FAQs
What are the Legal Requirements to Marry in Australia?
The following legal requirements are a must for a marriage conducted by a registered marriage celebrant to be considered legal in Australia:
You are required to have two witnesses at the ceremony who are at least 18 years of age to sign the certificates and register with you.
Both parties must be at least 18 years of age. (With the exception of Section 12 from The Marriage Act 1961).
You must sign a declaration to state that there are no legal impediments to the marriage, (for example, being married to someone else with no divorce finalised, the bride and groom being too closely related etc.)
A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) must be lodged with your celebrant no less than one month and no earlier than 18 months before your ceremony. (With the exception of Section 42 (5) of The Marriage Act 1961 - A ‘Shortening of Time’ may be applied for under the right circumstances and must be approved by a Prescribed Authority. Ask me how.)
There are also 4 things that MUST be said during the ceremony: I must always introduce myself, the couple’s full names must be said at least once, the Monitum must be said, and the legal vows must be recited.
How do we complete the NOIM?
You must show your original (not photocopied) birth certificate, extract of birth OR Passport.
If you have been married previously, you must show your Divorce Decree Absolute or Death Certificate of your previous spouse.
For full details and all the info for couples who are about to get married, I recommend visiting the Attorney General's Department website.
What is a Civil Celebrant?
In Australia, celebrants are people who conduct formal ceremonies in the community, particularly weddings, which are the main ceremonies of legal import conducted by celebrants. They may also conduct non-legal ceremonies such as the naming of babies, the renewal of wedding vows and funerals. Officiating at a marriage requires that the celebrant be an authorised marriage celebrant under Australian law, but officiating at non-legal ceremonies does not.
What does a Civil Marriage Celebrant do?
A Marriage Celebrant will work with you to design and plan your ceremony. They will officiate at the service and ensure all legal documentation and procedures are followed. They will also submit all relevant paperwork after the ceremony to ensure you are legally married.
Why choose a Civil Celebrant?
With a Civil Ceremony, you have the freedom to choose anything you include in your service. There are no limitations on content, location, persons present or your vows. There are a couple of legal things that must be included however the rest is totally up to you. Of course I can give you many examples to help you along the way.
Civil ceremonies need not be religious however, if you wish to include religious blessings or prayers you can – it’s your choice.
What do I need to bring to our first meeting?
If Australian born: Original Birth Certificate or full copy, or Passport.
If mislaid, a copy of your Birth Certificate may be obtained from Department of Births, Deaths & Marriages
If Overseas born: Birth Certificate or Passport.
If mislaid, a copy may be obtained from your Country's embassy.
And if you have been married before - also bring with you:
If a widow or widower: Death Certificate of spouse.
If mislaid, a copy may be obtained from Department of Births, Deaths & Marriages.
If divorced: Decree Absolute of divorce or Certificate of divorce.
If mislaid, a copy may be obtained from the ‘Family Court of Australia.’
Required Forms