Can I get married next week in Perth?

Can you get married next week? Or even the week after? Well... the short answer to this question is "Probably not."

Couples need to give their celebrant their Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) no earlier than 18 months and no later than one month before their wedding date. A prescribed authority (a Birth, Deaths and Marriages staff member or a Clerk of the Court) may authorise a marriage with less than a month's notice; however, there are only five reasons they may do this:

1. employment-related or other travel commitments

2. wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations

3. medical reasons

4. legal proceedings, or

5. an error in giving notice.

   
   

If you need to apply for a shortening of time, you will need to have your NOIM completed, witnessed and given to your celebrant. Your celebrant will then refer you to a prescribed authority. You would need to make an appointment with the authority and take your NOIM to them. You may also need to take proof of your reasons for applying for the shortness of time, for example:

• letter from a medical practitioner

• receipts for payments already made for marriage arrangements

• travel documentation

The prescribed authority has no discretion to approve shortening of time outside the circumstances listed above, and there is no guarantee that the shortening of time will be automatic.

If your shortening of time is granted, your NOIM will be annotated by the authority and you will need to return the NOIM to your celebrant. From there, you can work with your celebrant to set your date. You can now legally marry as soon as you wish to.

A list of prescribed authorities can be found on the Attorney General's website. However, in urgent cases, it may be easiest to call Births, Deaths and Marriages on 1300 305 021 for advice.

Need a Perth wedding celebrant at short notice? Cathy has helped several couples marry with just a few days notice. Get in touch with Cathy today.