Destination Weddings

Destination Weddings

Destination Weddings are becoming more and popular with couples who would rather travel to a tropical paradise for a holiday with their nearest + dearest, than spend a small fortune on a larger wedding at home.

Destination weddings in tropical locations offer all the bonuses of warm weather, spectacular views and beachside paradises, but it is definitely worth your while to have all the legal side of things taken care of at home.

I love to travel, and I believe that couples flying north for the winter to marry, would benefit from the services of a celebrant who can conduct both a legal ceremony at home, as well as a destination wedding at their dream location! I can ensure that the entire marriage process is easier, stress free, more streamlined and a whole lot more personalised!

  • You can meet with me well in advance to plan a personalised ceremony face to face BEFORE you head off to your destination wedding.
  • I can eliminate any language barrier problems or the need for expensive translation services that may be required when when employing the services of an international celebrant.
  • All the legal paperwork can be completed at home before you leave, so no lost or misplaced certificates or identification documents to worry about!
  • I can arrange for your official, government issued certificate of marriage to be sent to your home or any address of your choice if you’re already going to be away (minimum processing times apply).
  • Anyone unable to attend your destination wedding can attend the legal ceremony at home, at any location of your choice!

When it comes to getting married overseas, you’ll find that all countries have their own legal requirements, with some even requiring both a minister of religion and a civil registrar to conduct two separate marriage ceremonies held on the same day! So you may need to arrive at your destination wedding days earlier, just to obtain & complete all the correct legal obligations with all the relevant authorities!

Some countries also require both parties to be of the same religion, requiring various visits to religious authorities to arrange a second ceremony – perhaps on a different day!

So put your mind at ease and leave the planning of absolutely every part of your legal marriage to one celebrant!

Q+A

Q. Can you officiate a legal ceremony outside of Australia?

A. No. I am only licensed to perform legal marriages within Australia.
So, a wedding I conduct overseas would be a ‘Commitment Ceremony’, which would be EXACTLY like any other wedding, but with a certificate of commitment in the absence of legal certificate of marriage.
I AM however, authorised to perform legal marriage ceremonies anywhere within Australia!

Q. If I choose to legally marry overseas, will it be recognised back home in Australia?

A. Yes! As long as the following Australian legal requirements are observed;

  • your marriage is recognised as valid under the law of the country where the marriage took place and you have a signed certificate evidencing the fact.
  • The marrying parties were 18 years of age or over at the time of marriage.
  • Neither party was legally married to any other person at the time of marriage.

Q. If I decide to have a legal marriage at home, would I need to do this BEFORE or AFTER my destination wedding?

A. Either! It’s completely up to you, but generally it’s before 🙂

Q. If I choose to have a legal marriage overseas, will I still need to have a second legal ceremony back home in Australia?

A. No. The marriage certificate you obtain at your destination wedding will be sufficient in establishing the validity of your marriage. Though please keep in mind that some Australian legal institutions may not accept a foreign certificate in order to change your name. Instead, a legal change of name through the Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages could be required – which although isn’t a difficult process, would not be necessary if your marriage was registered within Australia!

 

Happy travelling!

Marriage Celebrant Services →
Steps to Getting Married in Australia →