Legal bits…
Soooo…what’s involved in getting married? What docs do I need? What ID do I have to provide? What if I’ve been married before? What if we live overseas? Do I have to change my name? What if I want to change my name? Can I have a legal ceremony here then a destination wedding somewhere exotic? What if I’ve had a religious ceremony overseas?
It’s natural to have lots of questions around getting married but, rest assured, a good celebrant will make it all seem super easy!
What you need depends on your individual circumstances and I can discuss that with you. My basic guide below will get you started.
Legally, in order to be married by a Marriage Celebrant in Australia, a couple must:
- Be over 18.
- Give informed consent to marriage, and its serious and binding nature
- Not be in a prohibited relationship (e.g. very close relatives).
- Not currently be married to anyone else.
To get the marriage legalities started, a celebrant will need to see:
- original birth certificates or passports
- additional photo ID
- divorce/death certificate if either of you have previously been married
- plus you’ll need to provide your parents’ names (including maiden names) and their countries of birth
There are three sets of official documents to complete with your Celebrant: The Notice of Intended Marriage, Statutory Declarations, Marriage Certificates. Feel free to get in touch and we can get the ball rolling! wendy@wacelebrant.net.au