How to get married in Australia - 9 steps to plan you wedding

How to get married in Australia - 9 steps to plan you wedding

How to get married in Australia - 9 steps to plan you wedding

It is easier than you might think for international visitors wanting to organise an Australian Wedding.

This how to guide runs thru the obligations which will ensure your wedding is legally recogonised, stress free, enjoyable, providing lasting and memorable moments.

To get married in Australia there is some legal criteria you need to meet; documents you will need to bring with you, and by planning ahead you can organise the wedding of your dreams.

A quick 9 step summary for organising an Australian wedding:

1. You will need to lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage with your wedding celebrant at least one calendar month prior to the wedding. This can be lodged up to 18 months in advance of the wedding.

2. Your wedding celebrant will need to see your and your partner’s, passports or birth certificates

3. If you or your beloved have been previously married, you need to show your wedding celebrant the Divorce Decree Absolutes or death certificates of your previous spouses.

4. Both you and your partner must both be at least 18 years of age.

5. You need to have two witnesses to the ceremony and both of these witnesses must be at least 18 years of age. Your wedding celebrant can assist with organising witnesses for you, if do not have family or friends attending the wedding.

6. You and your celebrant will need to say some specific wording during the ceremony; (the celebrant must introduce themselves, the Bride and Groom must say: “I, (bride/groom), take you (groom/bride) to be my (husband/wife)” etc. or words to that effect); after which the rest of the ceremony is really up to you. You can include songs, poems, readings etc, and you can be as creative and romantic as you like. The celebrant will work with you on the ceremony, ensuring the wording is legally binding, and with all other arrangements like documents etc, to ensure your wedding day is stress free.

7. On the wedding day you are given a Presentation Certificate. You will also need to check with your own local authorities on what documentation is required to have your marriage recognized in your country.

8. Many countries require you to obtain a certified copy of your Marriage Certificate. This is issued by the office of Births Deaths and Marriages once your marriage is registered. Some countries require you to have an Apostile Stamp attached to this certificate. Your celebrant can advise you fully on this.

9. It is a good idea to meet with your celebrant as soon as you arrive in Australia to complete the paperwork and discuss all arrangements for your wedding day. This will allow for any forgotten documentation can be couriered out by your friends and family, and give you a chance to finalise your ceremony wording, or any last minute witnesses etc.

Your wedding celebrant will be able to help you with navigating the legal considerations and the finer details like filling out the forms etc. As mentioned earlier, after these conditions are met you can plan to host your wedding as you choose.

For international visitors wishing to marry in Australia further information can be found on the Australian Government website. http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/MarriageGetting_Married

Belinda Cook manages the Wedding Planner Directory website, focusing our service on connecting people planning weddings with wedding service providers in Australia.

Free tools are available for downloading, examples include budgeting tools, and checklists for planning your wedding; as well as plenty of expert advice, tips, and ideas, to make your wedding day truly special.

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