Wedding Legals And Statutory Information

In Australia

To marry in Australia you must be 18 years or over, and a Notice Of Intention To Marry must be filed a minimum of one month and one working day prior to the wedding date. This notice can be downloaded here.

The documents required for a marriage in Australia are:

• A Birth Certificate or official extract
• A valid passport if not an Australian citizen
• The original of your Notice Of Intention To Marry
• If divorced, your decree absolute.
• If widowed, your spouses death certificate & previous marriage certificate.
• Legal proof of any name changes by deed poll

If you are a visitor to Australia intending to marry here, there is a minimum of one day’s residency in Australia required prior to the ceremony. Overseas visitors can also obtain a Notice Of Intention To Marry from your nearest Australian Consulate.

Original copies of birth certificates, and passports for couples from overseas, are to be sighted by the celebrant on the day of the ceremony.

In Vanuatu

Marriages in Vanuatu are recognised in Australia, New Zealand, the United States the United Kingdom and most other countries.

Unlike Fiji, couples do not have to attend the registry office in person so documentation can be mostly organised prior to departure. Couples do have to be in Vanuatu for three days prior to the ceremony however. Final documentation will take place during this time and it is also handy for the bride and groom to meet the wedding coordinator and choose a location.

Three weeks prior to the ceremony, the following must be faxed for filing:

• Copies of both passports
• Copies of both birth certificates
• If divorced, the relevant papers
• A completed Certificate of Intended Marriage
• Completed Witness Forms - 2 witnesses are required but the wedding coordinator can organise witnesses if couples don’t have guests with them. Witness details needed include names, dates of birth, where born, parents’ names, place of residence and occupation.

Please contact us if you would like copies of Certificate of Intended Marriage and/or Witness Forms emailed to you.

As a rule, wedding bookings are not accepted on a Sunday, religious or national holidays, but there can be exceptions. Some resorts stipulate documentation must arrive 8 weeks prior to the ceremony but that is more for their own coordination than any legal reason.

In Fiji

Weddings in Fiji are legally recognised in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Unlike a wedding in Vanuatu, you cannot pre-arrange documentation for a Fiji wedding and you must go to the registry office in person to apply for a Marriage Licence before heading to your chosen resort for the ceremony. The District Office is open weekdays from 9am-3pm (excluding Public Holidays) and appointments last around 15 minutes. Offices are in Nadi, Suva, Lautoka and Sigatoka and the cost of application is F$25.00.

You need to have the following documentation with you:

• Current passports
• Original birth certificates
• Divorce papers (if applicable)
• Death certificate of former spouse (if applicable)
• Parental consent if under 21
• Catholic weddings require a letter of Freedom sent 2-3 months in advance to the Fijian Priest along with Baptism Certificates.

The wedding must occur within 28 days of the application.

Also unlike Vanuatu, you are not required to be in the country for 3 days before the ceremony, so this may only mean a night in Nadi before heading to your chosen resort, or a trip up the coast if your chosen resort is on Viti Levu.

Once the actual wedding ceremony has taken place, your signed documents are sent in for processing, and an official Wedding Certificate will be mailed to you approximately 4 weeks later.

Wedding bookings are not accepted on Sundays, Religious or National holidays.

In The Cook Islands

Marriages in the Cook Islands are legally binding and internationally recognised. The legal age of consent to marry is 20 years, otherwise written approval by parents is required.

Applications for a License must be made in person to the Registrar of Marriages in the Cook Islands at least 3 working days prior to the marriage (this can be shortened for a fee of $45). Application for this license cannot be made outside the Cook Islands.

The following documents are required:

• Your passport and birth certificate will be required when filling out the "Notice of Intended Marriage" at the Registrars Office.
• A copy of the Decree Absolute if divorced
• if you have been widowed you will need to provide the Death Certificate of your spouse.
• Catholic couples will need to have completed a course for engaged couples, such as the FOCCUS program, and will need to have Baptism Certificates.
• All documentation must be in English or translated into English.

You may choose either a celebrant (non-religious) or a Minister to perform the ceremony. Churches on the Islands: Protestant (Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican), Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Apostolic, Assembly of God and Baha’i.

In Samoa

Marriages in Samoa are legally recognised internationally. To be married you will require:

• Birth certificate and passports
• Decree Absolute (Divorce) documentation if applicable
• Death Certificate of your spouse if applicable
• Documentation should be in English and clear to read.

Fax copies of these documents as well as a completed Intent to Marry form should be lodged with the Ministry of Justice at least 14 days prior to your arrival (take originals with you). You will also need to be in Samoa for a few days before your intended date of marriage. A small fee is also payable to the Ministry of Justice in Apia.