Notice of Intent to Marry

To get married in Australia the law requires each party to provide sufficient notice of their intent to marry in Australia by completing a Notice of Intent to Marry. This form must be lodged with the Celebrant of your choice a minimum of 1 calendar month prior to your wedding day. This notice must be provided not earlier than 18 months from your wedding date.

The NOIM must be witnessed by a legal witness stated on the form (I will be your witness if you’re meeting with me in person to lodge the form).

The Notice of Intent to Marry can be emailed to the Celebrant of your choice, and the date of the email received, can be your lodgement date.  The original form must then be posted to your Celebrant at your earliest convenience.  This is perfect for couples who wish to get married with a short timeframe and are unable to meet with me in person to lodge the form.

Please download the NOIM here:

Your ID will need to be provided to your Celebrant, ideally at the time of lodgement with your Notice of Intent to Marry.

3 ways you can provide your ID to me: 

1. Provide original copies at the time of our meeting in person
2. Email a copy of your ID
3. Post a photocopy of your ID

What forms of ID can I provide? 

Passport (current or expired)

OR

2 x forms of ID which include:

• Australian driver’s license – not overseas license
• Birth Certificate

If previously married:

Divorce Decree or Death Certificate if applicable.  

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Natalie Skye’s Postal Address:

PO BOX 1695
Noosaville BC, QLD Australia 4566

Births Deaths Marriages Marriage Certificate application.

If you wish to change your surname to your new married surname after your married OR you require further legal proof of marriage for residency or visa purposes, then this form is required and can be lodged to the BDM Department by your Celebrant, on your behalf.  The form is lodged with the BDM state where you were married. If the Sunshine Coast is your place of marriage, then Queensland Birth Deaths Marriages, is the department where the application is lodged.

If the Celebrant lodges your completed marriage certificate application on your wedding day with the registration of marriage, then no ID is required with this application, as the Celebrant has already identified the parties.  Please view the BDM website in the state of your marriage, for a current price guide for this certificate.

Please download the Marriage Certificate application form here:

Shortening of Time:

Current Information from the Attorney Generals Website.

It is possible to shorten the minimum notice time for a marriage to less than a month if, and only if, the special circumstances set out in the Marriage Regulations 1963 are met.  You will need to approach a Prescribed Authority for approval. You may need to make an appointment and a fee may be payable.

Prescribed authorities are listed on the Attorney General’s website (Prescribed Authorities are usually found at your Local Court or Registry Office).  They can shorten the required period of notice if they are satisfied that the circumstances prescribed in the Regulations are met.

The five categories of circumstances set out in the Regulations are:

• Employment–related, or other travel commitments
• Wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
• Medical reasons
• Legal proceedings, and
• Error in giving notice.

The reason for wanting a shortening of time for notice must fall within one of these categories. There is no capacity to grant a shortening of time outside these circumstances.

Shortening of time is not automatic.

When making a decision, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) or a Prescribed Authority will weigh up the information provided in support of your application and may seek additional information as outlined in the Regulations.

You should have the documentation that supports your request before approaching a Prescribed Authority.

What do you need to do?

1. Contact a marriage celebrant who is willing to conduct a ceremony at short notice.  You can find a celebrant in your area here
2. Complete a Notice of Intended Marriage and provide it to the celebrant.  Make sure you do not sign until you are in the presence of the celebrant or other approved witness.
3. Choose a date and time for the ceremony – this can be changed if necessary
4. Ask the celebrant to supply you with a letter saying they have received a Notice of Intended Marriage from you and are willing to conduct your marriage ceremony on the date and time nominated, provided the approval for shortening of time is granted.
5. Go to a Prescribed Authority to request a Shortening – take the letter from the celebrant and the Notice of Intended Marriage with you, so that the Notice can be signed as approved by the Prescribed Authority.  You must return the signed Notice of Intended Marriage to your celebrant.
6. Make sure you take all documents that you would require to be married (birth certificates and/or passports, divorce papers) and documentary evidence to support your reason for shortening eg medical reports, employers evidence, wedding receipts