Catherine Riedl Celebrant

You are encouraged to meet with your potential celebrant. Are they professional and interested in YOU? Your preferred celebrant will create your ceremony by really listening to you. They will want to know about what you value and the style you are looking for. You will ask a celebrant about their fee and availability. All of these considerations help you form a picture of what a celebrant is like and if they are the right one for you.

1. The first document that is lodged with your celebrant is called the NOIM (Notice of Intended Marriage). It advises of your intention to marry as well as verify the identities of you and your partner. To submit this document you are required to present either your Birth Certificate or Passport, as well as Divorce or Death papers if you have been previously married.
2. Closer to your wedding date, there is another document to be completed. It is similar to signing a Statutory Declaration. It requires you to state that you are not withholding any information which would render you unable to marry in Australia. An example would be, “if you are currently married to someone else.”
3. There are final papers to be completed on your wedding day (typically during the ceremony) and they are referred to as the Signing of the Register.

Your celebrant will provide you with all the forms you need and explain everything to you.

Yes, you can apply for a Shortening of Time but this will only be granted if the stated reason fits the legislated criteria. For more on this matter, go to the website for Births, Deaths and Marriages.

For your marriage to be registered in Australia, your ceremony must be conducted on Australian soil, in Australian waters or in Australian air space. You can marry on land, sea or sky!