Other Legal Stuff
Witnesses
You will need two witnesses to your ceremony. These witnesses can be anyone over the age of 18 years who can hear you make your vows and understands them.
You will need to lodge a notice of intended marriage form with your celebrant one calendar month (and a day) before your planned ceremony but not outside 18 months of it! This can be done in person or via email/fax or snail mail. Telepathy is not legally valid.
In order to complete the form, you will need to produce a driver's lisence and birth certificate or passport (Australian or international). If you have been married before, you will need to show me your Certificate of Divorce or a Death Certificate.
This is what the NOIM looks like.
If you wish to get married before a months notice, exceptions can be made by appealing to the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriage. Examples include medical reasons, employment related commitments or legal reasons.
Notice of Intended Marriage
Other legal tidbits
- You and your partner need to be over 18 years of age.
- You do not need to be Australian residents to marry in Australia, but you will need to produce a birth certificate or international passport with English translation.
- Your ceremony must include the monitum including the definition of marriage, the introduction to your vows as per the Marriage Act of 1961 and your certificate + declarations must be signed by yourselves and the certificates signed by your witnesses and celebrant to ensure legal validity.
- A qualified interpreter is needed if the bride or groom or witness do not understand English.
- You can marry your cousin, niece or uncle, but not your brother/sister or parent!