For a wedding to be legally valid in Australia a Notice of Intended Marriage form must be completed, signed and witnessed by me (or an authorised person and received by me) a minimum of 30 days prior to your wedding.

The documents needed to complete the form include both your birth certificates. These certificates need to be originals or original extracts – a certified copy cannot be accepted. If you or your partner have been married before, your divorce papers are also needed. I would suggest that you locate these papers early, so that you’ve plenty of time to apply for new papers if you find that you’ve misplaced them.

The easiest way to complete this form is during our interview session so I can guide you through it. You can, however, download a form from the Birth Death and Marriages website. If you are unable to make it to Port Macquarie to sign in my presence, there is a list of people who have the authority to witness your signatures. For example a solicitor, barrister, police officer or medical practitioner. This form then needs to be sent to me so that I receive it no later than a minimum of 30 days prior to your wedding.