Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach out if you can’t find an answer to your question.
Getting Started
NOIM stands for ‘Notice of Intended Marriage’ and is a mandatory notice period for all marriages in Australia. It must be completed and signed, by yourselves and an authorised person as stated on the NOIM and given to your chosen Celebrant to check and accept at least 1 month before the marriage takes place.
The NOIM can be located at the official Australian Governments Attorney General Department website: https:/www.ag.gov.au/families-and-marriage/publications/notice-intended-marriage.
You will need to provide identification documents such as your birth certificate / passport / drivers licence and complete the form honestly (remember this is a legal document). I can help you complete the form if you need assistance.
Please note that it is a criminal offence for a person to give the Notice to an authorised celebrant or to sign it if that person knows the Notice contains a false statement or an error or is defective (Section 104, Marriage Act).
The Notice must be signed in the presence of an authorised witness. Persons who are authorised to witness the Notice are:
If the party signs the Notice in Australia – an authorised celebrant, a justice of the peace, a barrister or solicitor, a medical practitioner, or a member of the Australian Federal Police or the police force of a State or Territory.
If the party signs the Notice outside of Australia – an Australian Consular Officer, an Australian Diplomatic Officer, a notary public, and employee of the Commonwealth authorised under paragraph 3c of the Consular Fees Act 1955, or an employee of the Australian Trade Commission authorised under paragraph 3 (d) of the Consular Fees Act 1995.
Your authorised celebrant will need to sight your photographic ID and place of birth, and evidence that you are free to marry if you have been married before, and any name changes if applicable. They will also need to be satisfied that you are freely giving consent, agreeing to the marriage, and be of marrying age according to the Marriage Act 1961
If it is not reasonably possible for one of the couple to sign the NOIM (such as one person is not in Australia), an authorised celebrant has discretion to accept the NOIM with just one of the couples signatures, or an alternative authorised person witnessing your signature as stated on the NOIM.
The 2nd person must sign the NOIM form when they arrive in Australia.
The NOIM must be signed by both parties before the marriage can take place.
A Notice of Intended Marriage is valid for 18 months from the date it is lodged. That means you can organise your paperwork well in advance if you’re planning ahead or booking a popular wedding date.
Yes, you have to legally declare this on the NOIM, and provide evidence that you are now free to marry again. You will need to show your Celebrant the original divorce or the death certificate of your previous spouse, showing the trail of name changes you have undertaken.
Before you get married:
Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) (at least 1 month before you get married)
Declaration of no legal impediment to marriage (just before you get married) On your wedding day three marriage certificates must be signed by:
You and your spouse, the authorised marriage Celebrant & two witnesses, who must be over 18 years old.
2 x Official Certificates of Marriage (on the day)
Ceremonial Certificate of Marriage (on the day) the marrying couple keep this.
Everyone signing must be in a fit and proper state to understand what they are signing!
Yes. Australian law requires two witnesses who are at least 18 years of age to be present and sign the marriage certificates. If you’re planning a small or Legals Only ceremony and are worried about finding witnesses, let us know—we can discuss the options with you.
Planning your ceremony
We have 20 white Tiffany chairs, and room for around another 10 guests standing. We can take a few more if you don’t mind the overspill in to the office space.
If you have more than 30 guests then the barn doors may not close, so if this is important to you, you will need to limit your guests.
Please note: It is the marrying couples discretion on how many guests they want to attend. So if guests want to bring ‘plus ones’ who have not been invited, that may be because the marrying couple don’t want too many people in the small intimate space….. guests, please respect this.
Yes absolutely. If you want your furry family members to be part of your magical moment, then please bring them along. They must be kept on a lead at all times please.
Yes we are!
As we are a Registry Style Wedding office environment, we may take a number of bookings in one day. Therefore we do not have the time between bookings to tidy up ready for our next marrying couple. Confetti is not permitted outside either, as this is a public space and littering is an offence. Sorry!
Unfortunately we do not hold an RGL licence for BYO, as we do not kitchen facilities or the space to cater for beverages. There is an array of neighbouring businesses who can offer fantastic hospitality services. Please utilise them.
Our premise is open by appointment only, please contact us to have a chat and if requested, to schedule a consultation.
Special circumstances
In Australia you cannot get married again if you are already married. For example, if you get legally married in Bali, then you cannot get married again in Australia on your return.
If you are wanting official Australian marriage documentation (including taking on your partner’s surname without the need to do so by Deed Poll / State Name Change in Australia), then consider the bigger picture.
You can get married in Australia first, then go overseas for a commitment ceremony and/or celebrations, or vice versa, but the legal bit will need to happen in Australia if it’s the Australian documents you are wanting. Many couples in this situation choose a legals only marriage to take care of the legal side simply and quickly before the celebration overseas.
You can literally get married with a celebrant just before heading to the airport if that’s how you roll!
Absolutely, yes you can do this.
Contact us first to make sure we are available for your chosen date and some help of what to do next.
We can direct you with the NOIM and then you will need to get your NOIM and identification documents witnessed and signed and passed back to the Marriage Office Mandurah at least 1 month before your intended marriage date.
Please see ‘Who is an authorised person to sign, on the NOIM. For example the most common authorised person to use in the UK is a Notary Public. This is usually a Solicitor/Lawyer with this added title.
Speak to your local Births Deaths and Marriage Registry Office to find out if you need to register your Australian marriage in your home country on your return, and if you need to do anything to legally change your name.
After your wedding
Your official marriage certificate that you signed on your wedding day is lodged within a day or two, and no later than 14 days by the Marriage Office Mandurah to The Registry of Births, Death & Marriages (BDM) in Perth.
Your Celebrant will send you an email once this is done and around two weeks later, you can then apply online for your official copy at:
https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-justice/the-registry-of-births-deaths-and-marriages the cost is currently $58 payable to BDM.
You Celebrant will send you an email with this link after you are married to remind you.
Yes you can. You can take either name once you are married in Australia, it works both ways.
If either of you would you prefer to keep your name, then that’s fine too. You are under no obligation to change your name if you don’t want to.
Contact Us
Get in touch with your names and preferred date and time of your wedding.
I can answer your questions and we will organise a catch up from there.
Marriage Office Mandurah
- 4 Spinnaker Quays, Mandurah Marina, Western Australia 6210
- info@marriageofficemandurah.com.au
- www.marriageofficemandurah.com.au
Hours
Today By Appointment
- 4 Spinnaker Quays, Mandurah Marina, Western Australia 6210