To be able to marry in Australia there is one piece of paperwork that all couples must complete and submit or lodge with their celebrant before they can get married in Australia. This piece of paperwork has to be lodged no less than 1 calendar month before the date of your ceremony. Without it you can't get married in Australia. It is called the Notice of Intended Marriage or NOIM. It is the piece of paperwork that secures your date to marry; it has to be lodged with your celebrant no less than 1 calendar month before your ceremony date. But, you can complete it and lodge it at any time within 18 months of your ceremony date. The form can either be completed with your celebrant or by downloading the forms from the Attorney General’s Department Website and having it witnessed by an authorised witness. As a civil celebrant practising in Queensland and New South Wales, I can help you with all the paperwork. The word 'lodge' simply means that you have completed the first page of the NOIM and had your signatures witnessed by an authorised witness before sending the completed pages to your celebrant. There is a lot of flexibility in how you can do this, including completing all the steps on a video call with your celebrant if one or both of you are in Australia. Yes, your celebrant can remotely witness your signatures which makes it easier and faster to lodge your NOIM. (One benefit from Covid!) For more information on authorised witnesses for your NOIM and options for completing it if you are overseas or only one of you is in Australia please see the next FAQs. NOTE: There is a facility to request a shortening of time which enables couples who have met a specific set of criteria to marry earlier than 1 calendar month before the ceremony date stated on their NOIM. It is called Shortening of Time, but note that before you apply for it you must have lodged your NOIM with your celebrant, and the process of application for varies by state in Australia however the criteria for consideration of the application is the same Nationally.

If you are in Australia and completing the NOIM forms yourself, you can have your signature witnessed by one of the following authorised witnesses: an authorised Marriage Celebrant (this can be in person or online) a justice of the peace a Commissioner for Declarations under the Statutory Declarations Act 1959 a barrister or solicitor a legally qualified medical practitioner a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a Sate or Territory. If you're overseas and unable to be in Australia before the NOIM is due, you will need one of the following authorities to witness: an Australian Diplomatic Officer an Australian Consular Officer a Notary Public (this can be in person or online) an employee of the Commonwealth authorised under paragraph 3(c) of the Consular Fees Act 1955 an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under paragraph 3(d) of the Consular Fees Act 1955. Please note, if you are filling the forms without your celebrant, it is best to fill it out BLOCK letters using BLACK pen or by using the dynamic PDF version to ensure everything is legible. TIP: If you are overseas and it is unsafe for you to have your signatures witnessed by a domestic Notary Public, and access to the Australian High Commission or Diplomatic Service is not feasible, you are able to access online, remote Notary Public services. There are a number of services available globally, and easily found with a simple Google search.

Simple, the lodgement of your NOIM is when you send the completed forms to your celebrant and they accept it. If you choose to work with me, you will have returned a booking contract, accepted my quote and paid your deposit before we do this. To complete the NOIM we can do it together at our first official meeting so all you need to organise is your pieces of identification, and if either of you have been previously married you will need to have proof of the legal end of that marriage ready for the call (that is your divorce certificate or the death certificate if you are a widow). TIP:  The NOIM can be completed and witnessed online by your celebrant as long as you are both joining the video conference from a location within Australia. If only one of you is in Australia we can still complete and lodge the NOIM remotely. If only one of you is able to complete the form with a witnessed signature and you are outside of Australia you can lodge your NOIM as long as your signature has been witnessed by an authorised witness according to the international authorised witness list for Australia. See the next FAQ for the list of authorised witnesses. TIP: It is allowable by law for the NOIM to be lodged by one party of the couple, as long as the details are complete and the persons signature has been witnessed by an authorised witness. You may be wondering, what happens about the second persons signature? Well, the second person then signs their section of the NOIM at a later date before the ceremony (again having their signature witnessed by an authorised witness or your celebrant) or if required prior to the ceremony on the day of your wedding when they sign the Declaration of No Impediment with the celebrant.

To have your signatures witnessed you will need to show, at a minimum, photo identification so best to be prepared for that. For the identity check your celebrant must do as part of the NOIM process you will need to show photo identification and proof of date as well as place of birth. The Best Identification to Present to Your Celebrant or Witness: Your original birth certificate OR your original current or expired (but not cancelled) passport Your current drivers license (or other valid photo identification like student id) And if you’ve been married before, you will need to show: Your original divorce paper from the court OR a death certificate if you are a widow or widower TIP: If you were born in Australia and need a replacement of your birth certificate you can order a new official copy online through the Birth Deaths & Marriages in the state you were born. If you were previously married in Australia and you need a copy of your divorce certificate you can access this online through the Australian Federal Circuit & Family Court website.

To lodge or register your ceremony date it is simply providing your celebrant with your complete NOIM no later than 1 calendar month and no earlier than 18 months prior to your ceremony date.  The NOIM must be completed, signed and witnessed by an authorised witness.  The easiest way to achieve this is to complete the NOIM with your celebrant. We can meet up in person or do it remotely on a video call if one or both of you are in Australia.  TIP:  Did you know that your NOIM can be completed and lodged by just one of you? This is helpful to know if one of you has to travel for business or is moving from overseas for example. Your celebrant will finalise the missing details of the NOIM prior to the ceremony, including checking your identification. This can be done remotely once you are both back in Australia or on the day prior to the ceremony going ahead.

Before you walk down the aisle you will need to sign a Declaration of No Legal Impediment.  This is usually done the day before or just before the ceremony depending on what is most convenient for you both.  It must be done separately with your celebrant, so your celebrant can confirm you are both willingly and knowingly consenting to marry. If you decide to have me as your celebrant we will do this at the rehearsal or before the ceremony starts. I will speak to each of you separately to finalise this piece of paperwork, it is very simple and quick. It is a priority and legally required for the ceremony to go ahead. The final pieces of paperwork you will sign are during the ceremony.  There are two Legal Certificates of Marriage, and the commemorative Marriage Certificate.  Your celebrant will bring these on the day. You will do the signing of these Certificates at the end of the ceremony, with your two nominated witnesses. This is usually a good photo opportunity for your guests and photographer. ​Note, your witnesses can be anyone, but they must be over 18 years of age.  Also, it is good to be aware that you can't use the commemorative marriage certificate for name changes, you will need your official marriage certificate which we can pre-order when we start your paperwork with the NOIM or you can order it via Birth, Deaths and Marriages in the state your marriage was officiated once your marriage registration is complete. TIP:  If signing the paperwork during the ceremony doesn't fit the day's schedule the witnessed signing can be done later in the day.  Speak to your celebrant about what is required to arrange to sign your marriage documentation after the ceremony, for example before the reception. Note: it does have to be signed as soon as possible after the marriage ceremony. I always recommend it is done in the ceremony or before you go off for your couples photos.

If I am your celebrant, once we have finished your ceremony and the legal paperwork is signed, I’ll register your marriage through the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM). This is all done electronically by me - nothing for you to worry about - you’re 100% MARRIED as soon as you have said your legal vows during the ceremony, this is the admin stuff! If you are thinking of changing your name, or if you need proof of marriage for visa, immigration and financial purposes – you’ll need to apply for your Official Marriage Certificate marriage. I can apply for it automatically when we do your NOIM and ID check. Once all the paperwork is completed by the BDM they send you an email invoice (circa $67 in Qld/NSW) and once paid the legal marriage certificate will arrive via registered mail. Alternatively, you can apply for it at any point once the registration is complete. You can do this online, through the Registry of BDM in the state you were married. ​

Usually, couples must give at least one calendar month’s notice before getting married in Australia. But in special circumstances, it may be possible to shorten that notice period. This is called a Shortening of Time, and it can only be granted if your situation falls under one of the categories listed in the Marriage Regulations 1963. You or your celebrant will need to apply to a Prescribed Authority (usually found at your local courthouse or Births Deaths & Marriages office), who will assess your request based on the documentation you provide. A fee may apply, and it’s best to call ahead to make an appointment. In Queensland, your celebrant handles the application on your behalf. In other states you need to do the application yourself. What situations qualify for a Shortening of Time? Your reason must fall into one of these five categories: Work or travel commitments Wedding or cultural/religious considerations Medical reasons Court or legal matters A genuine error in giving notice Unfortunately, if your situation doesn’t fit within these categories, a shortening can't be approved. It's also not automatic—your application will be assessed on its individual merits, and additional documentation may be requested. How to apply for a Shortening of Time? Find a celebrant (hello! 👋) who’s willing and available to officiate your wedding at short notice. Complete a Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) and give it to your celebrant. IMPORTANT: Don’t sign it until you're with your celebrant or an authorised witness. Pick a wedding date and time (this can be flexible later). Ask your celebrant to write a letter confirming they’ve received your NOIM and are happy to conduct your ceremony on the chosen date—if the shortening is approved. Depending on which state you are in this step may vary. Outside of Queensland you will need to visit a Prescribed Authority with: Your NOIM and celebrant’s letter All required ID documents (e.g. passport or birth certificate, divorce or death certificates if previously married) Supporting documents for your reason (e.g. medical letters, travel bookings, employer statements, venue receipts) If approved, the Prescribed Authority will sign the NOIM, and you'll return it to your celebrant so everything is officially in place. For applications in Queensland, the celebrant does this on your behalf. If you’re navigating this process and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I’m here to help guide you through it all calmly and clearly.