Making it Legal

The Attorney-General's Department  states that The ceremony should enhance the dignity of the occasion, meet all legal requirements and accommodate the reasonable requests and expectations of the couple marrying.  As your registered marriage celebrant, I am required by the Marriage Act to ensure that all legal requirements are met.

These include:
  • Making sure that the Notice of Intended Marriage is properly filled out and witnessed by an appropriate person (which includes marriage celebrants)

  • Making sure that the wedding date is at least a full month after the day that you give me the Notice of Intended Marriage, but not more than 18 months after you give it to me. A full month is that period starting at the start of any day of one of the calendar months and ending immediately before the start of the corresponding day of the next calendar month, or,  if there is no such day at the end of the next calendar month. This means if you lodge your notice with me on 31 May the first day on which you can legally be married will be the 1 July (as there is no 31 June). But if you lodge your notice on the 15 May, the first day on which you can be legally be married will be the 15 June. 

  • Making sure that the proper identification documents and documents that prove how any previous marriage ended are shown to me and that they are original documents as issued by an appropriate government authority (JP certified copies are not acceptable).

  • Making sure that you give me official English translations for any documents in another language.

  • Making sure that you make vows to each other in the form required by The Marriage Act.
  • Making sure that two adult witnesses are present for the whole ceremony.
  • Making sure that both of you give real consent to the marriage both in the process leading up to the ceremony and in the ceremony itself.

    Real consent includes, but is not limited to:

    • Both the bride and groom giving accurate information on the Notice of Intended Marriage.

    • Both the bride and the groom understanding the implications of a marriage solemnised in Australia
    • Both the bride and the groom understanding what is going on in the ceremony and consenting to marrying each other. You must both be able to understand the ceremony itself and the explanations about the documents you are signing, including the declarations before the ceremony and the certificates afterwards.

    • Therefore

      • You must not be affected by drugs or alcohol. If I believe that you are affected by either it is against the law for me to continue with the wedding.
      • You must be able to understand what is being said or shown to you. If I am not confident that you understand English sufficiently to fully understand what is being said and the documents you have to sign I must request that an interpreter is present.
      • If you say or do anything that suggests that your consent is not real it is against the law for me to continue with the wedding.



Your Privacy  |   Mission Statement  |  Contact Me

Jennifer Cram is a secular humanist celebrant
in Brisbane Queensland Australia
Serving all of Brisbane, Redlands, Redcliffe, Pine Rivers, Logan and Ipswich
Ceremonies performed in private homes, parks, gardens, hotels, clubs, restaurants, chapels, function centres, reception centres, wedding venues.
Day or evening ceremonies 365 days a year

Her Celebrant Services include:
Wedding Ceremonies including Contemporary, Traditional, Spiritual, Intimate, Cultural, Inter-cultural, Buddhist, Celtic, Handfasting, Humanist, Irish, Mediaeval, Military, Scottish, Celtic, Chinese, Buddhist, Mediaeval; Surprise, Theme, True-Blue Aussie, Visa, Green, and Pink Weddings;
Renewal of Vows; Commitment Ceremonies for gay, lesbian, and straight couples; Naming Ceremonies; 
House Warming; Launching; Divorce and Separation (End-of-Relationship) Ceremonies

Contact Details
Phone: (07) 3378 3005
International: + 61 7 3378 3005
Email:
Mail: P O Box 20, Indooroopilly QLD 4068, Australia
More Information

Wedding Ceremony Packages

Types of Weddings I Perform

What Overseas Couples
Need to Know about Marrying in Australia

Apostilles and Authentications

Structure of a Wedding
Ceremony

How my Service Works
Wedding Fees & Service Levels
Cheap Ceremonies
Relationship Education

Legal Information

Making it Legal
Celebrants Code of Practice
Making a complaint about a marriage celebrant
The Marriage Act
Department of Immigration
and Citizenship


Interpreters & Translators
 For Speakers of Other Languages For the Deaf

Other Useful Information
Articles
Wedding Related Services
Sunrise & Sunset Times (Brisbane)
Tidal information for Queensland


Download
Notice of Intended Marriage
Must be completed, witnessed
and lodged with Celebrant a
full month before the wedding

Happily Ever .... Before and After
Important information for
people planning to marry

Certificate Application Forms
Marriage Certificate (needed for name change after marriage)
Birth Certificate (Queensland)
Death Certificate (Queensland)
Current Fees for QLD Certificates
Divorce Certificate


About Jennifer Cram
Authorised by the Australian Government to solemnise marriages throughout Australia

Certified Practicing Celebrant

Celebrancy Qualifications
Advanced Diplomas of Marriage, General and Funeral Celebrancy (all with high distinction)
Cert IV in Marriage Celebrancy
Other Academic Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts
Diploma of Education
Higher Diploma in Library Science
(with distinction)
Graduate Diploma in Advanced Librarianship
Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management
Memberships
Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants
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