It is a legal requirement that the Marriage Register and Certificates are signed at the end of a wedding ceremony.
There are three important things to remember about the signing:
Usually, your celebrant will provide a pen. However, it is best to check that it is an elegant pen. I’ve had several photographers tell me that budget celebrants have turned up with a brightly coloured plastic pen advertising something or other, which required some photoshopping to tone down.
The pen you signed your certificates with makes a lovely keepsake, but you need to choose the pen wisely if you wish to supply your own. Some things to be aware of:
Test all pens thoroughly – not just a scribble to see if they do write, but a reasonably protracted piece of writing to make sure they don’t smudge or drop clots of ink.
Venues usually supply a table with cloth and chairs. In a park or your own home, you’ll need to organise a table and one or two chairs. You can choose to just bend over to sign (as long as your neckline isn’t too low to do that without giving the photographer and everyone else an eye-full). Avoid vases of flowers on the table. Your bouquet will be sufficient decoration during the actual signing and doesn’t carry with it the risk of drenching the certificates that a vase full of water does.
About Author Jennifer Cram
Jennifer Cram is a high-credential Brisbane marriage celebrant known for her creative approach to the development of unique, personal, and creative wedding and commitment ceremonies. Appreciated by couples for the meaningful simplicity of the ceremony and by photographers for their attention to the visual aspects, Jennifer devotes many hours to ensuring that each ceremony reflects the love and the values of the couple and the warmth of their relationship with family and friends. In 2009 and 2010, she was voted one of Queensland’s top celebrants at the Australian Bridal Industry Academy Awards with a rating of 99.62% by couples she had married.