How I collect, use, protect and retain your personal information.
When you make an enquiry or choose me as your celebrant, you may share personal information about yourself, your relationship, your family or your circumstances.
I understand the trust that comes with receiving that information and I am committed to handling it carefully, respectfully and securely.
Personal information collected for a particular purpose will only be used for the function or purpose for which it was collected, unless you have given permission for another use or I am required or authorised by law to use or disclose it.
The personal information I collect will depend on the nature of your enquiry and the ceremony or service you require.
This may include:
For marriages, I am also required to collect information and documents necessary to meet my obligations as an authorised marriage celebrant under Australian law.
This may include information relating to your identity, date and place of birth, marital status and other information required to prepare and lodge marriage documentation.
I only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary to:
I do not sell, rent or trade personal information.
Information provided to me will not be used for unrelated purposes without your permission, unless its use or disclosure is required or authorised by law.
As an authorised marriage celebrant, I have legal obligations relating to the collection, preparation, lodgement and retention of marriage records.
Marriage documents required to be lodged with the relevant Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages may be submitted electronically.
Where an official marriage certificate is required by law to be retained by me, it will be retained securely for six years commencing on the day after the marriage is solemnised, in accordance with the Marriage Regulations 2017.
Documents and information collected for the purpose of solemnising and registering your marriage will only be used for that purpose and for meeting my legal and regulatory obligations.
Documents belonging to you that I am not required to retain will be returned as soon as practicable once they are no longer required.
Marriage records retained by me are not used for marketing, promotional purposes or for purposes unrelated to the marriage for which they were collected.
Planning a personal ceremony can involve sharing information about relationships, families, significant life events and other personal circumstances.
Information you provide for the preparation and delivery of your ceremony will be treated as confidential and will only be used to provide the ceremony or related service for which it was collected.
I will not publish or use personal stories, ceremony content, photographs, testimonials or other identifiable information for promotional or marketing purposes without appropriate permission.
When you submit an enquiry through my website, an online enquiry form, email, telephone or another communication method, I will use the information you provide to respond to and manage your enquiry.
Making an enquiry does not create any obligation to book my services.
If you do not proceed with a booking, information provided as part of your enquiry will not be used for unrelated marketing or other purposes.
I may use reputable third-party services to assist in operating my business, including website hosting, online enquiry forms, email, invoicing, payment processing and electronic lodgement of marriage documentation.
These services may process or store information on my behalf.
I will only provide or allow access to information that is reasonably necessary for the service being provided.
Where information must be provided to a government authority, including a Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, it will be provided as required for the administration and registration of your marriage or as otherwise required by law.
I take reasonable steps to protect personal information and documents in my possession from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Physical marriage records and other documents that I am required to retain are stored securely.
Electronic information is maintained using systems and services intended to provide appropriate security for the information being held.
Access to personal information is limited to what is reasonably necessary for the operation of my celebrant services and my legal obligations.
I do not retain personal information indefinitely unless there is a legal or legitimate business reason to do so.
Information will be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to provide my services, maintain appropriate business records or comply with a legal requirement.
Where legislation requires a particular document or record to be retained for a specified period, I will retain it for that period.
When information and documents are no longer reasonably required and there is no legal obligation to retain them, they will be securely destroyed or deleted where practicable.
If you would like to know what personal information I hold about you, or believe that information I hold is incorrect or requires updating, you are welcome to contact me.
Where appropriate and subject to any legal record-keeping requirements, I will take reasonable steps to provide access to or correct the information.
There may be circumstances where I am required or authorised by law to provide personal information or documents to a government authority, court, law enforcement body or other authorised organisation.
Where this occurs, I will only disclose the information necessary to meet that obligation.
If you have a question or concern about the way I have collected, stored, used or handled your personal information, please contact me.
William Betson Celebrant
Ballarat, Victoria
Email: hello@williambetson.com.au
Phone: 0438 747 508
I will take reasonable steps to consider and respond to any privacy concern raised with me.
Last updated: September 2026