Frequently Asked Questions
What does a marriage celebrant do?
A marriage celebrant is your legally qualified best friend through your wedding planning process. I am here to make sure all the forms are filled out legally and that your wedding ceremony abides by The Marriage Act (1961) so that you will be officially and legally married. You don’t need to be an expert in weddings or the legalities, that’s my job! So let me take that pressure off your shoulders. The main bulk of my role comes in the lead-up to the ceremony, and in the ceremony itself. Though if you would like extra services such as MCing at your reception, or would just like to invite me, I would probably love to be there!
What does it take to get married?
In order to be legally married in Australia, the Notice of Intended Marriage needs to be filled and lodged with your celebrant at least one month before your wedding ceremony (and up to 18 months before). You also need to sign a statutory declaration confirming that you and your partner are both over the ages of 18 years old, and not related to one another. Within the wedding ceremony itself there are a few sections, such as legal vows and the monitum that must be said, but other than that, it’s really yours to shape! There’s a lot of room to move within the actual ceremony and it can pretty much look like whatever you want as long as those few legal things are done. Then we sign 3 documents after the ceremony, along with two witnesses - the official certificate of marriage (x2 - one for Births, Deaths & Marriages, and one for me to keep for minimum 6+ years) and the Form 15 which is a non-legal document for you and your partner to keep. I then have two weeks to submit relevant documents to Births, Deaths & Marriages and then that’s it! You’re married!
How much do you charge?
This will depend on what kind of wedding / service you’re looking for and also on your financial situation. As with all of my work, I try to do things on a means-basis wherever possible. I want my services to be accessible to people regardless of their class background and financial security. I also have the opportunity for couples to pay a little more as a way of paying forward to those who may not be able to afford the same package. Please get in touch with me to discuss this further and know that you will not be turned away for lack of funds.
How long does a wedding ceremony go for?
That’s up to you! You’re the boss! But typically wedding ceremonies go for around 25-35 minutes. They’re not as long as you might think. But it depends how many rituals, readings and spontaneous interpretive dance moments you want to include.
What is the difference between a wedding and an elopement?
An elopement is basically just a legals-only ceremony, usually with an intentionally restricted guest list. You may want an elopement because you’d like to keep your ceremony intimate and brief, perhaps you’d like to do the legal stuff and paperwork separately from a big celebration, or maybe you’d like to avoid as much wedding-planning as possible and just get married! A wedding usually includes more guests and a more elongated ceremony, as well as other rituals which may include a reception, speeches and perhaps a banging dance-floor.
Can I get married right now?
While I love your enthusiasm and am very into this U-Haul energy, in Australia in order to legally get married, you need to submit your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) at least a month before your marriage ceremony. But if you get in touch ASAP and we get onto all of the paperwork, you could be married next month!
What is the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM)?
The NOIM is a legal document that must be filled out and lodged with your marriage celebrant at least a month before your wedding ceremony (and up to 18 months before). The document requires photographic evidence and evidence of place of birth to be cited by your celebrant (a passport can suffice, or drivers licence and birth certificate). There are also other authorities that can cite the form if you can’t get to your celebrant for whatever reason. If you’ve been married previously, you’ll need to provide proof of death, nullity or dissolution in order to complete the form. Get in touch if you have any further questions!
Can you recommend other wedding services for our wedding?
I absolutely can! I am connected to a few other LGBTIQA+ wedding service providers such as photographers, florists, musicians. Though of course, at the end of the day, you get to choose whoever it is you’d like to work with and I certainly won’t be offended if you don’t go ahead with my recommendations!