You will both need to show me the following documents:

• A birth certificate (if born overseas, a foreign passport may be acceptable) and...
• If previously married and divorced, a decree absolute or Certificate of Divorce is required. If divorced in Australia, this is obtained from the Family Court of Australia; or
• If previously married and widowed, a death certificate must be presented.

You will need to complete the Government Form, "Notice of Intended Marriage'' or (NIM) which you can download right here (see section below) or you may like to have a look around our governing body

 "The Federal Attorney Generals" Website  http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/MarriageGetting_Married for lots of interesting information and facts you may need 

The NIM must be completed at least one month and one day and no longer than 18 months before your proposed wedding ceremony. There are instructions on the form as to how you should complete it.

If we cannot meet, the NIM can be completed, signed and witnessed by a number of authorised persons (see instructions on NIM) posted to me, together with photo copies of your documents. However, I will still need to view all originals before your ceremony can commence.    

To marry in Australia persons must be of opposite sex and 18 years of age or over. Exceptions may be made if one person is 16 years of age and under 18, with parents consent plus an Order of the Court.

One partner in this union must be 18 years of age or over. People from overseas countries can marry in Australia. The same documentation must be provided to the Celebrant as for Australian citizens.

Please contact me about your individual case.

If the BRIDE wishes to change her name after marriage, she must now apply for a Marriage Certificate from the Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages in the Satate in which her Marriage was Solemnised. There is currently a fee of AUD$34 for the standard Certificate in Queensland and this must be paid for by the couple either via Credit Card or Money Order / cheque. If this document is completed and left with me then I will lodge it on your behalf when I send in the other documents to register your marriage.

The presentation certificate given to you after your marriage is usually not considered proof of identity for banking institutions, driver's license or passport applications. It is worth while for Brides to be to make a list of all the instiutions that you will need to contact in order to change your name (there can be a lot!!)

If the GROOM wishes to change his name after marriage, he must apply for a change of name form from the Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages in his state.

I will be getting you and your 2 witnesses to sign 3 Documents immediately following your ceremony. The first is the official Certificate of Marriage which I will send to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the second is a duplicate which I keep in my Marriage Register as my record of your marriage and the third is a numbered Wedding Certificate, often referred to as a "presentation" certificate, which you will be given as a keepsake.

You can also order a Commemorative Certificate (for an extra fee to BDM) and you can view samples at

http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/justice-services/births-deaths-and-marriages/marriages/marriage-certificate 

On your wedding day, you will need two witnesses over the age of 18 who can read and understand English. As mentioned they will also be required to sign the above documentation.