Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life

But what about the marriage itself? What legalities are there?  What do we need to do? What paperwork is there? 

How do I register my marriage? How do we write our vows? 

Jo is a Commonwealth Registered Authorised Marriage Celebrant, licensed to officiate civil ceremonies at any location across Australia. From the shearing sheds in the Great Southern and the beaches of the South West, from the paddocks in the Wheatbelt to the red dust of Broome, your ceremony is important to us. 

So what happens now?

There are a few stages of the ceremony planning. 

Before the ceremony

1. First, contact your celebrant to discuss dates, and have a look at some sample ceremonies. We will discuss the legalities of marriage, and what the next steps are. Check out the Resources page for some samples and ceremony ideas. 
2. Next,  you will fill in a  Notice of Intent to Marry  (known as the NOIM- pronounced nom), registering the date and location of your marriage and validating your legal right to  marriage. The deposit is paid at the time of lodging the NOIM to lock in your wedding date, and within a week a draft ceremony will be created for you. Any ideas you have, poetry you love, or rituals you would like to include can all be added into your ceremony.  We will email you your draft, feel free to make changes- this is your ceremony. 
3. Browse bridal magazines, search online, ask around for recommendations. Have fun! Create your magic day, choose flowers and dresses, and rest easy knowing Jo is taking care of the ceremony. 

The day of the ceremony

1. Nerves are normal! Jo will ensure your ceremony goes smoothly, for you to enjoy the moment and soak in the atmosphere of your wedding day. 
2. There are two parts to the ceremony that must be completed for the marriage to be legally binding.  • First, the monitum and the form of ceremony (see below) must be said within the ceremony. • Secondly, there are three documents to be signed immediately after the ceremony. Each document is signed by the bride and groom (or bride and bride, groom and groom), two witnesses over the age of 18 and the celebrant. 
3. At the beginning of the ceremony, Jo must state who she is, and her authorisation to officiate the marriage (see below). 
4. Jo will lodge your marriage paperwork with Births, Deaths and Marriages- and you are officially married! 

The Form of Ceremony. 

These are the word that must be stated by the marrying parties within the ceremony, usually as part of the vows.

"I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, A.B. (or C.D.), take thee C.D. (or A.B.),
to be my lawful wedded wife (or husband, or spouse)". Marriage Act 1961. Section 45 (2)

Celebrant Authorisation
Within the ceremony, Jo must state who she is and explain the nature of the marriage relationship. This is usually done immediately before the vows. 

The legal words are as follows:

"I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages according to law. Before you are joined 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" Marriage Act 1961, Section 46(1)

No matter where you choose to get married- in the forests of Boranup, in the paddock on the family farm in Wagin, in a town hall in Albany or on the beach in Broome, Jo can create a wedding ceremony to remember. 

Prices start from $800, contact Jo today to create a specialised ceremony.