Celebrate 170 years
The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages is celebrating 170 years of service with limited edition commemorative certificates and a special wedding collaboration with the State Library of NSW.
On 1 March 2026, the Registry marked 170 years of continuous service to the NSW community.
With almost 11 million births, more than 4.6 million marriages, and over 5.3 million deaths registered during this time, the Registry has played a significant role in recording the life events of the people of NSW.
Celebrate with commemorative certificates
Thanks to the support of the State Library of NSW, who are marking their 200th anniversary in 2026, we are releasing limited-edition birth and marriage certificates featuring illustrations by pioneering female natural history artists of the 19th Century:
- Harriet and Helena Scott - Renowned for their detailed depictions of NSW flora and fauna, and honorary members of the Entomological Society of NSW in 1868.
- Ellis Rowan - Celebrated botanical artist and explorer, known for capturing rare specimens and hosting Australia’s largest solo exhibition of her time.
The featured artwork has been sourced from the State Library of NSW’s collections, and these certificates offer a unique way to celebrate your own milestones alongside the history of NSW.
State Library of NSW weddings
Hold your storybook wedding at the State Library of NSW, one of Sydney’s most significant heritage buildings.
In celebration of 170 years of births, deaths and marriages, and 200 years of the State Library of NSW, the Registry is offering ceremony packages in this majestic location for one day only.
Make your wedding one for the books in the spacious Friends Room, accommodating up to 50 people, or the intimate Shakespeare Room for parties up to 12 people. Fresh floral styling will complement the beautiful architecture, creating the ideal backdrop for you to exchange vows on 10.10.2026.
Enhance your day with fresh floral bouquets and buttonholes or professional wedding photography.
There are currently 28 ceremony spots available across the two ceremony packages. The Shakespeare room package for up to 12 guests starts at $1,399, and Friends Room package for up to 50 guests starts at $1,799.
Discover how to book your storybook wedding.
Birth commemorative certificate
Illustrations of detailed passionflowers and butterflies from Australia’s pioneering sister artists, Harriet Scott (1830-1907) and Helena Scott (1832-1910), decorate this beautiful 170-year commemorative birth certificate.
From a young age the Scott sisters showed exceptional creative talent, and while painting flowers and collecting butterflies were considered acceptable pastimes for girls and women in the colonial era, Harriet and Helena soon moved beyond the level of hobbyists to become key contributors to the documentation of the native plants and animals of New South Wales.
The incredibly detailed illustrations of moths and butterflies - or lepidoptera - were of scientific as well as artistic value, accompanying the reference texts written by their father Alexander Walker Scott, and other natural scientists.
As a playful symbol of growth and change, their butterflies create the perfect theme for this elegant, limited-edition birth certificate.
Marriage commemorative certificate
Celebrating Australian natural history, illustrations of botanicals and butterflies from Australia’s pioneering female artists decorate this beautiful commemorative marriage certificate.
Courtesy of the State Library of NSW’s impressive collection, our 170-year commemorative marriage certificate features butterflies and wildflowers painted by the accomplished natural history artists Harriet (1830-1907) and Helena (1832-1910) Scott and Ellis Rowan (1848–1922).
The Scott sisters shared their father Alexander Walker Scott’s passion for documenting the native plants and animals of New South Wales. Their precise and delicate illustrations of insects, plants, and landscapes brought to life the scientific works that recorded the incredible variety of species in their home state. Rowan similarly made it her goal to paint every flower she could and create a visual collection of thousands of specimens in her lifetime.
On this marriage certificate, Rowan’s bright and joyful native bouquet, complemented by the Scotts’ butterflies, frame a timeless keepsake of your wedding day.
