Can a celebrant legally marry you?

Yep! Of course we can. We didn’t study for nothing! As a marriage celebrant, we are listed on the ‘Register of marriage celebrants’ maintained under Subdivision C of Division 1 of Part IV of the Marriage Act 1961. If you can’t understand all that jargon (I get it, there’s lots of words and numbers), then yes, we can certainly legally marry you! A marriage celebrant will look after all of the legal components of the marriage ceremony for you. So what are they?

NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE

We can help you prepare your Notice of Intended Marriage. This is you, the couple, giving me, the celebrant notice that you are going to get hitched! It must be lodged to your celebrant at least one full month prior to the date of your wedding. Many celebrants (like me!) will help you to prepare this document, ensuring that you dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s. It’s often at this time when your celebrant will verify your age, marital status and place of birth.

DECLARATION OF NO LEGAL IMPEDIMENT TO MARRIAGE

We sign this document as close to the ceremony as possible, and must be completed prior to the ceremony beginning. Essentially you and your love are declaring that you are both over eighteen years old, neither of you are already married, you are not related to each other and there is no other impediment to your marriage that you are aware of. Simples!

CEREMONY BITS AND PIECES

There’s a few little bits and pieces that I must include during your ceremony. I need to use both of your full names at least once during the ceremony and I must state that I am authorised by law to marry you while providing a definition of Marriage according to Australian Law. We call this the ‘Monitum’ and it’s 3 to 4 sentences in length, you would no doubt be used to hearing this at other ceremonies! Lastly, you as the marrying couple must recite the ‘legal vow’ at some point throughout the ceremony.

CERTIFICATES

You will sign three certificates on your wedding day, two official certificates (one that I keep and one that I send off to the BDM office), and one commemorative certificate to stick on the front of your fridge. These certificates are all signed by two loved ones to act as witnesses.

AFTER THE CEREMONY

Once we’ve got you hitched, I will send your Notice of Intended Marriage and Official Marriage Certificate off to the BDM office for processing. You can then apply for your own Official Marriage Certificate which will aid you in changing your name (if choosing to do so!)

THE BITS YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT

Of course in addition to everything I’ve mentioned, there’s a few bits and pieces that I’m doing in the background. I’m making sure that you haven’t had a few too many negronis with the boys or bubbles with the girls before the ceremony, and that you both are of sound mind to enter into your marriage. All commonwealth registered marriage celebrants study a Certificate IV in Celebrancy where we learn all the ins and outs of the legal side of things, so you are certainly in good hands!

I hope this article helps you understand the legal bits and pieces!

With Love,
Samuel