Marriage Act 1961 Practical Guide
Private celebrants, not a government registry. No fuss, no frills, no wedding. Just paperwork.
This page is not a replacement for the law.
It is a plain-language guide to the practical rules couples usually ask about before booking a paperwork-only marriage.
The main points most couples need
Usually, to get married in Australia you need:
- an authorised celebrant
- a completed Notice of Intended Marriage
- at least one calendar month of notice
- proof of date and place of birth
- proof that any earlier marriage has ended
- real consent from both people
- two witnesses aged 18 or over
- the required legal wording and signing at the ceremony
The official sources
- Marriage Act 1961
- Marriage Regulations 2017
- Marriage Celebrant Code of Conduct
- Marriage Celebrant Guidelines
What we use these for
We use the law and official guidance to make sure our advice stays:
- accurate
- practical
- easy to understand
- on topic for a paperwork-only marriage
If you just want the practical path
Read these pages next:
Get started online
Book first, pay the fee, then prepare your Notice of Intended Marriage with NOIM Easy. Once we receive your paperwork, we confirm the next available date, time, and place.