Toni Smart

As soon as you have decided upon your date and venue, it is a good idea to begin searching for your marriage celebrant.  

As you must lodge your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) with your celebrant at least one month before the wedding date, you must, of course, book your celebrant at least one month before the wedding date.   

A Notice of Intended Marriage is also referred to as the NOIM. The NOIM is a form that sets out your intention to marry and provides me with all the information that I need to complete your legal documents for your ceremony.

The NOIM is required by law to be completed by the celebrant and marrying couple at least one month before the wedding ceremony is to be performed. The NOIM is valid for 18 months from the date it has been witnessed.

With this document, I must sight proof of your birth, photo identification and if you’ve been married previously, proof that this marriage has ended.

Before any marriage takes place I must see the following documents:

• Evidence of Date and Place of Birth: This can be a Birth certificate or a passport: These must be an original Births Deaths and Marriages certified copy, NOT a photocopy nor a JP certified copy.
• Photo ID: Driver’s Licence, Passport or Over 18 card
• Evidence any prior marriages are terminated: This may be a divorce certificate, death certificate or annulment certificate (Court ordered, not religious).  It may be necessary to provide a ‘document trail’ of your name changes if you have been previously married, i.e. birth certificate, original marriage certificate and death or divorce certificate.
• Change of Name Certificate: If you have changed your name via Deed Poll or through Births Deaths and Marriages, you must provide you ‘Change of Name Certificate’.
• If any of the above documents are not in English, you must provide a NATI certified translation along with the original document. 

You will need two witnesses aged over 18 years.

I’m available by phone, email or Facetime as often as you like.  I’m happy to have face to face meetings if you feel the need. However, we will be meeting a number of times to discuss the ceremony, rehearsal and to sign other legal paperwork prior to the ceremony. 

The average ceremony is 25-30minutes (including time for signing the register and certificates). Your ceremony may be shorter or longer depending on the content you want to include. 

The ceremony is designed around you as a couple – your story, your future, what marriage means to you, traditions and rituals. 

At our initial meeting, we’ll discuss all your different options and you can tell me what you do and don’t like. Your ceremony will be exactly how you like it – I’m not going to be offended if you edit something out. 

Legally, we must include the ‘monitum’ which introduces me as an authorised celebrant and defines marriage according to the laws of Australia. We don’t have much flexibility with this wording otherwise it loses the meaning of what currently constitutes a marriage. 

We also need to share the legal vows, which is a one liner. This doesn’t mean you can’t have your own personal vows as well, it will not detract from their sentiment. 

Absolutely! As long as the legal wording is included in the ceremony – “the Monitum/Celebrant Authority” and the legal vows.  I am always available to assist you in any way possible. 

I can provide you with plenty of examples to get your thoughts started and even to choose a bit from here and bit from here.

The best vows I’ve heard have been a jumble of thoughts and words of love and laughter. Enjoy the moment and speak from the heart.

On the day of your wedding, you will sign three marriage certificates. Each certificate should be signed by you, your two witnesses and me, your marriage celebrant.

I will give you one of the certificates as a record of your marriage. This certificate is a commemorative certificate and cannot be used for change of name. 

I must register your marriage with the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory it took place within 14 days of the ceremony.

The registry of births deaths and marriages will issue an official marriage certificate on application and a fee applies. The certificate issued by the registry of births, deaths and marriages is required for many official purposes.  

I must register your marriage with the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory it took place within 14 days of the ceremony. 

The registry of births deaths and marriages will issue an official marriage certificate on application and a fee applies. The certificate issued by the registry of births, deaths and marriages is required for many official purposes. 

The certificate I give you at the wedding ceremony is a record of your marriage. This certificate is a commemorative certificate and cannot be used for change of name. 

I must register your marriage with the registry of births, deaths and marriages in the state or territory it took place within 14 days of the ceremony.

The registry of births deaths and marriages will issue an official marriage certificate on application and a fee applies. The certificate issued by the registry of births, deaths and marriages is required for many official purposes.