Planning and Documentation
After you have made the decision to book me as your Celebrant, I will give you a form called Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM). This form must be completed between 1 month and 18 months of the wedding.
*There are exceptional circumstances where NOIM applications can be made less than a month in advance.
For this meeting you will need to bring identification, including:
Proof of date and place of birth to prove you exist:
This can be a passport, an official birth certificate, or an official extract of an entry in an official register which must show date and place of birth. These documents may be Australian or international.
You may also use a statutory declaration made by the party or a parent of the party stating that, for reasons specified in the declaration, it is impracticable to obtain such a certification or extract and stating, to the best of the declarant’s knowledge and belief and as accurately as the declarant has been able to ascertain, when and where the party was born.
Proof of identification
The marriage act states that your marriage Celebrant should not solemnise a marriage until he or she is satisfied that both parties are who they claim to be.
I may need to certify your identity, in which case the following proof of identification will suffice. A driver’s licence, proof of age/photo card, passport, and Australian citizenship certificate along with another form of photographic evidence.
Proof that you are not already validly married
If you have already been married, evidence of death, nullity or dissolution will need to be provided to the Celebrant.
Proof that you are able to be married under Australian Law.
I may also need to verify to my satisfaction that:
- You, the parties to the ceremony (the couple) are not related
- You, both parties are over 18, or if not, parental or court consent has been received
I will then talk with you about your history and dreams for the future, which can be done at the same time as the Notice of Intended Marriage.
I will need to know the date, time, and location of the wedding.
Who will be involved in the wedding?
Will the either partner be given away?
Will there be a specific ritual involved? (e.g. hand fasting, candle ceremony, sand ceremony, readings, music)
Who will act as your legal witnesses? (they must be over 18 and it’s better if they are known to you)
I’ll give you a questionnaire to complete. This helps me understand how you both met, your experiences as a couple getting to know each other, how well you get on etc, and your dreams for the future. The questions are detailed, but essential for them to get to know you and tailor your ceremony just for you. The more details you include, the more personalised ceremony and service you’ll receive.
I will liaise with you as much as it takes to ensure the script for the ceremony is exactly what you want. You will need to give your approval of the script prior to the marriage ceremony itself.