Jak Nguyen - 8 Weddings

In Australia any person aged 18 years or older who is not currently married, can get married. A person between 16 and 18 years of age can marry, provided the other party to the marriage is at least 18 years of age. If both people are under 18 they cannot marry. 

The person between 16 and 18 must obtain a court order from a judge or magistrate and written consent from both parents before they marry. 

Here are the legal requirements of marriage:
1. A completed Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form must be given to me at least one month (and up to 18 months) before the wedding. 
2. You and your partner must provide me with evidence of your date and place of birth, identity and the end of any previous marriages. 
3. You must both sign the 'Declaration of no legal impediment to marriage.' By signing the Declaration, you declare that you believe that you are of marriageable age, and that there's no legal impediment to your marriage. 
4. On your wedding day, I solemnise your marriage. I then ask you, your partner and your 2 witnesses to sign up to 3 marriage certificates. 
5. After your wedding I register the marriage with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the State/Territory where your marriage took place. 

You must sign a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) form at least one month and no more than 18 months before the date on which you wish to be married. 

Examples:

• You lodge your NOIM on 11 January. The earliest you can get married is 11 February, the latest you can get married is 11 July the following year 
• You lodge your NOIM on 31 January. The earliest you can get married is 1 March, the latest you can get married is 31 July the following year 

Only under exceptional circumstances. You must be granted a shortening of the statutory notice period by a prescribed authority such as the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). Your application will only be considered if you:

•  Have already lodged a complete and signed NOIM with your celebrant
• Provide your original signed and completed NOIM and all supporting documents, as sighted by your celebrant
• Meet one of these exceptional circumstances
• Complete a notice shortening application form, which includes a statutory declaration clearly stating your reasons
• Provide documents as evidence to support your application
• Provide a signed letter from your celebrant, confirming they are willing and available to perform your marriage on your chosen date should the shortening be granted

There's also a non-refundable shortening fee. However, even if you meet all of the above requirements there's no guarantee BDM will grant you the shortening. 

Conjugal status indicates whether you have been married and if so, how that marriage ended:

• 'Never validly married' - you have not previously been married or your marriage was annulled. Note: you can't use the term 'single' on your forms as it does not indicate if you have been married previously 
• 'Divorced' - you have been previously married and divorced
• 'Widow' (women) or 'Widower' (men) - you have previously been married and your spouse passes away