricelists’ on their websites and ask them to negotiate a 1 or 2 hour deal for you. Some great photographers (in no particular order) who I have worked with before:

Impact Images: (02) 4367 0111

Artistique Photography by Nicolette:  (02) 43 57 97022

Lisa Lent Photography:  0438 643 026

Photography by Betty (Rebecca Alston): 0457308902

* Want to have something like Champagne and Strawberries after the Ceremony (whilst having photos)? You could organise a really simple package of fancy stuff like chocolate dipped strawberries with Edible Gift Phone 0406 715 946

* Perhaps get a Gourmet Picnic Basket/Hamper made by Taste Gourmet, East Gosford is more your style? Phone (02) 4324 2130

* Like cupcakes? The kids (or you) might like to have something like this instead?

I was the Celebrant for a small family elopement on a Monday at the Edogowa Chinese Gardens at East Gosford with Lisa Lent as well as a videographer. (Both were witnesses) We had just Bride + Groom + their 4 children + Lisa + Videographer + Me. The ceremony took 5 minutes, then the family walked around having fun family shots. It was almost like a Family Portrait Shoot, where they happened to get married. The photos don’t look like it was a brief ceremony. There is a fee to marry within the Chinese Gardens, however the same thing could be done in your own garden if you were looking to cut costs.

Photo Credit: Lisa Lent Photography

Finally, there is another place you could try if you wanted to have a slightly more dressy wedding. There is a place called Pre-Loved Panache Phone 0418246347 that sells ‘pre-loved or discontinued’ wedding dresses. You can hire dresses too. This is a great way of having the look of a fancy wedding but with far less expense. I have no judgement and if you would rather just wear your jeans I’m completely comfortable with that too.

Don’t want to organise anything and would rather have a professional wedding planner do it for you? I’d recommend Your Special Day.

How’s that for starters?

I’d love to meet sometime and sort paperwork so you can Get Just Married® anytime from 1 month after I receive the signed/witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage paperwork NOIM.

(Note: *Prices quoted are approximate only)

When this gorgeous couple married last year, everything was organised around their special, once in a lifetime date, 10/11/12.  The numbers were cool and easy to remember. They were smart and locked in their Celebrant (me) and their venue, then left most of the stress to a wedding planner.

If having a memorable wedding date is the most important priority for your wedding day, then stop reading now and check out my availability calendar to see if I’m free to help you Get Just Married®. There are lots of interesting combinations of numbers to make it easier to remember those wedding anniversaries.

I married on 8/7/6 and have it tattooed in roman numerals on my right wrist so I never forget.

If you need more time to plan ahead, or want to save honeymoon costs by picking a long weekend to marry; I’ve prepared a list of Australian National Public Holidays and School Holidays for 2013 below:

Cool dates to elope:

2013 NSW PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

JANUARY 2013:
New Year’s Day – Tuesday, January 1
Australia Day – Saturday, January 26
Australia Day Public Holiday Monday, January 28

EASTER:
Good Friday – Friday, March 29
Easter Sunday – Sunday, March 31
Easter Monday – Monday, April 1
Anzac Day – Thursday, April 25

JUNE 2013:
Queen’s Birthday Holiday (all States except WA) – Monday, June 10

AUGUST 2013:
Bank Holiday (NSW & ACT) – Monday, August 5 (Not Public Holiday)

OCTOBER 2013:
Labour Day (NSW, QLD, ACT & SA) – Monday, October 7

NOVEMBER 2013:
Melbourne Cup Day (Melb Metropolitan only) – Tuesday November 5

DECEMBER 2013:
Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25
Boxing Day – Thursday, December 26
(New Years Day 2013 – Wednesday, January 1)

SCHOOL TERMS NSW 2013:

NEW SOUTH WALES
1st Term: Jan 29 – Apr 12 :: Holidays 13th April to 28th April, 2013
2nd Term: Apr 29 – Jun 28 :: Holidays 29th June to 14th July, 2013
3rd Term: Jul 15 – Sep 20 :: Holidays 21st September to 7th October, 2013
4th Term: Oct 8 – Dec 20 :: Holidays 21st December to 28th January, 2014
(resumes Jan 28, 2014)

If you would like to Get Just Married® in 2013, it is important to remember that you need to give a MINIMUM of one month’s, Notice of Intended Marriage. You can read more about the requirements on our legal stuff page.

Please check our Availability Calendar or call Johanna on 0429 2 ELOPE (0429 2 35673).

Photo Credit: Justin Hevey of Whitengroom Photography Sydney

Pete was so deeply in love that he just wanted to give Tanya the world. They wrote their own personal vows and we all sobbed quietly as they shared them with each other.

It was such an honour to be present at this wedding.

A very special thank you to Karen & Ben, a former Vows Now bride & groom, who offered their time as witnesses so this wedding could be truly private.

Here’s a look at Pete & Tanya’s wedding…

(HIT REFRESH IF VIDEO BELOW DOESN’T LOAD)

Pete and Tanya had these kind words to say to me after their elopement:

“We are beside our selves, we are just so happy and just so grateful for the effort you put in. We didn’t realize until we looked at the photos how much effort YOU put in, we are so thankful. You’re one in a million and will always be a friend of ours.”

Photos: My generous amateur photographer husband Paul.
Flowers: Buttercups Florist Central Coast
Venue: Vows Now – My home at Point Clare, NSW Central Coast
Bridal entrance music: A Thousand Years, Breaking Dawn Soundtrack

All the very best wishes for a long and happy future to Mr and Mrs W!

Thank you to all of the wonderful couples who have trusted me to keep secrets, and share in a teensy bit of their love stories. It has been heaps of fun.
(If video doesn’t load below, please hit REFRESH?)

Some trivia:

• Most Vows Now weddings were booked a maximum of 12 weeks out from the date they married, which helps keep things fuss-free and simple.
• Less than 15% of Vows Now brides wore a traditional white wedding dress.
  Most wore casual sun dresses.
• More than 50% of Grooms have been barefoot for their ceremony.
• Two brides were more than 30 minutes late, all of the other brides were on time or early.
• It rained for 4 weddings, but only one couple required a Plan B to be put in place. The other 3 couples held umbrellas or stayed indoors.
• The oldest Groom this year that I married was 56.
• The youngest Bride was 21.
• I was a finalist in the NSW Australian Bridal Industry Awards where this year I came in 10th place!

Still not convinced that eloping is right for you?…Read my testimonials page or see what other couples told me on Facebook about why they were happy they eloped.

If you would like to Get JUST Married® contact Johanna, Civil Marriage Celebrant at www.vowsnow.com.au or call 0429 2 ELOPE (0429 235673).

A Fuss-Free Wedding to Remember: Elope-a-rama
Valentines Day 2013

Many couples dream of having their Wedding on Valentine’s Day but, generally speaking, with normal wedding suppliers – that just means the price of everything skyrockets! But that’s not always the case.

Forget your run of the mill wedding that ends up costing you thousands; on Valentine’s Day 2013, Central Coast Marriage Celebrant Johanna Hayes and Photographer Andrew Hellmich are combining forces to hold Elope-a-rama, offering an all in one elopement and photography package to those lucky in love for just $995.

Whether you’re a bride (or groom) who wishes they could run away and elope somewhere quickly, easily and without a fuss or someone who wants to run for the hills the second they see the price lists for caterers or wedding venues – Elope-a-rama offers a wedding experience that you will want to run to – not away from. Forget the bells and whistles of a “regular” wedding and commit to your loved one on the most romantic day of the year!

The Elope-a-rama wedding deal will see you being legally married* in the historic Little White Chapel (in the grounds of Linton Gardens Reception and Function Centre, Somersby – Just 5 minutes from the Gosford exit on the F3 Freeway), with photos taken by one of the most awarded wedding and portrait photographers in the Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter Valley Regions. You will even be able to celebrate your marriage by popping open a bottle of bubbly and nibbling on delicious fruit skewers with your two guests (or more for an additional fee).

Johanna does everything she can to ensure that both the Bride and Groom have a very special day that they will remember for years to come. A recent couple married by Johanna, Chris and Rebekah said; “The service was performed professionally, but also with a lot of laughs. I will certainly recommend your services to any of our friends and family planning on having either a wedding like ours or just a small group. Again, thank you for a wonderful and unforgettable day”.

Most of all, Johanna knows that a wedding isn’t about all of the bells and whistles – it’s about committing yourself to the one you love and about your love for one another and they ensure that your day reflects that.  Elope-a-rama means that all the planning will be done for you – all you need to do is prepare the paperwork (before 13th January 2013) given to you by Johanna and turn up on the day – before you know it, you’ll be waving goodbye as husband and wife!

To get more information about Elope-A-Rama, visit www.elope-a-rama.com.au today.

* To be legally married at Elope-a-rama you need to submit a signed and appropriately witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage Form to Johanna before January 14th 2013 at the latest. Vow Renewals and Commitment Ceremonies are most welcome too!

When Mellissa and James initially contacted me, they discussed having a private elopement. They had plans to fly to Thailand for a holiday, and it would be a great excuse to secretly elope and make their trip a honeymoon. That was the plan, but as often happens, plans changed.

Mellissa and James had a light bulb moment whilst attending a funeral. They were among family and it highlighted how important it was (for them) to have family surrounding them for their special celebration. They revised their wedding plans and held a magical ceremony in possibly the nicest family garden I have ever seen!

Melissa and James wrote their own personal vows that included some serious promises, a few tears and some laughs too. Their children stood by them and the whole family blessed their union with bubbles as they kissed.

Here’s Mellissa and James’ thoughts on having a Vows Now Wedding:

“Well presented and professional but laid back and easy going = GREAT”

Congratulations Mr & Mrs R… Married December 1st 2012.

Here are some random facts about Johanna, the Civil Marriage Celebrant who runs Vows Now so you can get to know her better (then book her to officiate your wedding)

1. Favourite drink = red wine
2. Favourite foods = chicken, that shreddy beef in real tacos, cucumber and cheesey fries.
3. This is NOT the most embarrassing photo of me.
4. My nickname as a child was J-oo (pronounced Jay Ooooh) as a result of trying to write ‘Jo’ loudly on a Father’s Day card.
5. My favourite colour is red. I will always choose a primary colour over a pastel.
6. I was on Terry Willesee Tonight when I was in Year 11 being interviewed about work experience. I dropped a dress worth $5000 in the gutter whilst rushing for a taxi to go to a fashion photo shoot.
7. The girl I was on TV with (see above) went on to become Miss Australia 1988. Miss Australia saw me drop the dress and helped me shove it back into it’s bag.
8. I was a nail biter until I turned 33.
9. I am a middle child (Older sister, ME, younger sister, brother).
10. I have a deal with my husband that if he should die before me, my next husband will be called Jorge (Phonetic Pronunciation: hor-hay), he will most likely be a handsome, younger Pool Boy of Spanish descent.
11. I am having THIS done with my husband’s ashes, should he pre-decease me. (It’s cool…he knows about it. So does his Mum…she giggled but I suspect that was when I told her about Jorge.)
12. The hospital ID bracelet from when I was born says my birth month is January, but my Birth Certificate says February.
13. I got my drivers licence first attempt and can confidently drive from all seats of the car.
14. I am not an animal person. I will tolerate pets, but I prefer not to own them.
15. If people shorten my name, I prefer ‘Jo’ rather than ‘Joh’. It shits me when people start an email with ‘Hey Guys’.
16. I am named after my father – ‘John’ and my mother ‘Helen’ and I have the same initials as my Grandfather ‘James Henry Hayes’.
17. I had my first son when I was 20, and my second son when I was 24. I have an empty nest at 43
18. I may have watched every single episode of every single series of The Real Housewives of [...............] in the privacy of my own home.
19. I have not listened to “Yellow” by Coldplay in it’s entirety since 2002.
20. My personal trainer let me kick him (Muay Thai style) with no pads for my 40th birthday. I found the sweet spot on his butt cheek and thought I was practically a UFC Ultimate Fighter. I went home and demonstrated my supreme skills as a martial artist by kicking my son. He blocked my kick. I kicked his arm. It hurt. I cried. I think this is the 9th rule of Fight Club?

Do you know me now? Here’s 10 more things you didn’t know about me.
Want me to be the one who stands up the front with you on your wedding day?
(I promise not to kick you….honest).  Give me a call on 0429 2 ELOPE.