Committee and Life Members Christmas Luncheon

Thank you to everyone who attended our Committee and Life Members Christmas Luncheon.

The day was fabulous and the venue + food was a credit to the Fremantle Sailing Club.

On arrival members and partners were greeted and given a free drink voucher.

William also suited up again as our “Surprise” Father Christmas.

Everyone left with a gift and for those who attended thank you for all your good wishes to my hard working Committee and myself.

Unfortunately we are unable to set a date to suit everyone.

Some Photos Of The Day:

BRIDAL EXPO

The Expo was held at the Claremont Showgrounds Sunday 18th January and I would like to thank our Executive Officer Pauline for helping me set up on the Saturday and again by my side, all day Sunday.

Thanks also to our Secretary Sally, Vice President William and MCA Member Lisa D’Souza for your assistance on Sunday.

All prospective brides and grooms were given a complete list of all our current financial members.

Names - Suburbs and Mobiles

The response was magnificent and they all loved the idea of a list of celebrants to choose from.

Speaking to newly appointed Celebrants and the benefits of joining MCA was also worthwhile. Please welcome Lisa and Lyndell newly appointed celebrants and now also members of MCA.

Please see one of our adverts in the Bridal Book

Our Expo stand

Your Management Committee :

President/Treasurer/Delegate

Janette Parsons-Smith
[email protected]

Vice President

William Chi
[email protected]

Executive Officer

Pauline Salmon
[email protected]

Minute Secretary

Sally Allomes
[email protected]

Event/Welfare Officer

Debra Lievense
[email protected]

Support Officer

Kathy Newport
[email protected]

Support Officer & MCA Delegate

Diane Robertson-Smith
[email protected]

Profile Of A Celebrant Member

David Nelson

David Jefferie Nelson from South Yunderup Celebrant for over 33 years.

A few of Dave’s wonderful achievements list below.

Inducted into the WA Lions International Hall of Fame November 2022. Positions held at Club Level:

President (7years)
1st Vice President (2years)
3rd Vice President (4years)
Secretary (31 years)
Treasurer (1year)
Director (2years)
Membership Chairman(8years)
Christmas Cake Chairman (11years)
Tail Twister (7years)
Social Chairman/Ball Committee (3years)
Children’s Christmas Party Chairman (23years)
Town Of Kwinana Councillor (12years)
Deputy Mayor (2years)
Mayor (4years)
Justice of the Peace (39years)

Thank you for your contribution to the Community and your many Achievements and Recognitions over many years Dave. Well Done

Profile Of A Funeral Celebrant

JULIA CATTALINI

I arrived in Perth over 40 years ago as State Manager for the perfume and fashion house of Yves Saint Lorent and remained there for 10 years. Twenty years ago I married the love of my life and managed his pharmacy but sadly not long after our marriage he developed early Alzheimer's disease and died within three years.

In between owning a beautiful Christening Gown and Baby Shop I taught design and apply make-up and beauty therapy diploma courses at TAFE and private beauty schools.

I wrote a book "We're Not Dead Yet" a book encouraging mature women to age gracefully and for this I was nominated as Inspiration Woman of the year by Channel 7 and the West Australian Newspaper.

I have 2 children... now in their 50's. and despite their age will always be my "babies" and my four grandies from 15 to 22 are the diamonds in my life.

After my husband's death I became a Marriage Celebrant and during this time I was approached by Mareena Purslowe to become a Funeral Director.....and that was the start of a wonderfully meaningful journey . I left Mareena Purslowe because I wanted to deal more closely with families as a Funeral Celebrant.

Over the past 12 years I have officiated at over 2500 funerals and at the request from various Funeral Homes along with my lecturing qualifications I started my Celebrant training courses.....and it does me proud when I see Celebrants whom I have trained get work in in the Industry. The final decision is the Funeral Director’s to accept you to work alongside them.

Throughout my journey as a Funeral Celebrant I am forever grateful to the Funeral directors who entrust me with their families as they say their final goodbye to a loved one.

I was delighted to recently accept the position on the MCA Committee of Funeral Officer. As the Funeral Industry laws to perform a Funeral Ceremony are all changing I would like to share this knowledge with you, MCA members, interested to perform Funerals.

Over the coming months, along with your Committee's approval, Debra Lievense and I have some suggestions and ideas for you, if you desire, to expand your knowledge within the Funeral Industry.

For more information on the above please feel free to contact your

President Janette. [email protected]

Profile Of A Celebrant Member

Debra Lievense

I was really pleased when Janette asked me to reflect on my journey as a celebrant. As I thought back it made me smile, it made me gasp and it made me cry, for all the right reasons. Curating a ceremony for the many diverse couples that I have had the privilege of meeting requires a love of what you do, a sense of humor and a total commitment to creating the best possible ceremony that reflects them.

I have had an interesting journey on my celebrant path and have loved all the amazing couples I have met. I’ve been a celebrant for many years and have learnt a lot along the way. I was introduced to this amazing vocation through a great friend of mine Graham Lambert, who was our school Psychologist at Willetton Senior High School at the time. He was a celebrant and said he thought that I would really enjoy this wonderful profession. He was an amazing mentor, and I will always be truly grateful for his help and encouragement.

I’ve shared in overwhelming happiness as a celebrant that has made my heart sing. Where there has been incredible joy when the legislation changed to include same sex marriages and couples could wed, this was a truly joyous time.

I’ve had a wonderful eclectic mix of couples, and I have loved the fact that as a teacher I then have had loads of past students asking me to be their celebrant. This is always lots of fun as I can” tell tales out of school!”. It’s so lovely to see how they mature into beautiful adults, strong and responsible.

I’ve performed ceremonies when family members were near death and time was of the essence, these weddings that were so full of emotion and I witnessed such dignity and grace from family members. I am extremely happy to be your Event/Social Welfare Committee member

PLEASE REMEMBER TIPS

• Christmas cards were posted to all our current financial members in early December. Please let me know if you did not receive your card. I can only send them to the address you have given me.

• Don’t forget prior to the ceremony you must ask the Bride and Groom separately, if their intentions are, that they are still happy to marry today. (I personally make sure I have a witness to my conversation with the Bride and the Groom, recording the names of the witnesses in my diary.)

• To advise either the President-Treasurer or Executive Officer if you change your address-email or phone number, or if you resign or retire as a celebrant.
• Do not use your A number in any of your advertising.
• Organise a celebrant friend to help you on the day of a wedding should anything go wrong.
• In your drive to the venue have a note in the car that you are a celebrant on your way to solemnise a wedding. A phone number on the note to make contact with a person involved with the wedding.
• If you need to email the Attorney Generals Dept in the Subject Line Use your A Number. The Dept receives thousands of emails, we as celebrants have an A number and we are not the general public with a query

Our Marriage Celebrants Australia INSTAGRAM page is up and running and if you would like to check it out.

marriage_celebrants_wa_aus

It is free to advertise yourself and your business just email me with your story, name and contact details and feel free to add 2-3 wedding photos. Once you log in like the page with friends and family so our followers increases.

The bigger the following we hope will attract new brides to check us out.

Our new WEBSITE page has been completed and looks fabulous. Thank you to Brendan and Cassie Wright of IST Solutions.

The WEDDING BRIDE BOOK edition was available at Newsagents in December $6.95 and a mid year edition will be released in June 2025.

Food For Thought

I was asked by other members if we could have your favourite recipes to share.

Send me your favourite recipe!

Save The Date

• The AGM Function Day will be held at the
• Fremantle Sailing Club
• 151 Marine Terrace
• South Fremantle.
• Monday 5th of May 2025
• 9:00am till 1:00pm. $30-00
• Delicious Morning Tea and Lunch will be provided.
• Tea, Coffee, and Water Station.
• Guest speakers TBA.
• Free raffles.
• Free parking.

Marriage Celebrants Statistics From The Attorney Generals Department Meeting Held November 2024

As we have a 3 hour time difference with the Eastern States the meeting commenced at 6.30am (WA Time) I made contact with Dorothy who has for many years been our delegate and is familiar with the procedures and the staff heading up the meeting.

Thank you Dorothy for your 4 hours on line representing our MCA members.

I have Dorothy’s full report for the AGM.

Some Statistics Below: November 2023 - November2024

Deregistration’s 2023 (384) - 2024 (200)
Applications 2023 (901) - 2024 (340)
Enquires To AGD 2023 (28,496) -2024 (6,999)
OPD Completed 2023 (98.5%) -2024 (55.9%)

IN MEMORY

John Edward Smith (Life Member)

Passed away peacefully 8/12/2024. Condolences to his wife Sylvia and the family. John was a Committee member for many years. Rest In Love John

Julie Arif (MCA Member)

Passed away suddenly in Port Hedland. Condolences to her husband Sam and the family. Rest In Love Julie

Celebrations

To finish our newsletter, we would like to wish all our members celebrating Birthdays, or any other special occasion, in January, February and March a fabulous day!

Thank you,
from Janette
and your Committee