FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

• What legal documents are required to get married in Australia?

  Australian Marriage Law states that our Celebrant must receive the following documents at least one month prior to your wedding day:

  • Original Signed and Witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage Form
  • Copies of full birth certificates
  • Copies of passports (if born outside Australia)
  • Copies of divorce papers (Decree Absolute, if applicable)
  • Copy of death certificate (if applicable)
  • Copies of any change of name by Deed Poll (if applicable)

  Once you have booked your wedding, we will email you the Notice of Intended Marriage form and assist you with your legal dcoumentation.

• Can we use legal documents that are in another language?

  No, all documents in another language must be accompanied by certified translations in English.

• Do I need to be an Australian Citizen to marry in Australia?

  No. Anyone may be legally married in Australia providing you are both over the age of 18 and not already legally married.
  You don't have to be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia to legally marry in Australia.

• Do we need to be in Australia or have lived in Australia for any amount of time before we can get married?

  No. As long as you have lodged your Notice of Intended Marriage form and other required documents with your Celebrant, you may marry the day that you arrive in Australia. Although we recommend arriving a day or two before so that you can relax and meet with your wedding coordinator prior to your big day.

• Can I get married on a tourist visa in Australia?

  Yes, you can marry in Australia on a tourist visa as long as you have lodged your Notice of Intended Marriage form and other required documents with your Celebrant at least one month prior to your wedding.

• Can I get married anywhere in Australia?

  Yes, outside weddings are very popular in Australia. You may get married on most beaches, gardens and parklands. Australian Dream Weddings will make the required application with Council and pay any required location fees. We will also arrange an authorised wedding celebrant or civil marriage celebrant to perform your wedding ceremony outside of a church or synagogue.

• Can we remarry in Australia if we have already been married in another country?

  No, you may not be legally married in Australia if you are already married, however we can arrange a Renewal of Vows or Commitment ceremony for you.

• Will my wedding be legal in my home country?

  Yes, your marriage will be legally binding and recognised both in Australia and outside Australia. We organise weddings for couples from all over the world and all of these marriages are legal, regardless of where you decide to live after your wedding.

  On the wedding day, after the Ceremony, both the Bride & Groom sign the Certificate of Marriage which is witnessed by two people who are present, and also by the Minister / Celebrant.

  You get to keep this copy of the Certificate of Marriage which is called the ‘Bride’s Copy’. The Minister / Celebrant then registers your Marriage with the Registry Office of Births, Deaths & Marriages in the state that you were married, along with an application for the certified copy of the Marriage Certificate. This is the legal document and it will be sent to you by Registered mail approximately eight weeks after the wedding.

  Some European countries require an 'Apostille' stamp on the certified copy of the marriage certificate. This is an official stamp from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Once we receive the certified Marriage Certificate, we will send it to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade with an application for the Apostille. This usually takes an extra two weeks and an application fee applies.

• Are same sex marriages recognised in Australia?

  Yes, on the 9th December 2017, same sex marriage was legalised in Australia.

• What is the best time of the year to get married in Australia?

  Australia enjoys a sub tropical South Pacific climate making weddings possible throughout the year.

  Our Australian Summer is from December to February, Autumn is from March to May, Winter is from June to August and Spring is from September to November.

  Sydney enjoys a sunny, Mediterranean-style climate all year round with more than 340 sunny days per year. Summers are warm to hot and winters are mild, with rainfall spread fairly evenly throughout the year. January is usually the warmest month and it can also be humid at this time with an average humidity of 65 per cent. Autumn is mild and one of the most pleasant times to visit as the humidity is lower. The coolest months are June to August with generally mild, sunny days and in Spring the days are warmer with lower humidity than in Summer.

  Queensland’s Gold Coast has a comfortable sub-tropical climate which boasts over 300 days of sunshine every year. Summers average temperature is a pleasant 20-28°C and January to March experience the highest rainfall with hot days which are often followed by tropical storms. Spring and Autumn  are generally sunny days followed by warm nights and Winter is generally sunny and dry. A lovely climate all year round.

  Cairns and Port Douglas are located in tropical far north Queensland. With plenty of sunshine, beautiful warm seas, refreshing sea breezes and a warm climate all year round, Cairns and Port Douglas weather is hard to beat. There are two distinct seasons; a winter period of warm temperatures and low rainfall, and a summer period of balmy temperatures and high rainfall. The Dry season starts in May and finishes in October offering sunshine, fresh breezes and relatively low humidity and the Wet season extends from November to April and refreshes the region with tropical downpours that generally do not last long.

  Overall the dry, sunny climate makes Australia the perfect wedding destination all year round.

• Can we customise the packages that you provide?

  Our inclusions in every wedding package are based on requests from most of our wedding couples, and are designed to make your wedding day as simple and stress free for you, and as lovely as possible. However as we are a personal wedding service, we can customise anything to suit you. Please email us with your special requests and for prices.

  Once you have decided on your wedding location and theme, you can add an array of wonderful wedding services such as our professional photography, DVD, professional hair and makeup services, and upgrade any of the wedding options included such as transport, flowers, wedding cake and musicians.