FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GETTING
MARRIED
ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT SAME-SEX MARRIAGES?
ABSOLUTELY!! If you are a same-sex couple looking for a celebrant, then I am your lady!! Please feel free and at ease to contact me.
WHAT DOES A MARRIAGE CELEBRANT DO?
Marriage celebrants are not wedding planners. We leave the business of florists, venues and catering, to those professionals who handle such things.
As a Celebrant, I look after the legal component of your big day. I make sure that your ceremony contains all that is required by law, your documentation is done correctly and that your papers are lodged with the relevant authorities immediately after your marriage.
WHAT ARE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS?
Firstly, both you and your partner must be over the age of 18 years to marry in Australia. If one of you is not, an application can be made to a Magistrate for permission to marry. However, it must be remembered that no person under the age of 16 can marry.
Every marrying couple must first complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) Form. This must be completed a minimum of one calendar month prior to your marriage ceremony and is valid for 18 months. The NOIM is usually completed with your Celebrant, but can be done with a Justice of the Peace or a Police Officer witnessing your signatures, or if you live outside of Australia, a Notary Public, an Australian Diplomatic Officer, or an Australian Consular Officer are able to witness your signatures.
You will be required to provide your Birth Certificate or passport (a cancelled passport is not admissible), a Divorce Certificate if you are a divorced person, or a Death Certificate for your deceased spouse if you are widowed. These documents must be originals, no photocopies can be accepted. If you are an overseas client, a passport issued by the Government of your country will suffice as evidence of your date and place of birth. You will be required to furnish a Divorce certificate or Death certificate if you have been previously married.
If there are any children born of a previous marriage, their year of birth will need to be recorded on your NOIM.
Couples in Australia on a Tourist Visa can marry here. They will however, need to comply with all the conditions of their visa. The rules for lodging a NOIM are the same but I will provide a letter for your country’s Immigration Department stating that you have lodged your NOIM with me.
Other forms that you will need to sign include a Declaration before the date of your marriage. You will also need to sign two Official Certificates of Marriage, and your Presentation Certificate at the time of your marriage. You will need two witnesses over the age of 18 to act as witnesses to the signing of these documents (these can be parents, friends or relatives – there are no legal restrictions).
Your marriage ceremony must also include certain legalities. They are the inclusion of the Monitum and a minimum requirement for your marriage vows.
WHAT STYLE OF CEREMONY IS AVAILABLE?
Elopement Style
If your wish is to be married in a small intimate ceremony with just yourselves and two witnesses present, that is perfectly fine. I respect a couple's need to have a private ceremony, and go to great lengths to ensure that your privacy is not compromised.
Formal or Casual
These ceremonies may include your choice of ritual or extra ceremonies within you marriage ceremony. Some couples choose to include a Hand fasting ceremony, a Sand ceremony, a Ring Warming ceremony or one of the many other ceremonies or rituals I am able to provide for you.
Themed Weddings
I have often been asked to officiate at a marriage where the theme has been “Roaring Twenties”, “Hawaiian”, “Wild West” or even “Medieval”. I try very hard to accommodate all requests and will do my very best for you.
CAN WE WRITE OUR OWN CEREMONY?
Yes, or course! As previously mentioned, certain legal requirements need to be included within your ceremony and as long as these are adhered to, you can write anything you wish, including your own vows and rituals. I look forward to discussing this with you and I am happy to assist in writing a unique and completely original ceremony with you. I have many resources available to help.
CAN WE HAVE A REHEARSAL?
Yes, my services can include a rehearsal of your ceremony if required. We can arrange this at one of our meetings prior to your marriage.
MARRIED
ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO CONDUCT SAME-SEX MARRIAGES?
ABSOLUTELY!! If you are a same-sex couple looking for a celebrant, then I am your lady!! Please feel free and at ease to contact me.
WHAT DOES A MARRIAGE CELEBRANT DO?
Marriage celebrants are not wedding planners. We leave the business of florists, venues and catering, to those professionals who handle such things.
As a Celebrant, I look after the legal component of your big day. I make sure that your ceremony contains all that is required by law, your documentation is done correctly and that your papers are lodged with the relevant authorities immediately after your marriage.
WHAT ARE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS?
Firstly, both you and your partner must be over the age of 18 years to marry in Australia. If one of you is not, an application can be made to a Magistrate for permission to marry. However, it must be remembered that no person under the age of 16 can marry.
Every marrying couple must first complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) Form. This must be completed a minimum of one calendar month prior to your marriage ceremony and is valid for 18 months. The NOIM is usually completed with your Celebrant, but can be done with a Justice of the Peace or a Police Officer witnessing your signatures, or if you live outside of Australia, a Notary Public, an Australian Diplomatic Officer, or an Australian Consular Officer are able to witness your signatures.
You will be required to provide your Birth Certificate or passport (a cancelled passport is not admissible), a Divorce Certificate if you are a divorced person, or a Death Certificate for your deceased spouse if you are widowed. These documents must be originals, no photocopies can be accepted. If you are an overseas client, a passport issued by the Government of your country will suffice as evidence of your date and place of birth. You will be required to furnish a Divorce certificate or Death certificate if you have been previously married.
If there are any children born of a previous marriage, their year of birth will need to be recorded on your NOIM.
Couples in Australia on a Tourist Visa can marry here. They will however, need to comply with all the conditions of their visa. The rules for lodging a NOIM are the same but I will provide a letter for your country’s Immigration Department stating that you have lodged your NOIM with me.
Other forms that you will need to sign include a Declaration before the date of your marriage. You will also need to sign two Official Certificates of Marriage, and your Presentation Certificate at the time of your marriage. You will need two witnesses over the age of 18 to act as witnesses to the signing of these documents (these can be parents, friends or relatives – there are no legal restrictions).
Your marriage ceremony must also include certain legalities. They are the inclusion of the Monitum and a minimum requirement for your marriage vows.
WHAT STYLE OF CEREMONY IS AVAILABLE?
Elopement Style
If your wish is to be married in a small intimate ceremony with just yourselves and two witnesses present, that is perfectly fine. I respect a couple's need to have a private ceremony, and go to great lengths to ensure that your privacy is not compromised.
Formal or Casual
These ceremonies may include your choice of ritual or extra ceremonies within you marriage ceremony. Some couples choose to include a Hand fasting ceremony, a Sand ceremony, a Ring Warming ceremony or one of the many other ceremonies or rituals I am able to provide for you.
Themed Weddings
I have often been asked to officiate at a marriage where the theme has been “Roaring Twenties”, “Hawaiian”, “Wild West” or even “Medieval”. I try very hard to accommodate all requests and will do my very best for you.
CAN WE WRITE OUR OWN CEREMONY?
Yes, or course! As previously mentioned, certain legal requirements need to be included within your ceremony and as long as these are adhered to, you can write anything you wish, including your own vows and rituals. I look forward to discussing this with you and I am happy to assist in writing a unique and completely original ceremony with you. I have many resources available to help.
CAN WE HAVE A REHEARSAL?
Yes, my services can include a rehearsal of your ceremony if required. We can arrange this at one of our meetings prior to your marriage.