Everybody wants their wedding day to be unforgettable. However, not all of us can afford to hold it in a swanky venue with a massive fountain, rambling gardens and an eight course dinner to boot. Indeed, with weddings being particularly expensive these days, a popular alternative is to hold it at the Register’s Office. Let’s take a look at what a civil wedding at the Victorian Marriage Registry entails.
Registry weddings are affordable, flexible, and are perfect for people who would rather share their special day with a small number of important friends and relatives. The Victorian Marriage Registry in Melbourne, for instance, works well for an intimate civil ceremony of no more than eight guests. The procedure is quick, simple, and leaves you with enough time to celebrate your nuptials at a nearby restaurant or hotel. Indeed, Registry weddings take roughly thirty minutes from start to finish.
Be sure to meet with your celebrant to decide on a ceremony that best suits you and your partner’s wishes. Once that’s been settled, decide on a service format. The Victorian Marriage Registry offers two basic wedding templates: the standard service and the alternative service. The standard template will allow you to include some personalised readings, while the alternative service is a more stripped-down model, conducted without readings.
A wedding at the Victorian Marriage Registry is easy to plan. Simply place a booking with the office personally, or through the mail. Basic fees range from 14 to 28 dollars. The registry also offers comfortable accommodation, from 270 to 340 dollars per night. Remember that these costs don’t include celebrant fees.
Just because you’re opting for a registry wedding doesn’t mean you have to forgo photographs! In fact, the Victorian Marriage Registry is an impressive building on its own, and will work well for elegant and romantic wedding images. You also have the option of having your wedding at the Old Treasury Building, which is a Heritage-listed example of exquisite 19th century Melbourne architecture. Melbournes iconic Hosier Lane is just a short walk down the hill towards the city.
End the day with a jovial dinner or lunch at one of Melbourne’s most breath-taking restaurants or hotels. The nearby Hotel Windsor, for example, is a great place to kick back with a relaxing post-wedding beer. It’s also a wonderful venue for more wedding photography opportunities.
By David Lange