You are required to produce your original Birth Certificate or Australian Passport. Persons born in Australia must produce their birth certificate or Australian Passport.

Persons born outside Australia are also required to produce their full birth certificate. However, in the absence of that document they can produce their passport. If either of these documents are not in English they will need to be translated by a qualified interpreter into English.

If you have previously been married, original of the Decree Absolute or Death Certificate, whichever is applicable must be produced.

A Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) must be lodged with your Marriage Celebrant no less than one calendar month and no more than eighteen months prior to the marriage being solemnised.

Please click the link below to download this form:

DOWNLOAD - NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE FORM

Most Civil Marriage Ceremonies last about fifteen to twenty minutes and may take even less time depending upon content. Just remember that the signing of the paperwork takes up to ten minutes, a ceremony shorter than the signing can be embarrassing.

Weather has to be taken into account, with heat, cold, rain and wind as possible considerations. An alternative venue is necessary with any outdoor locations. Consider the comfort of your guests, as most arrive 20-30 minutes prior to the ceremony, If there are a large number and no seating is provided, it can be very uncomfortable indeed especially so if there is no protection from the sun or rain.

You can have as many attendants as you wish, however two persons over the age of 18 years are legally required to witnesses the paperwork.

Rings are not legally required for a marriage, but you can have a double ring ceremony, or just the Bride can receive a ring.

No. However, the Bride can be "given away" by her father or a close family member / friend (male or female). Some couples prefer to have both the Bride and the Groom given to each other by Parents.

Music at your ceremony is up to you, as are arrangements for photos, videos, candles, flowers, poetry etc.

People are honoured to be asked to read at a wedding. Ensure that you involve your close friends and family in your special day, by asking them to do the readings you choose. It can get a little tedious listening to the celebrant for the entire time and the intimacy created by special people reading, certainly makes the ceremony extra special and moving.

Yes, provided that all signatures on legal documents are in black ink. You can provide your own pen or quill if you wish.

Save your money. Flowers for the table are an unnecessary expense because there is not much room on the table. The best way to ensure great photographs is to place the bride's and bridesmaids bouquets on the table during the signing and the photographs.

You pay your deposit at the first interview; the balance of your fee is due at the second interview and no later than the rehearsal. (rehearsal optional)
Money is not taken on the wedding day, it is tacky and adds unnecessary tasks to the day.

No, but. It will assist in fine tuning the ceremony and clarify positions, music etc. It is a very important part of the process. All people participating in the wedding should attend the rehearsal if they available. The rehearsals ideally take place about 1-2 weeks before the wedding, preferably not after the Bucks or Hens night!!

In days gone by, the celebrant or minister was invited to stay to the reception.
This is not the case any more. The most important thing to remember is that the service you pay for is a professional service and just as you would not invite a musician who had played for you to join you at the table, a celebrant does not expect to stay after officiating at your ceremony.