Bendigo civil celebrants ready to oversee same-sex weddings after historic marriage equality result

Celebrant Sue Begg said she cried when results of the postal survey were released yesterday – and not because it represented a potential boost for business. 

“People who love each other are going to be able to have that love recognised and are going to be able to be married,” she said.

Kerrie Grossman, a celebrant with five years’ experience, was equally elated. She was yet to oversee a same-sex union or commitment ceremony, believing many LGBTI people held off in the hope marriage equality would soon become law.

Both celebrants said the biggest change to ceremonies would be the monitum, a statement the celebrant is legally obliged to read, which states: “Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

Ms Begg said some couples have opted to follow the monitum with a statement expressing their support for marriage equality.

John Whitford, another Bendigo celebrant, said he expected the wording of the statement would change to include the word “spouses”. 

Asked about the suggestion officials who objected to same-sex marriage be allowed to deny services to a couple, Ms Begg believed those celebrants should leave the profession. It was their duty to wed pairs legally entitled to do so, she said. 

Read more: How Bendigo celebrated a ‘yes’ result, in pictures

But Ms Grossman said she would respect a competitor’s decision not to wed a same-sex couple. 

“There are some people who have different opinions and I'd never take that away from them,” she said.

It will be at least one month between Parliament passing legislation and the first same-sex wedding; couples are required to give 30 days’ notice about their intention to wed.

But Ms Begg hoped it would not be long before the community treated all weddings the same. 

“I want people to think its part of everyday life, it isn't something special, it's just what we do,” she said. 

“I can't wait for that day, actually.”

St Andrew’s Uniting Church reverend Di Esbensen yesterday told the Bendigo Advertiser she too would marry same-sex couples – if her church afforded her that freedom.

The Uniting Church’s policy in Australia remains that marriage is between a man and woman.

“That will be part of the conversation when members of the church get together,” Reverend Esbensen said.