Planning to Get Married

Documents you may need

  • As a general rule, for people who have never been married before, a Birth Certificate (not a photocopy) OR
  • A Passport (either Australian or overseas).
  • Some form of photo identification (e.g. a Drivers Licence). 
  • If either person does not have, and cannot get, a birth certificate or passport, you should discuss this with your Marriage Celebrant who can advise other options that may be available.
  • If either person has been married before you will also need evidence of the termination or annulment of the previous marriage, or marriages. This will usually be either (a) divorce papers (e.g. a Certificate of Divorce, a 'Decree Absolute', a Divorce Order, or overseas equivalent); or, if the previous partner has died, (b) an original Death Certificate. If the evidence of a divorce is in a different name to the name on the birth certificate or passport (e.g. if a woman has changed her name after marriage and her married name is on the divorce certificate), then the original Marriage Certificate will also need to be produced.
  • You will need to give your Marriage Celebrant at least one month's notice (this is a legal requirement).

Who can marry?

​Due to recent changes in the Marriage Act, marriage in Australia is now defined as the union of two people, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. As of 9th January 2018 Marriage Celebrants will be able to marry two people of the same gender. One month's notice is required to be given by lodging a Notice of Intended Marriage with a celebrant at least one month before the wedding. For more information on planning a same-same wedding read my blog post here.

Things to think about

Some things to consider when planning your wedding ceremony:

  1. If you would like an outdoor ceremony (in a park or on a beach, for example) have a back-up plan in case of bad weather.
  2. Will your preferred location be accessible to any disabled or elderly guests?
  3. Are there any special friends or family members you'd like to include in some way in the ceremony? Your Celebrant will be able to help with ideas.
  4. Would you like to acknowledge departed friends or family members in some way?
  5. Would you like to include some cultural or traditional rituals in your ceremony, perhaps to acknowledge your heritage or ethnic background(s)? For example, hand fasting is a lovely Celtic ritual, which can be used in any wedding ceremony and is particularly suitable for a couple with a Irish, Scottish, Welsh or other Celtic background who would like to somehow acknowledge their cultural heritage. Your Celebrant may have more ideas.
  6. If you would like to include some religious elements in your Ceremony, even though your 'civil service' is not conducted in a church or place of worship you may still be able to include some religious rituals, such as prayers or blessings. Your Celebrant can guide you. (Some venues do not allow religious rituals, even in civil marriage ceremonies, so you may need to check).
  7. Would you like to write your own vows? Your Celebrant will be able to tell you the words which are legally required, and help you to write your own vows around these, if you desire. A Celebrant should also be able to give you some suggestions and vows to choose from or to use as a guide for writing your own.
  8. Would you like your ceremony to be 'traditional' or completely unique to your occasion? If there are any traditional words or rituals which you'd like to include while still creating a personalised ceremony your Celebrant should be able to help you.