Love + Liberty

Your planning portal

Everything for your ceremony, in one place

Work through these steps in order. There's no rush on most of them, and you can come back to this page any time.

Your steps

From booking to the big day.

  1. Read and agree to your contract

    Have a read through the terms below. Once you've ticked the box, I'll send through your deposit invoice.

    Agreement between Elizabeth Davison (celebrant) and the couple

    I, Elizabeth Davison, celebrant, agree to officiate at the wedding of the couple named above, at the date, time and location confirmed in our emails.

    Fee: as quoted for your package. There is a non-refundable 20% deposit, payable on receipt of your deposit invoice. This holds the date and time for both parties. The balance is due to be paid in full one week prior to the ceremony.

    By paying the deposit you are agreeing to the terms of this contract.

    Couple understands and recognises that the celebrant performs other wedding ceremonies and that any change of date, time or location, without first notifying the celebrant, may create a conflict with the celebrant's schedule. If a cancellation or change is made by the couple less than 48 hours prior to the ceremony, the entire fee as contracted will be due. Likewise the celebrant commits to refunding the deposit if for any reason she is unable to perform the ceremony.

    Celebrant is granted permission to use any photographs, testimonials, and the ceremony itself for publicity purposes, including and not limited to: publishing on websites, blog posts, Facebook, advertising, and material for future weddings. Celebrant maintains full copyright of the written ceremony, but allows the couple to use and share it for their own personal use. Celebrant must seek permission from the couple before using any footage for commercial purposes.

    Fee includes:

    • initial meeting prior to booking
    • attendance at ceremony, unlimited ceremony script consultations and updates (if celebrant's total time for planning and ceremony exceeds 12 hours, an additional fee of $30 an hour will apply)
    • research and resource material
    • consultations with other members of the wedding party if required
    • lodging your marriage paperwork with Births, Deaths & Marriages on the first business day after the ceremony

    The celebrant will arrive at least one half hour before the ceremony.

    If a rehearsal is required an additional fee will be incurred to cover the celebrant's time and travel.

    In the unlikely event that the celebrant is not able to officiate because of illness or other emergency, the celebrant will endeavour to arrange a replacement celebrant.

    Celebrant's contact information: loveandlibertyweddings@gmail.com · 021 0223 8266

    AGREED TO BY: Elizabeth Davison

    Your names

  2. Pay your deposit

    Your deposit invoice comes from Hnry, my payments provider, with the bank details on it. Paying it confirms your booking and means you're agreeing to the contract above.

    Once your invoice arrives

  3. Fill in your logistics questionnaire

    The practical bits: your legal names, venue, timings, who's walking in when, and so on. This is what I build the bones of your ceremony from.

    Open logistics questionnaire →Anytime after booking

  4. Choose your ceremony script

    Have a read of the three ceremonies and choose the one that feels most like you. Bracketed bits like [Name] get filled in with your details.

  5. Tell me your love story

    This is the fun one. You each fill in your own couples questionnaire, separately, so I hear both sides of the story (and you can keep a few surprises for the day). It covers everything from how you met to the proposal, so your ceremony sounds like you. Take your time, and the more detail the better.

    Ideally 3+ months before

  6. Fill in your MC questionnaire

    Running order, speeches, names I need to pronounce correctly and anything you'd like me to announce on the night.

    Open MC questionnaire →About 2 months before

  7. Review your script

    Once your questionnaires are in, I'll write your ceremony and email it over. Tell me anything you'd like added, removed or changed, and we'll go back and forth until you love it.

    I'll email you

  8. Write your vows

    Only if you're exchanging personal vows. For some people this comes naturally, and for others it's hard to know where to start, so here's a little inspo. Keep it simple and from the heart and you can't go wrong.

    Ideas to include

    • A promise or two, big or small (and maybe a funny one)
    • A little story, like how you met or the moment you knew
    • A few things you love about each other
    • An in-joke, a nickname or a pop culture reference only you two will get

    Helpful reading

    Read Libby's vows to her husband as an example

    Brad, I’ve already made the big promises to you, so here are a few things I definitely can’t promise but I’ll try. I’ll try to stop asking you who is ‘winning’ the cricket. Because that’s not how it works. I’ll try to not get mad at you for mumbling, and to bite the bullet and spend the money on the hearing aids we both know I need. I will try every day to love myself as much as you love me, because if you can’t love yourself… how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?

    I’m someone who is severely affected by decision paralysis. I will be so terrified of making the wrong choice that I will struggle to move forward with anything. Brad, you were, and continue to be, the easiest choice I’ve ever made.

    A couple of months before I met you my therapist told me to write a list of everything I was looking for in my perfect man. It was not a short list. You don’t have any tattoos… but I’m working on that. You’re not handy, but thankfully your dad is, and you’re not musical, but we can always get Joe to serenade us. Of the 31 qualities on my list, you were 28. That’s a pretty bloody near perfect score if you ask me.

    As time goes on I find more and more qualities that I love about you. Like the way you put on The Sopranos when you’re in the mood to cook Italian food. Or the way you get angry when some guy treats one of my friends badly ‘because how can they not see what a catch she is?’. Or the way you can now acknowledge Taylor Swift’s undeniable musical talent.

    Thank you for everything you have shared with me. New music, old movies, your food, and your life. You are the Pam to my Jim, the Donna to my Josh, the Ben to my Leslie. I love you man. All there is… and then some.

  9. Apply for your marriage licence

    You apply for your licence yourselves through Births, Deaths & Marriages. It's a quick online form, but it's a legal document, so take your time and check every name, date and spelling.

    When to apply

    About 3 to 5 weeks before your wedding. Your licence is only valid for 3 months, so don't apply too early, and it takes a few working days to arrive, so don't leave it to the last minute.

    How to apply

    1. Open the online application and choose Personalised ceremony.
    2. Enter your celebrant's full name: Elizabeth Davison.
    3. Use your full legal names exactly as they appear on your photo ID, and double-check your wedding date and venue. It's worth adding a back-up venue in case of bad weather, as you can only marry at a venue listed on your licence.
    4. When asked how you'd like to receive your licence, choose to have it emailed to you.
    5. Planning to change your name? Tick the box to order your marriage certificate at the same time. It makes things much simpler later.

    The licence fee ($158 at the time of writing) is paid to Births, Deaths & Marriages and isn't part of your Love & Liberty fee.

    Apply for your licence →Official info on govt.nz

  10. Send me your licence paperwork

    When your licence arrives, forward the whole email (the BDM10, BDM45 and BDM45A forms) to loveandlibertyweddings@gmail.com. I'll print everything and bring it on the day, and lodge it with Births, Deaths & Marriages for you afterwards.

    At least 1 week before

  11. Pay your balance

    Your balance invoice will come from Hnry and is due one week before your ceremony.

    1 week before

Good to know

On the day

I'll arrive at least half an hour before your ceremony. Right after the ceremony we'll sign your paperwork with your two witnesses, so make sure they know to stick around.

Rehearsals

Most couples don't need one, but if you'd like a rehearsal there's an extra fee to cover my time and travel. Just ask.

Changing your plans

Life happens! If your date, time or venue changes, let me know as soon as you can so I can check I'm still free.

Questions?

Flick me an email any time.