What does a marriage celebrant have to say?

Your Marriage Celebrant has to introduce herself and advise that she is authorised to solemnise marriages according to the law in Australia. Your celebrant must use the Monitum and also the Declaration for both marriage partners. Vows are also part of the ceremony.

The remainder of the ceremony is entirely up to you as a couple. Your Celebrant can say as much or as little as you and your partner want. 

Your celebrant will give you opportunity to practise the wording you select. 

There are 124 legal words which must be verbalised by the Celebrant before the couple he is marrying and the witnesses.

These include the Celebrant announcing his title and full name being the Celebrant, and also the full names of the marrying couple. Again within earshot of the marrying couple and witnesses.

There is a "Monitum" said by the celebrant. " Then the legal vows by the marrying couple.

Hi bride to be :)

Congratulations on your decision to marry. 

For a legal marriage ceremony the celebrant must identify themselves as being an authorised marriage celebrant, their full legal name and why we are gathered here today.

This is normally part of the MONITUM, a legal requirement, explaining the following to the party being married, and at least two witnesses:

"My name is [Celebrants FULL NAME] and we are gathered today to witness the marriage of A & B. I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law. Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of two people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life."

The following legal vows must be inclued as well establishing the full legal names of the parties to the marriage and the intent to get married.

Partner A must say to Partner B (and vice versa):

"I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, [Full Legal Name], take you,  [Full Legal Name] to be my lawful wedded wife/husband/spouse." (or words to that effect)

To put this into context, find the Order of Ceremony below. This can be changed and personalised according to the couples wishes etc but must include the Monitum and Legal Vows/ full names. 

I walk couples throught the full process and we decide on the best order and may add poems, elements that make it even more YOUR ceremony.

1. Pre-Welcome and organising guests
2. Entry of bridal party/ brides or grooms
3. Giving away
4. Welcome by celebrant
5. Introduction/ couples story
6. Readings/ poems (if applicable) 
7. Monitum/ Legal
8. Declaration of intention to marry (legal vows including full names)
9. Personal vows 
10. Ring Exchange
11. Signing of the register
12. Announcement of marriage 
13. Wedding kiss
14. Couple walk back down the aisle

All live happily ever after  :-)

*Apart from the Monitum and Legal Vows everything else is optional.

There is a requirement for a Celebrant to express legal wording within your ceremony.  Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.  Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of two people, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life."

A celebrant will state that they are authorised by the Attorney Generals Department to solemnise marriages according to the law and the Marriage Act 1961.

There is also wording that will require responses from you.

There are a couple of key areas that a celebrant must include in a wedding and the celebrant has some specific wording which cannot change such as the monitum. Chat to a celebrant and see how your wedding can be customised to suit your value and personalities whilst still including the correct legal inclusions. 

The specific items are The opening paragraphs, the legal clause called Monitum, The Vows and the Declaration. These can be included inside a tailored ceremony which ensures you enjoy your ceremony and it reflects you and your fiance's wishes.

There are several things in a wedding ceremony that a civil marriage celebrant must do to make the wedding service official, they must say "Monitum" which is the very important paragraph that basically makes the marriage official.  The mandatory vows- Ï call upon the persons present, "and some stage during the ceremony the couples full names must be said.  The rest of the ceremony your beautiful love story can be told, no further rules or regulations apart from signing the official paperwork x 3 to make your marriage official.  Best of luck -hope your wedding is the day you have dreamt of.

There are three sentences/paragraphs a marriage Celebrant has to say.

This is known as the monitum and is said just before the exchange of vows.

There is very specific wording we must adhere to. Some words can be swapped out for words of the same meaning. 

Other than these, the ceremony is completely adaptable.

And a Celebrant can say as much or as little as the couple wants. 

I go over each sentence with each person and adapt the wording to their liking. It’s quick and easy.

The rest of the ceremony should be how you want it to be!

To be honest, in terms of what a celebrant has to say in order to make the marriage 'legal', is a lot less than you probably think.  The celebrant has to say the Monitum (which is literally only 3 sentences BUT very important ones!  The Monitum introduces the celebrant and lets your  guests know that the celebrant is legally authorised to perform the ceremony AND it also includes the legal definition of marriage).  Otherwise the only other 'legal' words that must be said during the ceremony is by the couple getting married - and it is four lines that must be said during the  vows.  Really then, as long as the legals are 'covered' in the ceremony, almost anything goes!  You can be as creative as you like and include special readings, poems, handfasting ceremony...there are no hard and fast rules about what a ceremony must / must not contain, so create a ceremony that is a reflection of yours and your partners' personality!

A celebrant is only required by law during the ceremony to say the legal parts I.e. the Monitum and the couple must say the legal part in their vows.

In a Marriage Ceremony a Celebrant must use the full legal names of the couple somewhere during the ceremony which is to do with identity of the two parties.  I like to do this right near the beginning.  The celebrant must introduce themselves and state that they are a registered celebrant and that it is a marriage ceremony taking place.  The "Monitum" must be said before the vows and there are specific words for the vows that must be used to make the marriage legal that include atleast one of the legal given names of the each of the couple.  The couple need to be announced as married by the celebrant by the authority vested in them by the Attorney General of Australia.  For the rest of the ceremony the  couple can choose the wording and can use a nickname that they are known by.