This isn’t the most exciting topic, but knowing what you need to do to get married is pretty important if you want to make sure that at the end of the day, you are really and truly- and legally married. In Australia, the legal requirements for marriage are relatively straight-forward (which can be very appealing for those thinking about a destination wedding). Here is a guide to tying the knot without getting tangled in red tape.
Am I eligible to get married?
If you are over the age of eighteen, not currently in a legal marriage- and not closely related to each other, you can go right ahead and tie the knot. To show that you are not currently married you can either make a statement that you have been ‘never validly married’ or produce an original certificate showing how all previous marriages are not current. This is usually in the form of a divorce certificate, or a death certificate.
Do I need a marriage licence?
In Australia you don’t need to apply for a marriage licence but you do need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form and submit it to the person authorised to marry you, at least one calendar month prior to the day you want to marry. While you do have to wait one month before you get married, the Notice of Intended Marriage form is valid for eighteen months so don’t worry, you have plenty of time to plan a spectacular wedding.
Lodging your Notice of Intended Marriage
Your Notice of Intended Marriage is basically a Statutory Declaration that needs to be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace or other authorised person, such as your celebrant. (Make sure you bring along photo ID for the Justice of the Peace to witness your signature).
When you lodge your Notice of Intended Marriage you need to produce some identification to show who you are. This identification needs to be an original birth certificate or a current passport. Any divorce or death certificates to show that you are not married anymore also need to be shown at this time. If any of your documentation is in a language other than English, you may need to provide an official translation to your celebrant/officiant.
You will also need to show your celebrant photo identification so they know they are marrying the right bride to the right groom!
On the big day!
Okay, I know that on the day of you wedding there is so much to remember about already, but there are two more requirements you need to bring with you along with the rings and the bouquet. You need at least two witnesses to see you tie the knot.
The only criteria for choosing your witnesses is that they are over the age of eighteen. Your witnesses will be there to hear your special vows and sign your certificates of marriage.
Vows
While there are a few lines you need to legally incorporate into your vows, what you promise to each other on your wedding day can be completely up to you.
So, while there are a few important steps to follow in order to get legally married, none of them are very tricky. It’s the job of your celebrant/officiant to guide you through the whole way. You can easily have your ‘happily ever after’- with a certificate to prove it!
