For a Civil Marriage Ceremony in Australia, Australian Law requires:

1. You must both be over the age of 18 years, or, if one is younger you must have a court order giving consent.

2. You must not be related as siblings (including adopted siblings), direct descendants or ancestors.

3. Your celebrant must sight the following documents prior to your wedding day:

• The official birth certificate or official extract of both bride and groom.
• if your name is different from that on your birth certificate I must see your change of name documents.
• If born overseas and it is not practicable to obtain a copy of your birth certificate, a foreign passport showing your date and place of birth is acceptable.
• If previously married,

• and divorced, a decree absolute or Certificate of Divorce is required. If divorced in Australia, this is obtained from the Family Court of Australia;
• and widowed, a death certificate must be presented.

If I have not sighted all required documentation, prior to the wedding day, the wedding ceremony CANNOT proceed.

Your NOIM must be completed at least one month and one day and no more than 18 months before your proposed wedding date. It can be completed when we meet, or you can complete, have it witnessed as proscribed on the form and mail it to me. The time may be shortened in very specific extenuating circumstances.

At this time I need to establish your identity by sighting a document such as a drivers licence or passport.

5. In the 2 weeks prior to your wedding date you must each complete a declaration stating that you are free to marry.

6. You will need two witnesses over the age of 18 years at your wedding ceremony.

7. Your ceremony concludes with you and your two witnesses signing three documents: 

• The Marriage Register
• Your Official Marriage Certificate
• Your Couple’s Certificate.

Your couple's certificate will be presented to you as the finale to your ceremony.