Frequently Asked Questions

All marriages in Australia must be conducted in accordance with the Marriage Act 1961 and the Marriage Regulations.

To be legally married in Australia, two people must:

• not be already married to each other or anyone else
• not be marrying a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother or sister.
• be at least 18 years old, unless a court has approved a marriage where one party is aged between 16 and 18 years old
• lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) with their celebrant no less than one month and no more than 18 months before their ceremony
• understand what marriage means and freely consent to being married
• sign a declaration stating there are no legal impediments to the marriage e.g. already married, underage, too closely related etc.
• use specific words during the ceremony i.e. the ‘monitum’ spoken by the celebrant and ‘the vows’ spoken by each party to marriage
• have two witnesses at the ceremony who are at least 18 years of age who will sign the marriage certificates

You must lodge your Notice of Intended Marriage with your celebrant a minimum of one month before you would like to get married. 

There are some special circumstances where you can request a "Shortening of Time". This may include medical reasons, religious considerations, legal proceedings, employment commitments etc. Speak to your celebrant about this.

IYou will need to provide your celebrant some photo identification as well as proof of your date and place of birth. A passport covers all of these things, or you can use a birth certificate and driver's licence. If either of you have been married before, you will need to provide evidence that this marriage has ended.

Your celebrant needs to sight the originals of these documents either in person or via a video call or Zoom. 

I have married over 200 special couples, and I am committed to creating a ceremony that reflects your unique love story.

Absolutely! I will work with you to create a personalised ceremony that reflects your beliefs, values, and vision for your special day. I can include any special readings, rituals, or traditions that are important to you.

Yes, I am available for travel for weddings and other special events. Additional travel fees may apply for events outside of the local area.

No. The Marriage Certificate presented on your wedding day is merely proof that your marriage took place and is known as a Couples Certificate. 

What you will need for a change of name purposes is an official Marriage Certificate issued from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). There is a fee of approx $55.

I will be happy to order this certificate on your behalf at the same time as I lodge all the other marriage documents.

If you are not changing your name, you are not obligated to obtain the BDM registered Marriage Certificate.

 The two witnesses are the official legal witnesses to the marriage under law and their presence serves a legal purpose. That purpose is to be able to swear in court, or elsewhere, as to the identity of the parties or to testify to the circumstances in which the ceremony was performed, including the date and place.

Your 2 witnesses must be over the age of 18 and can be anyone present at your ceremony. The only other requirement is that they must be able to read and understand English. 

Yes. anyone can be married in Australia. You do not need to fulfil any residency or visa requirements. Why not get married while you are on holidays here !

Yes. You can be married anywhere you like - a beach, a park, a coffee shop, a boat, a helicopter, your loungeroom or the wedding venue of your dreams. If you are getting married in a public place you may need approval from local council and there may be a fee involved. 

You can also get married any day of the year at any time :-)