It is a legal requirement to complete a
"Notice Of Intended Marriage"
and lodge it with your celebrant,
at least 31 days and no longer than 18 months before the proposed wedding ceremony.
It is valid for 18 months.
(I would suggest earlier rather than later
to secure your date and time)
This form can be downloaded from the Attorney-General's website at www.ag.gov.au/celebrants
or I can supply one for you.
If we arrange a meeting I will have these forms with me, and will be pleased to help you fill them in.
Please DO NOT SIGN the
Notice of Intended Marriage Form
as the signature must be witnessed by the Celebrant or other authorised person. Once lodged the notice is valid for a period of eighteen (18) months. You will also sign a declaration stating that there is no legal impediment to your marriage.
If you live interstate and will not be in Victoria until a few days before the Ceremony, you can still get on with the lodgment of the NOIM with the Celebrant.
You can download the form or I as the celebrant can post you one and you can have it filled out and signed by an appropriate person in that state, and then post it off to me.
Certain documentation must be produced and sighted by the celebrant before the marriage is solemnised:
If born in Australia ~
your Original Birth Certificate
(If you need a copy please contact Births Deaths and Marriages in the State that you were born- details at end this information).
If born abroad ~
your Original Birth Certificate or
Overseas Passport.
If either of you have been
previously married then your
Original Divorce Decree papers or
Death Certificate of a previous spouse.
(If you need a copy of your Divorce Paper
please contact the Family Law Court
in the State you were Divorced)
If either party has officially changed their names, a Change of Name Certificate is required.
Any documents in a foreign language must be translated into English and a Translation Certificate supplied.
Statutory declarations
If you are overseas born and cannot obtain a copy of your birth certificate due to you being a refugee or other circumstances, I can help you complete a Commonwealth Statutory Declaration where you state the details of the date and place of your birth, your parents etc. It must be shown that a real effort has been made to obtain these from your country of origin, of your country's embassy.
Age of Consent.
Both persons intending to marry must be a minimum of 18. If one party is between the age of 16 and 18 years old you are required to obtain the following: parents consent on the required form and a court order under section 12 of the marriage Act. This consent is very rarely given.
Witnesses
You are required to have two witnesses for the wedding ceremony who are both over the age of 18 present to sign the Marriage Register and Certificates. The Celebrant will require the Full Name of each Witness.
Shortening of Time
It is possible to shorten this minimum time before the wedding if special circumstances set out in the regulations are met.
Firstly, you need to meet with me to fill out the Notice of Intended Marriage Form.
Secondly you will need to approach a prescribed authority for approval (your Local Court or Registry Officials) They are the only ones that can shorten the required period, and only if they are satisfied that the circumstances prescribed in the regulations are met: These circumstances are:
1. Employment related or
other travel commitments.
2. Wedding or celebration arrangements,
or religious considerations.
3. Medical reasons.
4. Legal proceedings.
5. Error in giving notice.
The reason for seeking a shortening of time for an intended wedding must fall within one of these above categories and it is up to the prescribed authority to approve the application ~ it is not an automatic process, and is rarely given
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