Birdsong Celebrancy Services

Allow me to introduce myself

Hello, my name is Desimir and I am the founder of Birdsong Celebrancy Services.

Many people know me simply as Den,

I am a Canberra-based civil marriage celebrant, and offer a full range of celebrancy services in the Snowy-Monaro, South Coast and Southern Highlands regions as well.

Ceremonies in nature are my speciality.

Unashamedly, a romantic at heart and a lover of humanity, I hold a desire to inspire others to live and celebrate their lives with love and purpose.

An occasional storyteller and amateur actor, I'm comfortable in front of large groups but I've never been one to go looking for the spotlight. Whether I stand before you as celebrant, or in-character on stage, I approach every role heart first.

Sincerity, integrity, connection and warmth are important to me. They are my cornerstones and are the qualities from which I draw upon when working with clients to create deeply heartfelt, elegant and radiantly beautiful ceremonies.

I look forward to creating such a ceremony with you.

Why 'Birdsong' ?

Have you ever witnessed the natural phenomenon of birds performing a ‘murmuration’ across the skies? The flock is made up of hundreds, if not thousands, of birds, constantly reforming and reshaping itself. Why do they do it? Is it to serve as a beacon, to give safety in numbers, to exchange information, or to simply keep warm?....

Perhaps of all these reasons are correct but I also imagine it is because they are full of spirit, and their actions are a reflection of their soul life.

The murmuration heralds the coming of the dawn and of the twilight at night. It forms part of their morning and evening rituals, and it is through ritual and ceremony that we, too, become as one - heralding our love, dedication, sacrifice and honour - giving expression to what we feel in our hearts.

Birds will also give voice and sing, each in their own time and special way, for any number of reasons; one being the ongoing changing of the seasons in nature.

We also celebrate and mark the heartfelt joys, as well as the sorrows, through all of the ongoing changes continually shaping our lives.

Services offered

Birdsong Celebrancy Services proudly offers elegant, heartfelt and beautiful ceremonies for Love, Life and Remembrance.

Our ceremonies are held with integrity, sincerity, love and care; offering a calm, joyful, warm and soulful space to honour life's meaningful moments.

Each ceremony is thoughtfully created, nurtured, and held with care.

Every detail is given close attention.

Every client is gently supported and guided from beginning to end, ensuring that your ceremony remains deeply personal, authentic and unhurried, and feels completely natural, beautiful and true to you.

Weddings

A wedding ceremony is undeniably one of life’s most important and significant milestones. A golden moment and opportunity for a couple to formally declare their love and commitment, and make solemn promises to each other which are at the heart of a fulfilling and secure marriage.

Your family and friends are also given the opportunity to acknowledge and witness your love and unity, and pay their respects to the promises you both are making. The ceremony, additionally, also serves as a guide for guests who may have forgotten their own promises. Many people who attend weddings find themselves recommitting themselves to each other as the ceremony unfolds.

It is an incredibly exciting time in your lives, and I would be honoured to assist you in creating a memorable, unique and radiantly beautiful wedding ceremony.

I’ll work closely with you to help plan every detail of your ceremony so that it is personalised and meaningful – a true reflection of you both as a couple. Whether you’re looking for something formal, laidback or in-between, we’ll combine the right ingredients for the perfect celebration of your love.

I’ll keep you abreast of all the legal aspects required and will help you tailor the ceremony to exactly what you want, including vows, poems, music and rituals.

Your wedding ceremony is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of your wedding day and I’m here to guide you, encourage you, and give you direction along every step of your journey and be there for you on your special day.

I want for you to be able to look back in the years to come and recall with immense fondness, ’what an absolutely wonderful day it was!’

Wedding Dance Lessons

I have two left feet…. I can’t dance…. Help!!

Well, the simple truth is that no-one has two left feet, and even experienced dancers had to start from the ground up.

You may be thinking that when your wedding song is being played at your reception, it might be easier to just do the ‘sway’ thing but consider carefully, how would it feel to be able to move elegantly, gracefully and harmoniously with your partner instead?

By teaching you the principles of Argentine Tango, I can help you to establish and maintain a physical (and emotional) connection with your partner. The best news is that such a connection doesn’t just apply to the dancefloor – it spills over, and you bring it into your lives together.

The communication between you is non-verbal, the connection is deep, and your heart is the key. Your heart-connection is what makes it work and I’d love to show you how.

Vow Renewals

A vow renewal ceremony is similar in many ways to a wedding ceremony. It has a similar ceremony outline and order of events - without the legalities of a wedding.

Any married couple can renew their vows whenever they wish to. Many people choose to renew them when they reach a milestone in their marriage, such as a 10 or 20 year anniversary. Other couples choose to renew their vows after a big life change, such as starting a family, or after overcoming challenges in their marriage.

A vow renewal is a ceremony which is focussed on your love, devotion and ongoing commitment to one another. It is a beautiful way to celebrate the years of your marriage and commit to many more years together.

Because there are no legal aspects to a vow renewal ceremony, it means that the Monitum and legal marriage vows are not spoken, and there are no marriage certificates to sign (and file with relevant authorities). There is, however, a lot of flexibility and scope available to you to adjust whichever components of the ceremony you wish.

Naming Ceremonies

Congratulations on the precious gift of your child!

A naming ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate a new baby’s arrival, or welcome an adopted child or step-child into your family, and to look towards their future surrounded by family and friends.

For a new baby, the ceremony is often held in the child’s first year or on their first birthday, but can be held when the child is any age. Usually, godparents, guardians or mentors are chosen to take a special interest in the child’s life and they will customarily feature during the ceremony. Grandparents are given special acknowledgement as well.

But naming ceremonies aren’t limited to babies or children. They are also held to celebrate an adult embracing a new name, and to honour their identity and role within a family or community.

The ceremony is one of love and gratitude and celebrates the miracle of life, the joy of love, and the blessing of family.

Funerals / Memorials and Scattering of Ashes

As human beings we are moved deeply by the power of ceremony. The rituals used, and the words spoken, at funerals, memorial services and scattering of ashes, provide us with ways of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of a loved one.

The ceremony itself gives testimony to the life of the deceased. It encourages the expression of grief, provides support to those in mourning, and offers continuity and hope for the living. This moment in time gives us the opportunity to realise what truly matters in our lives. Everything else falls away.

When faced with the loss of a loved one, and grief has made its presence known, I am here to work closely with you, to guide and assist you in planning every detail of your ceremony so that it not only runs smoothly and seamlessly, but is personalised and meaningful – a true reflection of your relationship with your beloved.

I am here to serve you – with utmost care – from my heart.

What my clients are saying about my work

Desimir was an absolute joy to work with from start to finish. From our very first interaction, he was incredibly warm, thoughtful, and genuinely invested in getting to know us as a couple. He took the time to understand our style and values, and perfectly tailored the ceremony to reflect who we are.
On the day, his calm and caring presence set the tone beautifully and made the whole experience feel effortless so that we could focus on being completely present.
We couldn't have asked for a better celebrant and would highly recommend Desimir to anyone, whatever style of ceremony they envision.

A & J

Google Review: FIVE STARS

We were recently married by Birdsong Celebrancy Services and we are deeply grateful for Desimir's considered approach and his absolute professionalism. The meaningful journey we experienced with Desimir, preparing and creating our unique marriage ceremony, was truly memorable.
We couldn't be happier recommending Birdsong Celebrancy Services for your special day.

Kelsaya & Peter

Google Review: FIVE STARS

"You don't marry someone you can live with, you marry the person who you cannot live without."

- Aleatha Romig, Consequences

I'd love to help you with your upcoming ceremony

Let's begin with a comfortable, easy-going chat over the phone or in-person. It's free, and there's no obligation, no pressure.

I want to hear what you're thinking of and looking for, and you'll be able to gain a better understanding of who I am.

If we're a good fit then allow me to help you turn your dreams and wishes into a beautiful, elegant and memorable moment in your lives.

CONTACT ME

Frequently Asked Questions

The best advice I can give is to start nice and early. At least 12-18 months beforehand is a reasonable timeframe but if you are going to have a large wedding then you will most likely need even more time to plan, consider your options, and sign up your suppliers. The most critical of these is the venue (for both your ceremony and reception).

And as far as your ceremony is concerned, do yourselves the biggest favour by cultivating a calm, serene and completely present head AND heart-space in the days leading up to your wedding.

The key is to:

give yourselves more time than you think you'll actually need,
work together, and
get every box ticked well ahead of schedule.

A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) is a legally required document you must lodge with an authorised marriage celebrant at least 1 month and no more than 18 months before your wedding.

I will ensure that the NOIM (and all other legal documentation) is completed and submitted as required by law, as part of my service to you.

Yes, of course you can! This can definitely be arranged, but please note that pets cannot act in any legal capacity such as a witness.

Birdsong Celebrancy Services is Canberra-based, but provides its full range of celebrancy services in the Snowy-Monaro, South Coast, and Southern Highlands regions as well.

No, only your most recent divorce papers are required.

Don’t panic. If you were married in Australia, you can use the following link to arrange for a replacement certificate.

https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/divorce/proof

At a recent outdoor wedding, the guests were seated (all 100 of them) and the bride and groom entered, taking their places before me. It was touch and go as far as the weather was concerned - difficult to pick exactly what would happen.

We decided in that moment, before any words were spoken, to activate our 'Plan B'. Everyone relocated themselves indoors. It was cozy, but it was sheltered and dry.

Thank heavens for the Plan B because, at about 15 minutes into the ceremony, the skies opened up with a vengeance. Had we stayed outdoors, we'd have been soaked through in 5 seconds flat. I smiled to myself inwardly, and carried on with the ceremony (which was beautiful and won't ever be forgotten).

The moral of this story........... We'll always have a Plan B in place to cover such a contingency.

It's something we'll all contribute towards together.

In the early stages of planning, I'll spend some time asking you all sorts of interesting questions and getting to know you better.

I'll develop a draft ceremony script based on my initial impressions and give you every opportunity to provide me with your feedback and thoughts.

We'll keep working in this way until an authentic, heartfelt, elegant and beautiful script - the one that is just right - has been created for you.

You can find full details and transparent pricing listed for all services on my Costs page.