Marianne Macartney toasts 50 years of civil marriage celebrants in Australia

Marianne Macartney has had a ball in almost three decades as a marriage celebrant, a profession that marks its 50th anniversary in Australia on July 19.

The Melburnian says from small beginnings in 1973 the program has grown to more than 10,000 registered marriage celebrants in Australia. Today more than 80 percent of marriages in Australia are solemnised by celebrants.

For Marianne, who has conducted thousands of marriages, it has been an honour. "I have loved every moment of the privilege I was given 27 years ago.".

She said the secularisation of weddings gave people "the freedom and dignity in being able to choose to marry at any time, day or place they so wished, along with freedom to choose most of the words in the circumstances they desired".

Marianne said that before attorney-general Lionel Murphy ushered in the change to the Marriage Act, marriages were the domain of Christian churches or state registry offices.

Divorcees who wished to remarry, non-believers or non-church goers were usually refused a church wedding and had no option but to endure the dreary and undignified registry offices of the time, she said.

But thanks to lobbying by the likes of Dally Messenger, an ex-priest, teacher and longtime activist for a civil marriage celebrant program, change came.

On July 19, 1973, Murphy personally wrote and posted the appointment letter of Australia's first civil celebrant, Lois Darcy, a young married teacher from the Gold Coast.

Four days later he appointed Lyn Knorr as Australia's second and Victoria's first civil marriage celebrant. Within 18 months there were 99 authorised marriage celebrants throughout Australia.

Marianne said without the media fanfare of other reforms, Lois and Lyn enthusiastically promoted the program themselves. Lois performed a wedding on television and Lyn on radio, delighting those present.

Celebrants who followed behind them included teachers, researchers, academics, fundraisers, journalists, writers, beekeepers and business owners.

Marianne said that when she started out in 1995, she really did not have much idea of how to be a celebrant;

In those first months she relied on her professional background as an educator and the guidance of Messenger's book, Ceremonies for Today.

Over time, there have been a number of wedding styles that have surprised her, or even pushed her.

For example, there was a wedding in a hot air balloon, but as Marianne is afraid of heights, she declined the offer. Another time, a kookaburra flow over and deposited his mark in the middle of the marriage certificate just as the couple was about to sign it. Then there were mishaps, including the veil blowing off the bride in a sea plane....

She says celebrancy continues to evolve. On December 5, 2017 the plebiscite on marriage equality was won in a yes vote and, four days later, the Marriage Act was amended accordingly.

In addition, celebrants are now trained and are required to pass the Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy in order to be registered .

Advertising is no longer regulated and is a far cry from the "one column by 1 inch" in local newspapers permitted in the early days. Today there are individual websites and a plethora of social media platforms.

Celebrants are diverse in culture and background and now operate as small business owners. In an unregulated market celebrants are free to charge a fee which they deem appropriate for their work.