Normally, the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) needs to be lodged with me at least one calendar month before your wedding date — that’s the legal requirement for getting married in Australia.
But sometimes life doesn’t give you a month’s notice.
If you’re in that situation, you may be able to apply to shorten the notice period.
It’s only granted in genuine, limited circumstances under the Marriage Act 1961 and the Marriage Regulations 1963 —
but if you have a valid reason, as a marriage celebrant, I can help you through the process.
How it works
- First, lodge the NOIM with me — even though your date is close, we still need this on file.
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Then I’ll help you prepare your Statutory Declaration and supporting letter to the prescribed authority, setting out your circumstances.
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I’ll guide you through exactly what evidence you’ll need and help you put your Stat Dec together — the sooner we start, the better.
I’ll guide you on exactly what evidence you’ll need.
What counts as a valid reason?
Approval is only given for specific circumstances, and you’ll usually need documentation to support your case:
- Travel or employment commitments — e.g. an overseas posting, or a family member with a non-changeable flight who needs to be there
- Wedding or celebration arrangements already locked in — non-refundable bookings that can’t be moved, or religious considerations
- A serious medical condition — affecting you, your partner, or a close family member
- Legal proceedings — such as a pending court matter
- An error in the notice process — for example, if a celebrant failed to properly lodge or explain the NOIM requirements
Each category has its own evidence requirements (letters, receipts, court documents, medical certificates, and so on) — I’ll talk you through exactly what applies to your situation.
A few important things to know
- Approval has to come from a prescribed authority — as your celebrant, I can’t shorten the time myself, only help you apply.
- The date the NOIM is received can’t be backdated.
- Marrying without proper notice having been approved is an offence under the Marriage Act.
If your wedding is closer than a month away and you think you might qualify,
Get in touch as soon as possible — the process takes a little time, so the earlier we start, the smoother it’ll go.