Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is legally "married?"
A: In each state or territory of Australia, a legal "marriage" must take place according to the laws of the Marriage Act 1961 and the Marriage Regulation 1963. You are officially "married" when a legally authorized person** performs the ceremony, signs the Certificate of Marriage and submits the Notice of Intention to Marry, Declaration and Certificate of Marriage to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
**Authorized persons are registered Marriage Celebrants, State & Territory Officers (as defined by the Act) and Ministers of Religion of recognised denominations
Q. What forms do we need to fill out?
A. The first step when you intend to marry is to complete a "Notice of Intention to Marry" (NOIM) form. This must be completed and presented (with appropriate documentation) to your celebrant no earlier than 18 months prior to the wedding date and no less than 1 month before the wedding date.
Q. What sort of documentation do we have to produce for the NOIM?
A. You must be able to produce the original or a certified copy of your birth certificate to your celebrant and your name on the NOIM must be the same as on your birth certificate. If you are not an Australian citizen, or if you were born overseas, you will need to produce your passport as additional documentary evidence of your identity. Where a party is a divorced person or a widow or widower, evidence of the divorce or evidence of the death of that party's previous spouse must be produced, in the form of a Decree Absolute or Death Certificate.
Q: What happens if I've changed my name?
A: At the time of completing the Notice of Intention to Marry (NOIM) form you need to provide documented proof of identity in the form of a Birth Certificate. If you have changed your name since birth for any reason other than a previous marriage, you must provide a "Change of Name" certificate issued by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Q. What locations are not permissible to get married?
A. Any areas outside the territorial boundaries of Australia. Hot air balloons are acceptable as long as they are above the territorial boundaries of Australia.
Q: Can we have to get married in a church and still have a civil celebrant?
A: Most church marriages are only able performed by Ministers of Religion. However, it is often permissible to by married by a Civil Celebrant in a Chapel, such as those found in private schoolgrounds and also at Wedding Reception and Garden locations. In Australia you can get married by a Civil Marriage Celebrant anywhere within the legal boundaries of the State or Territory. That includes all public and private buildings, parks and beaches.
Q. Do we have to get permission to use locations like the beach for our wedding ceremony?
A. It is advisable to consult your local Council regarding gaining permission to use public areas such as botanic gardens and beach locations. Where certain beaches or headlands are a popular wedding site, some Councils may keep records of wedding events so to avoid overlapping. It would be very disappointing to arrive at your chosen location only to find another wedding party already there.
Q: What is a re-commitment or vow renewal ceremony?
A: Re-commitment or vow renewal ceremonies are often done at special anniversaries or when a couple reunites after a separation. These services can be very emotional and touching as there is more of a story to tell with plenty of memories. The ceremony is performed the same as the first marriage with most couples writing their own vows and sharing romantic stories. There are no legal formalities to be carried out in these ceremonies.
Q: We were married in a small civil ceremony at our celebrant's house and no one knows. We now feel we want to share our marriage vows with family and a few close friends. Can we get married again in a ceremony with our friends and family?
A: It is illegal to perform a 'marriage ceremony' between two parties when they already have been legally married. However, why not consider a celebration of your recent marriage in a similar format to a "vow renewal or affirmation ceremony". This way, a celebrant can perform the ceremony of your dreams in front of your family and friends and you can publicly affirm your wedding vows and re-live your wedding, including all those special moments such as being given away, special readings and exchanging rings.
Q: What should we consider for a customised wedding ceremony?
A: Your celebrant can suggest a variety of options. Your choice of romantic readings, poems and favourite songs are always wonderful to add to the ceremony. Just remember, it's your special day and the ceremony should consist of meaningful segments from you both.
Q. How small can the wedding party be?
A: The wedding party can consist of just the bride and groom and two other witnesses aged 18 or over, plus the authorised celebrant in order to fulfill the legal requirements under the Marriage Act including signing the necessary documentation and Certificate of Marriage.
Q: Can we write our own vows?
A: Yes. Of course, with all aspects of your wedding ceremony, if you need guidance, we can certainly help with suggestions and can also offer various examples of marriage vows to help you formulate your own. There are some legal requirements in relation to the wording of vows and other aspects of the marriage ceremony which we are able to help you with.
Q: Do we require premarital counselling?
A: Your celebrant is obligated under the Act to provide you with information outlining the obligations and consequences of marriage. Celebrants are also required to offer up to date information regarding the availability of marriage education and relationship counselling services that exist in the local area. The decision to access any of these services is entirely up to the couple intending to marry.
Q. Do all civil celebrants charge the same?
A: No. Marriage Celebrants can charge whatever they choose depending on what they perceive is appropriate for the range if services they normally supply. Celebrants who offer audio equipment for instance may charge a little more than other celebrants. You will find our fees are within industry standards for comparative high quality services.
Q: What services are included in your fees?
A: Our fee will include a minimum of two consultations with the couple prior to the ceremony and unlimited phone / email support as required. We will design a unique ceremony for your review and subsequent approval. If required, we will attend an rehearsal at an agreed site / location. We provide a beautiful bound copy of each ceremony as a special keepsake.
Travel up to 100kms during the preparation phase and day of the ceremony is included at no extra costs. Additional travel may attract a surcharge, however this will be discussed when determining our fee so there will be no hidden or surprise expenditures to upset your budget!
We use state of the art audio equipment to ensure excellent sound quality for participants and guests. Use of this equipment is included in the quoted fee.
Q: What do you wear for the ceremony?
A: When collecting information to develop your ceremony, we will ask you about your dress preferences (formal, semi-formal, casual etc) and the colour schemes of the wedding party. We will ensure that our attire on the day complements the theme, styles and colours worn by the wedding party.
Q. Will you travel?
A: Robyn is happy to cover areas within the Tweed Valley and adjacent coastline, Gold Coast region and South-East Queensland Hinterland including Springbrook. Tamborine Mountain and Canungra. A travel surcharge may apply for travel over 100 kms.
Q: Do you require to be invited to the reception?
A: This is a very intimate time for friends and family to celebrate your marriage. There is no requirement or expectation by your celebrant to be invited to or attend the reception / celebration, unless as a personal friend we have received a wedding invitation as a guest. Generally speaking, we will arrive a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the ceremony and stay for a few minutes afterward to chat with guests and perhaps enjoy a cool drink before departing.
Q: What happens if we are really unhappy with how a ceremony has been performed and we wish to make a complaint.
A: Celebrants must perform marriage celebrants in adherence to the Civil Marriage Celebrants Code of Practice. If you are unhappy with the way a ceremony has been performed and if any of the aspects of the ceremony are in contravention of the Code of Practice, you are entitled to make a complaint the the Attorney General's Department. The Australian Government website provides you with contact details and instruction on how to lodge a complaint.
The Department will investigate complaints and if necessary they may take discliplinary action against the celebrant. If you have reason to believe you have grounds for making a complaint, we encourage you to contact the Department. Such action ensures that Celebrants provide a professional service to you.
At Your Perfect Day we strive at all times to exceed the minimum requirements of the Code of Practice. In the unlikely event that a serious breach of the minimum standards occurs, we will offer you a full refund of your fee.
What happens if we need to cancel our ceremony after we have completed the NOIM?
A: If you have completed the Notice of Intention to Marry (NOIM) with your celebrant, and then for whatever reason you cancel your ceremony, we will retain your booking deposit (normally $100). The NOIM is not lodged with the Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages until after your marriage ceremony has been performed, so it can be cancelled as necessary.
If you have paid your fee in full, we will consider a partial refund dependant upon your application and the reasons for the cancellation, taking into account the amount of work already undertaken by the celebrant in developing your ceremony.
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