Legal Obligations
Your guide for getting married in Australia
Notice of Intent to Marry
To get married in Australia the law requires each party to provide sufficient notice of their intent to marry in Australia by completing a Notice of Intent to Marry. This form must be lodged with the Celebrant of your choice a minimum of 1 calendar month prior to your wedding day. This notice must be provided not earlier than 18 months from your wedding date.
The NOIM must be witnessed by a legal witness stated on the form. As your Celebrant I can witness this form for you both, either in person during our meeting, or via a video call (Skype/Facetime).
The Notice of Intent to Marry can be emailed to the Celebrant of your choice, and the date of the email received, can be your lodgement date. The original form must then be posted to your Celebrant at your earliest convenience. This is perfect for couples who wish to get married with a short timeframe and are unable to meet with me in person to lodge the form.
Please download the NOIM here:
Identification Required
Notice of Intended Marriage Form - this form must be lodged with your Celebrant a minimum of 31 days prior to your wedding date via email, post or in person. The NOIM must be witnessed by a legal witness stated on page 4 of the form. Your ID will need to be provided to your Celebrant. Your passport (even an expired one) is sufficient ID. If you have no passport, then you may also supply a copy of your Australian Drivers Licence or 18+ card (not overseas licence) + Birth Certificate. If applicable, you will also need to supply a copy of your divorce decree or death certificate.
Births Deaths Marriages Qld Marriage Certificate Application Form - if you wish to change your name after marriage, this form is required and can be lodged to the BDM Department by your Celebrant, on your behalf. Please view the ID that is required for the applicant applying for the BDM MC on the application form, which must be certified unless your meeting with your Celebrant who can view your ID required for the application and certify. The current fee for this certificate is $51.80 until 30/6/21. See the BDM fee schedule for confirmation (scroll down page on website for fees).
Postal Address: Natalie Skye | PO BOX 1695 | Noosaville BC | QLD | Australia | 4566
Do you wish to apply for a Shortening of Time with your Notice of Intent to Marry?
Shortening of Time:
Current Information from the Attorney Generals Website.
It is possible to shorten the minimum notice time for a marriage to less than a month if, and only if, the special circumstances set out in the Marriage Regulations 1963 are met. You will need to approach a Prescribed Authority for approval. You may need to make an appointment and a fee may be payable.
Prescribed authorities are listed on the Attorney General’s website (Prescribed Authorities are usually found at your Local Court or Registry Office). They can shorten the required period of notice if they are satisfied that the circumstances prescribed in the Regulations are met.
The five categories of circumstances set out in the Regulations are:
Employment–related, or other travel commitments
Wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
Medical reasons
Legal proceedings, and
Error in giving notice.
The reason for wanting a shortening of time for notice must fall within one of these categories. There is no capacity to grant a shortening of time outside these circumstances.
Shortening of time is not automatic.
When making a decision, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) or a Prescribed Authority will weigh up the information provided in support of your application and may seek additional information as outlined in the Regulations.
You should have the documentation that supports your request before approaching a Prescribed Authority.
What do you need to do?
Contact a marriage celebrant who is willing to conduct a ceremony at short notice. You can find a celebrant in your area here
Complete a Notice of Intended Marriage and provide it to the celebrant. Make sure you do not sign until you are in the presence of the celebrant or other approved witness.
Choose a date and time for the ceremony – this can be changed if necessary
Ask the celebrant to supply you with a letter saying they have received a Notice of Intended Marriage from you and are willing to conduct your marriage ceremony on the date and time nominated, provided the approval for shortening of time is granted.
Go to a Prescribed Authority to request a Shortening – take the letter from the celebrant and the Notice of Intended Marriage with you, so that the Notice can be signed as approved by the Prescribed Authority. You must return the signed Notice of Intended Marriage to your celebrant.
Make sure you take all documents that you would require to be married (birth certificates and/or passports, divorce papers) and documentary evidence to support your reason for shortening eg medical reports, employers evidence, wedding receipts