Legal Requirements & Such
Lodgment
You must give a completed Notice of Intended Marriage form to the authorised marriage celebrant who is to conduct your marriage within 18 months of your proposed marriage and no later than one month prior.
All marriage celebrants should have all the necessary paper work to perform your marriage.
You can also find the paperwork at www.ag.gov.au – by selecting “Families and Marriage” –
You are required to provide certain documents, such as birth certificates (original), photo ID and evidence that any prior marriage has been dissolved by death or divorce.
Original copies of birth, divorce and/or death certificates.
In Queensland these documents are available from:
The Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages,
PO Box 15188, City East, Qld 4000; situated at 110 George St, Brisbane;
Telephone 07 3247 9203 or 1300366430;
Home page: www.justice.qld.gov.au
Then from the left hand side select "Right to information and privacy" – frequently requested documents.
Transfer
If for some reason you need to change your marriage celebrant,
it is the responsibility of the first marriage celebrant to ensure the
Notice of Intended Marriage form is transferred safely by hand
or registered post. You must ask the celebrant to transfer
notice for you.
Witnesses
You are required to have at least two (2) witnesses who are over the age of 18 years - gender and relationship to the Bride and Groom are irrelevant - preferably who know you both.
Consent
By law a marriage may not be solemnised if there is any doubt as to either party's ability to give full consent (e.g: mentally impaired through illness or incapacity due to alcohol or drugs).
As a Celebrant if I have any concerns regarding a Client's ability to give lawful consent the ceremony will be stopped until such time as I am satisfied as to the Client's ability to provide appropriate consent.
I reserve the right to abandon the ceremony or may arrange to return at a later time to complete the solemnisation of the marriage.
Additional costs for travel and/or time may be incurred by the Clients and shall be payable prior to recommencement.
In the event of unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances precluding the Celebrant from carrying out the ceremony or appointments as planned, either a suitable authorised Celebrant will be provided, or re-scheduling of the appointment will take place.
The Client will be advised with as much notice as possible.
