What is the legal process of getting married?

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable moments of your life. While it’s filled with joy and celebration, it also involves important legal steps to make your marriage official. Knowing exactly what you need to include in your ceremony will help you avoid last-minute surprises and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Here’s a clear, step-by-step list of what you must include in your ceremony legally to get married.

1. Book a Licensed Officiant

The first legal step is to book a licensed officiant, such as a registered celebrant. This person is responsible for completing and filing all the legal paperwork related to your marriage. Without a licensed officiant, your marriage may not be legally recognized.

Make sure your officiant is authorized in the state or region where your ceremony will take place.

Julie my celebrant standing smiling holding a mic.

2. Set the Date and Time for Your Ceremony

Once you have your officiant, decide on the date and time for your ceremony. This is important because some legal forms must be submitted within specific timeframes before the wedding day.

3. Complete the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) Form

You need to complete the NOIM form between 18 months and one month before your wedding. This form notifies the government of your intention to marry and starts the legal process.

Both parties must sign the NOIM in front of an authorized witness, such as your officiant or a justice of the peace.

4. Complete the Declaration of No Legal Impediment (DONLI) Form

The DONLI form confirms that there are no legal reasons preventing you from marrying. This form is usually completed as close to the ceremony as possible, often the day before or on the wedding day itself.

Your officiant will guide you through this step to ensure everything is in order.

5. Meet with Your Officiant Before the Ceremony

Right before the ceremony, you will meet with your officiant individually. This meeting allows the officiant to confirm that both parties fully understand the marriage contract and freely consent to the marriage.

This step is crucial to ensure the marriage is legally valid.

6. Legal Requirements During the Ceremony

During the ceremony, your officiant must follow a specific order to meet legal requirements:

• Introduce themselves and the couple by full names.

• Recite the Monitum, a legal warning about the seriousness of marriage.

• Hear each party say their legal vows.

• Have two witnesses present to sign the official paperwork.

• The couple, officiant, and witnesses sign two official marriage certificates and Form 15 (ceremony certificate that you get to keep).

  
  

This process ensures your marriage is properly documented and legally binding.

Wine glasses clinking with gold confetti falling in celebrantion

7. Officiant Sends Documents for Registration

After the ceremony, your officiant will sign off on the documents and post them to the Births, Deaths, and Marriages (BDM) registry in the same state where the ceremony took place.

This final step registers your marriage officially with the government.

Summary

To make your marriage legal, you need to:

• Book a licensed officiant

• Set your ceremony date and time

• Complete the NOIM form 1 to 18 months before the wedding

• Complete the DONLI form close to the ceremony

• Meet with your officiant before the ceremony to confirm consent

• Follow the legal ceremony steps with vows, Monitum, and signing paperwork

• Have your officiant submit the documents to the BDM registry

  
  

By following these steps, you ensure your marriage is legally recognised without any unexpected issues. If you’re unsure about any part of the process, your licensed officiant is the best person to guide you.

Your wedding day should be about celebrating your love, not worrying about legal details. Taking care of these requirements ahead of time lets you focus on what really matters.

Julie X