Wedding – Barbara Cieslak

These days more and more couples are requesting their wedding be performed by a Civil Marriage celebrant. This gives the couples a choice of venues. Whether it is in a park, a beach or even a small private chapel.

The whole ceremony can be structured to suit the couples. It can be anything from hand fasting, a sand ceremony, to a unity candle ceremony or any other. The couples can choose their own style; choose their own vows, readings and poems. This makes the wedding ceremony unique.

The choice is entirely up to you and the sky is the limit.

Within 18 months of your proposed marriage, and no later than one month and one day prior to you marriage, you must complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form to the authorised celebrant who is to conduct your marriage ceremony. All Celebrants have the necessary forms to perform your marriage.

You will also need your original birth certificate and evidence that any prior marriage has been dissolved by either a death or a divorce. Divorce Certificate or Death Certificate. If a party was born outside Australia and they do not have a birth certificate or overseas passport, the party, or a parent of the party, may make and give to the authorised celebrant a statutory declaration setting out the reasons why it is impossible to obtain one. The declaration should also state, to the best of the declarant’s knowledge and belief, and as accurately as as can be ascertained, when and where the party was born.

Any further information can be obtained from the Attorney Generals Website.

www.ag.gov.au