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Step one would be to pick a date and venue. You may want to send out a ‘save the date’ email to friends and family. Step two would be to employ the services of an authorised marriage celebrant. Your celebrant will ask you to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage Form or NOIM, and are likely to set up an in-person meeting (where possible) so that they can start to get to know you both, and briefly discuss your ceremony plans. At that meeting they can witness your signatures on the NOIM and sight the personal documents you have included on the NOIM. Your authorised marriage celebrant can guide you through the legal requirements of your wedding, as well as advise on the celebratory elements you may like to include.

We will arrange to meet in person (if possible). This is an opportunity for you to present your NOIM and briefly discuss your wedding plans – whether you want a short, simple, legals-only wedding or a more elaborate celebration with personal vows and other elements. It is my duty to sight your personal documents mentioned in the NOIM, and to witness your signatures on the NOIM. There is also other information I am required to provide you with. In the lead up to our meeting I will have emailed you an information pack that includes an agreement and a statement of fees. We will sign this too. After our meeting, I will email you with a timeline of what is required and when. We will also meet again via Zoom, or again in person, so that I can learn more about you as a couple, and so we can work out the details of what you would like to include in your ceremony. Once I understand what is important to you, I will write a draft ceremony script which includes your chosen elements such as music, readings, vows and other details like the names of your witnesses. Other responsibilities that I have: - Finalise the ceremony script for your approval -Meet for a rehearsal (usually the day before your wedding) - Complete some final paperwork - Be there early on the day to set up - Carry out your ceremony and legally marry you - Submit your marriage certificates within 14 days after your wedding I look forward to working with you!

Before you get married, you need to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form, and give it to an authorised marriage celebrant at least 1 month (but not more than 18 months) before your wedding. You can find this on the Attorney General's website at: https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-08/notice-of-intended-marriage.PDF Your authorised marriage celebrant will also need: • evidence of your date and place of birth (birth certificate or passport) • identity (driver's licence or passport) • proof that a previous marriage has ended (divorce papers or death certificate) • to meet separately and in person with each party to a marriage. You can complete a NOIM if you are overseas and plan to get married in Australia. Ask your authorised marriage celebrant if you need help with the form. If there is less than 1 month until your wedding, talk to your authorised marriage celebrant, as you may be able to get married if a prescribed authority approves it (they may charge a fee). Your reason for getting married in less than 1 month has to be due to either: • employment-related or travel commitments • wedding or celebration arrangements • medical reasons • legal proceedings • or error in giving notice (celebrant's error)

An intimate and concise minimony or an elaborate and lavish, more traditional, ceremony? WEDDING CEREMONY OPTIONS Your wedding ceremony is your legal commitment to marry each other and is worth celebrating. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. How you choose to do it is personal and there is no right or wrong way (as long as it includes the minimum legal vows). If you had no outside pressure or pictures of how it should be, how would you like to mark your special day? INTIMATE AND CONCISE? No fuss and only the minimum legal vows. A minmony can involve as few as you, your partner, and two witnesses. The venue could be under an arch on the beach, in my office or in your lounge room. ELABORATE AND LAVISH? I can support you to design a more elaborate ceremony, including personalised wedding vows and/or ceremony rituals. This could be held at an exclusive wedding venue, or special destination with a gathering of all your friends and family. With a celebrant you can get married anywhere within Australia. Choose a ceremony that feels like a true way for you to reflect your love for each other.

For overseas documents, such as birth certificates divorce papers, etc that are not in English, an official translation by a National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd (NAATI) must be obtained before the NOIM can be completed. The NAATI translator should be accredited at Level 3 or higher. To find an approved translator, visit the NAATI website at: https://www.naati.com.au/ Translator for the wedding: A couple is required to arrange an interpreter for their wedding if one or both parties, or their witnesses, are not fluent in English. This also includes sign languages such as Auslan. This should occur before the wedding takes place Before the wedding: The interpreter is required to be present at meetings and during the conversation when the celebrant confirms the party’s consent to the marriage. There are two documents to complete, stating that they understand and are able to converse in the language/s required. These forms can be found on the Attorney General’s website 1.A Statutory Declaration. at: https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/New-Certificate-of-Faithful-Performance-by-Interpreter.pdf 2.Certificate of Faithful Performance (https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/certificate-of-faithful-performance-statutory-declaration.PDF) – complete the first half before the wedding. The celebrant is also required to supply a copy of the Happily Ever Before and After (https://www.ag.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-03/happily-ever-before-and-after.pdf) brochure to each couple as soon as possible after they make a booking. This document outlines the obligations and consequences of marriage and states the availability of marriage education and counselling. It is currently available in 30 different languages (https://www.ag.gov.au/families-and-marriage/marriage/resources-marriage celebrants/download-resources#translated). If your language is not included in the current 30, the document will also require a translation. It is recommended that the interpreter receives a copy of the ceremony script, as soon as it completed and approved by the marrying couple, so that they can become familiar with it. On the day of the wedding: The interpreter is required to interpret word-for-word what the celebrate says and the marrying party’s responses. Immediately after the ceremony, the interpreter must give the celebrant a completed Certificate of the Faithful Performance so as to verify their services as interpreter. By employing the services of an interpreter, the legal requirements of the Marriage Act are met, and the marrying parties and guests can understand and enjoy the proceeding.

Are you planning to get married overseas or a destination wedding outside of Australia? - An Australian-authorised marriage celebrant can only legally solemnise a marriage within Australia, so cannot perform a marriage overseas. - An overseas marriage cannot be registered in Australia. - To have a legal marriage in a foreign country, you must follow that country's laws and use a local officiant if required. However, in most cases, an overseas marriage is legally recognised in Australia. To be recognised, the marriage must have been: • valid under the law of the country where it happened • valid under Australian law if it had occurred in Australia. Australia doesn't recognise overseas marriages where one or both of the people are: • already married to someone else • not old enough to get married • too closely related • forced to get married A foreign marriage certificate is usually accepted as proof of the marriage. But you may be unable to use it as proof of a name change. - Find out from your state’s registry of births, deaths and marriages. - Talk to a lawyer to confirm your overseas marriage certificate is valid in Australia. An alternative is to have the legal ceremony in Australia before or after your trip, and then have a celebratory wedding or commitment ceremony overseas without the legal vows. Commitment ceremonies can include personal vows, rings and a celebration, and be just as meaningful as a legal wedding ceremony. The only difference is that they will not have any legal effect Smartraveller (https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/before-you-go/activities/marriage) has further information on getting married overseas, including what documents you may require.

In Australia, weddings can be a surprise for the guests, but not for the couple getting married. Part of the conditions for a marriage to be legal in Australia is that both parties consent to the marriage and neither feels forced. Celebrants cannot officiate a surprise wedding ceremony, as a ‘surprised’ person may feel pressured or obliged to agree to a wedding if put on the spot. A wedding is not considered a surprise where both of the parties have signed the NOIM (with the minimum one-month notice) and the celebrant has confirmed that both consent to the marriage. If you want to surprise your guests: - Invite them to a cover event such as a birthday party or engagement party and then announce your wedding If you want to include a surprise for your partner: - Include personally written vows that you don’t share until the day - Exchange secret gifts - Incorporate a ceremony, such as candle lighting, sand pouring or hand fasting - Perform a song or musical piece - The date could be a surprise (as long as the above conditions have been met)

Your celebrant will provide the DONLIM to be signed by both parties, and witnessed by your celebrant as close as to your wedding day as possible. This is usually done at your rehearsal or shortly before the ceremony commences if a rehearsal is not possible. In it you declare that the information provided in your NOIM is true and correct to the best of your knowledge and that you see no legal impediment to getting married. The declaration states that: The two people being married are not currently married to anyone else. * If either of you have been previously married, you must provide proof that your most recent marriage has ended, for example a Certificate of Divorce (or decree absolute ) or a certificate of death for a deceased spouse. The two people being married are both over the age of 18. * If one is over the age of 16 but not yet 18, the couple must provide proof to their celebrant of their parent/guardian’s permission and that a judge or magistrate has given approval for the minor to marry. You must get married within 3 months of receiving Court permission. The couple are not in a prohibited relationship, i.e. are not closely related. * In Australia, you are not allowed to marry your brother/sister, your mother/daughter/son, your father/daughter/son or your grandparent/granddaughter/grandson. You are allowed to marry your cousin or your uncle/aunt. The two people give consent to the marriage. * This means that you both voluntarily and freely agree to marry each other, without any coercion, threat, or deception.

There are three compulsory legal requirements on your wedding day: 1. The Monitum. This is the legal wording that all authorised marriage celebrants are required by law to recite during the ceremony. It explains the nature of the marriage in Australia. As the couple you are required to repeat the words of the Monitum. 2. The Declaration of Intent. This is where you declare to take your partner to be your lawfully wedded “husband/wife/spouse/partner in marriage”. All couples entering into marriage are required by law to recite the exact words during the ceremony. Don’t worry, you don’t have to memorise any of the legal wording, your marriage celebrant will guide you through the legalities and ask you to repeat the statements after them 3. The Signing of the Register. This requires 2 people over the age of 18 to act as official witnesses to your marriage. Both of you, your 2 witnesses and your marriage celebrant will sign the marriage register. The marriage register includes 3 documents: 2 Certificates of Marriage and 1 presentation marriage certificate. Once the legalities are complete, you are officially married!

As your celebrant, I am legally required, to submit your marriage paperwork to the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory where your wedding took place, within 14 days of your marriage. I will notify you once this has occurred. Your marriage will then be registered. This can take up to 3 to 5 weeks, depending on your state and how you apply. However, you will need an official marriage certificate from the registry if you want to change your name or prove that you are married. If you have requested, before your wedding, that I apply for an official marriage certificate on your behalf at the same time that I register your marriage online, it will be automatically generated and sent to you once your marriage has been processed. If you have not requested an official marriage certificate, you can apply for one any time after your marriage has been registered. Check on the website of your state’s registry of births, deaths and marriages for processing times and costs involved

In Australia there are ceremonial, official and commemorative marriage certificates. - A ceremonial marriage certificate is given to you by your celebrant or religious celebrant on your wedding day - it is not official. - An official marriage certificate is required for identification purposes and proof of change of name through marriage. - A commemorative marriage certificate is an optional keepsake that is available in a variety of designs. It displays the basic details of your marriage but is not an official proof of identity or proof of marriage. On your wedding day, three marriage certificates will be signed by: • you and your spouse • your authorised marriage celebrant • two witnesses (over the age of 18) Your authorised marriage celebrant will give you a ceremonial certificate of marriage on the day (not an official marriage certificate). This document is a keepsake and evidence that your ceremony took place. Within 14 days of the marriage, your celebrant will submit your marriage paperwork to the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory where your wedding took place. Official Marriage Certificate You can apply for an official marriage certificate from the registry, any time after your marriage has been registered. You will need this if you want to change your name or prove that you are married. - You can either ask your celebrant to apply on your behalf, or you can apply for it yourself from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. - The quickest way to receive your certificate is for your celebrant to apply at the time that they register your marriage online. Commemorative Marriage Certificate When you apply for an official marriage certificate, you can add a commemorative marriage certificate and choose a design from the commemorative marriage certificate collection available in your State. These display the basic details of your marriage but are not official proof of identity or marriage documents, and are different to the ceremonial certificate given to you on the day of your wedding. The commemorative certificates have different processing times to official marriage certificates and no priority service is available when ordering. To apply for your marriage certificate yourself, contact the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the State in which you were married: ACT - https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/births-relationships-and-deaths/relationships/request-a-marriage-certificate NEW SOUTHS WALES - https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/marriages/applying-for-an-official-marriage-certificate#toc-fees-and-processing-times NORTHERN TERRITORY - https://nt.gov.au/law/bdm/apply-for-birth-death-or-marriage-certificate QUEENSLAND - https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/certificates/marriage-and-civil-partnership/marriage/applying-for-a-marriage-certificate SOUTH AUSTRALIA - https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/family-and-community/births-deaths-and-marriages/certificates/marriage-or-relationship TASMANIA - https://www.justice.tas.gov.au/bdm/apply-for-a-marriage-certificate VICTORIA - https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/get-marriage-certificate WESTERN AUSTRALIA. - https://www.wa.gov.au/service/justice/civil-law/apply-marriage-certificate

To update your married surname, you need to prove your marriage with an official marriage certificate from the registry in the state or territory where you were married. Ceremonial or commemorative certificates are not accepted. 1. Obtain your official marriage certificate 2. Take your official marriage certificate and current driver licence to your nearest Service centre (e.g., Services NSW) and ask for them to update your driver licence with your new married name. 3. Use your official marriage certificate to update your name on your Medicare Card at a Services Australia Centre or phone (132 011). 4. You can now change your name everywhere else - your marriage certificate, your new driver licence and your new Medicare Card will provide the proof you need in most cases to update to your married name. Next, make a list of other places you want to update your surname, and contact them. State government • NSW Land Registry, for homeowners • NSW Rental Bond Board, for renters • NSW Pet Registry, for pet owners Federal government • Australian Electoral Commission • Australian Passport Office • Australian Taxation Office • Centrelink • Medicare - Safety Nets Other businesses • Banks and building societies • Insurance and superannuation providers • Mobile phone and internet providers • Utility providers For more information, click here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/name-changes-and-corrections/change-your-surname-after-marriage