Your wedding- who is responsbile for what?

Your wedding~who is responsible for what?

AS YOUR MARRIAGE CELEBRANT, I:

• attend to all the legal paper work for your marriage – you do not need a marriage licence but you will need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (download here)

• work with you to create the ceremony that you want and that reflects who you are

• officiate at your wedding

• abide by the Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants as set out in the Marriage Act 1961

• ensure that you are legally married and that your marriage is officially registered

• am happy to meet with you to assist you to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage – at least one calendar month before the date of your wedding.

AS THE COUPLE TO BE MARRIED, YOU:

• must both be over 18 years of age

• will need to provide proof of your identity and date and place of birth

• must each declare and / or show evidence that you are legally free to marry

• will need two witnesses (over 18) present on the day of your wedding ceremony.

Proof of identity and date and place of birth

• Please bring some photo ID with you to our first meeting (e.g. a driver’s licence).

• Before the day of your marriage you must produce your original birth certificate (not certified or other copy)

Unable to obtain your birth certificate?

• If you are unable (despite all your best endeavours) to obtain your birth certificate, you will need to produce your passport (either issued by the Australian government or a government of an overseas country), if it shows date and place of birth (not certified or other copy). NOTE: A cancelled passport cannot be accepted.

• In some circumstances, you may have to make a Statutory Declaration regarding your birth.

Proof that you are legally free to marry

• If either of you has been married before, you must provide either:

   ¤ if divorced: your original Certificate of Divorce (not a copy)

   ¤ if widowed: the original Death Certificate (not a copy) for your deceased spouse.

NB. All documents must be in the English language or translated by an accredited translator.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

1. You do not have to be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia to legally marry here. If you hope to live in Australia once you are married you can find marriage visa information on the Department of Immigration and Border Protection website.

If you engage me as your celebrant I am able to prepare a letter to accompany your application for a visa, if required.

2. If you have not given a completed Notice of Intended Marriage to your celebrant and there is less than one month before your wedding, a prescribed authority may approve a shorter notice time in some limited circumstances.

Talk to me about your situation.

Heartlift Ceremonies~Christine Cuskelly, Celebrant: Ceremonies to lift your heart and spirit