As a Registered Commonwealth Marriage Celebrant, it is my role and responsibility to ensure that your marriage complies with the Australian Marriage Act (1961). As such, there are certain guidelines and criteria that must be fulfilled by law.
What you need to know:
- You must be over the age of 18 to marry (exceptions are permitted upon authority of the Court)
- A Notice of Intended Marriage (NoIM) must be completed and provided to me at least one month prior to your wedding ceremony (and no more than 18 months before the ceremony).
- Proof of Birth – You must provide to me evidence of your date and place of birth (i.e. your original birth certificate or Australian Passport, or if born overseas, your international passport, provided it has not been cancelled).
- You must provide proof of your identity (e.g. your Driver’s Licence, Passport, Australian Citizenship Certificate)
- If applicable, you must provide evidence of dissolution of a previous marriage (e.g. original Divorce Certificate, or an original Death Certificate of the previous spouse)
- All documents must be legible in English. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be officially translated by NAATI http://www.naati.com.au/
- Prior to your marriage, you must sign a declaration (Form 14), stating there is no legal impediment to your marriage.
- The marriage must be witnessed by two (2) people who are over 18 years
- Particular wording must be incorporated in the ceremony (e.g. vows and the Monitum). I will discuss this and work with you to include this wording in the ceremony whilst still ensuring the ceremony is uniquely yours.
During the ceremony, you will sign the:-
- Certificate retained in the Marriage Register
- Certificate forwarded to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
- Certificate given to you as a record of your marriage. This certificate is an official document and evidence of marital status, but it is not a proof of identity document.
Name Change – it is not a legal requirement for a person to change their last name to their spouse’s upon marriage. However, if you wish to do so, you must notify the relevant authorities and provide proof of marriage. Most authorities require a registry-issued marriage certificate as proof of marriage. The current fee for the standard marriage certificate is $53.
I will provide you with the necessary forms and take care of lodging the legal documents with the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.