marriage Celebrants & Wedding Vows

At Wedding Bride, we have a huge range of civil marriage celebrants to help you through your wedding ceremony and the process of legally registering to be married.

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What is a Celebrant?

A celebrants is a legally appointed individually, who has vested statutory powers enabling them to perform marriage ceremonies in Australia. There are predominantly two types of Celebrants you will encounter in the wedding industry. The first is known as a Religious Celebrant, who is accustomed to conducting denominational ceremonies, usually in a church. The second is a Civil Celebrant, who is accustomed to conducting non-denominational ceremonies. These ceremonies do not need to be conducted in a church, hence the flexibility for wedding couples to be creative about their choice of ceremony venue. If you are planning to elope, then you may decide to circumvent the use of a marriage celebrants, and head straight to the Registry Office. Civil Celebrants can assist you with writing your own vows, or help you choose from a popular selection of published and pre-written poems, prose, and excerpts. They can even help you select your ceremony music if you are unsure, and also provide a variety of ritualistic ceremonies. Find a Celebrant

The Marriage Act

In accordance with the Marriage Act, a civil marriage ceremony in Australia can be celebrated in virtually any location. The location should reflect both your character, and the theme and style of your wedding day. The Marriage Act in Australia requires a legal Celebrant, and at least two additional witnesses (over the age of 18) to legally bind the marriage, whilst requiring that you are at least 18 years of age. Certain words must be used during your marriage vows, to further legally bind your commitment to one another, whilst appropriate documentation must be provided to your Celebrant with proof of age, including any divorce or spouse death notices.

Notice of Intended Marriage

The 'Notice of Intended Marriage' is a legal document that must be lodged with your Celebrants within 18months - 1 month of the actual marriage ceremony. In Australia, marriage licences are not required. Your birth certificate must accompany the documentation, together with any passports, if you are from overseas, and any death or divorce papers. Download Notice of Intended Marriage

Choosing a Ceremony Venue

You have a range of choices when selecting your perfect wedding ceremony venue, or the place where you will say your vows to one another. If you are of a denomination you may select a church or chapel that reflects your beliefs, and be married by a religious celebrant. If you are non-denominational or simply prefer to be married outdoors or in a venue that is closer to your personality and individuality, you may select just about anywhere from a park, your back-yard, to more exotic beach locations or mountain tops, even atop buildings, bridges or whilst flying high in the sky. These types of marriage ceremonies will most likely require the services of a legal Civil Celebrant. Ceremony Venues

Marriage Vows

Marriage vows are an extremely important part of the wedding process, and can be extracted from written texts, biblical sources, prose, poetry or even created by yourself or your marriage Celebrant. The important thing to remember is that you exchange vows that are both meaningful and a reflection of your character and personality. There are a few areas where your are legally required to add a few statutory lines to your vows, but apart from that, you can be as creative as you like. Marriage Vows

Changing Your name

The first thing you need to know about changing your name once you are married, is that it is not a requirement. It is a choice, where many modern brides choose to keep their maiden name. Other options include hyphenated surnames or a new combined surname. In all cases the marriage documents are signed using the bride's maiden name.

About Your Ceremony

The first thing you need to consider when planning the perfect marriage ceremony, is to be creative whilst personalising your ceremony to suit both you and your partner. Ask your celebrant to assist you where necessary, and in some cases you can ask your celebrant to plan your marriage ceremony in it's entirety, with some intervention from yourself. Remember, you get the final say on the theme and text of your marriage vows. About Your Ceremony