Hobsons Bay council is launching a delicate campaign to stop couples getting married at Williamstown Botanic Gardens without permits.
Infrastructure and city services director Sherry Clarke said the council would use a combination of education and enforcement to deter weddings being conducted without couples having paid up to $355 for permits.
Cr Angela Altair said that on April 12 two weddings were held without permits.
“It’s very annoying because … those who do the right thing, are paying their fees and then you’ve got these people coming along and claiming innocence,” Cr Altair said.
“But my understanding is one of the celebrants was a very well-known identity who should have known better.
“I wonder if we could also have some sort of database of local civil celebrants … we should let them know about the rules because both celebrants [on April 12] claimed they didn’t know they had to pay which, sounds a bit disingenous to me.
“We should read the riot act to them, quite frankly.”
She said council officers always tried to act sensitively in these situations and did not want to ruin a couple’s special day.
Celebrant Kim Walsh said he always advised couples that a permit was needed for a wedding at the gardens, Commonwealth Reserve Rotunda, Newport Lakes or Truganina Wetlands, but he said the ultimate responsibility lay with them.
“It is not the celebrant’s responsibility to obtain a permit – that is up to the couple,” he said.
“On a number of occasions, weddings have clashed – for example, if I’ve got a 2 o’clock wedding at the Golden Elm [in the botanic gardens] and there’s another wedding on the Sunset Lawn, which is 20 metres as the crow flies.”
He suggested the council put up reserved signs at the four garden locations if weddings were scheduled there.
“I’ve rocked up at the Golden Elm and there are people having a picnic there,” Mr Walsh said.
“All you have to do is get someone to say, ‘Stiff bikkies, I’m not moving’.”
