Start the ceremony booking process
Check the NSW legal requirements
Ensure you meet the legal eligibility requirements to get married in NSW before organising a marriage ceremony or interview with us.
Book a marriage interview
You need to attend a marriage interview before you can book your Registry wedding ceremony. You can book an interview time online. Marriage interviews can be held over the phone or in-person at our Pyrmont Wedding Registry.
Interviews take approximately 15 minutes but can be longer or shorter depending on each couple’s requirements.
Once you have booked an interview, you will be sent 2 emails. The first will be an email from SmartQueue confirming your interview has been booked successfully. The second will be from the NSW Registry outlining the marriage documents you will need to provide as part of the interview process.
Please check your junk mail folder if you cannot see both emails.
Prepare your marriage documents for your marriage interview
There are certain documents you will need to provide to your celebrant before your marriage interview can take place. Check your booking confirmation email from the NSW Registry for details on preparing:
- a Notice Of Intended Marriage form (PDF 883.06KB) (NOIM). View our our helpful guide for assistance completing the form.
- proof of identity documents:
- a passport or an official birth certificate for you and your partner, displaying your place of birth, or
- if a passport is not provided, other current photo ID, such as a driver licence.
If you or your partner has previously been married, you will need to provide proof that the marriage has ended, such as a:
- divorce certificate, if divorced
- death certificate, if widowed.
If any of the above documents or certificates are in a foreign language, these must be officially translated into English by an accredited translator from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Preparing for a phone interview
Prepare and submit your marriage documents to the Registry at least 3 days before your interview. Details of these documents are in your confirmation email from the NSW Registry. These can be sent as attachments in a reply email.
Please note: a marriage officer will call from a private number at the time of your appointment.
Preparing for an in-person interview
In-person interviews are held at our Pyrmont Wedding Registry. You will need to complete your marriage documents and bring these with you.
Please note: if you do not provide all required documents, we may not be able to book your ceremony.
Attending your marriage interview
Both you and your partner need to attend the interview. If either person is not fluent in English, you will need to organise for an interpreter to join you for your interview.
Marriage interviews typically take approximately 15 minutes but this time can be longer or shorter depending on each couple’s requirements.
During the interview, we will:
- review your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) and confirm your eligibility for marriage
- review your identity documents
- discuss options for your ceremony and book your date and venue
- process payments for your NOIM lodgement and ceremony.
After booking your ceremony
Arrange the witnesses
You are legally required to have at least 2 guests at your wedding to witness the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate.
The Registry cannot supply witnesses for you. Your witnesses can be family members or friends. Witnesses do not need to be Australian citizens.
If possible, you should know the witnesses, as their evidence can be used to:
- establish the identity of the couple who were married
- testify to the circumstances in which the ceremony was performed.
Witnesses must:
- be 18 years or older
- speak and understand English
- be present for the entire ceremony.
Please ensure your chosen witnesses bring identification with them so their names can be recorded accurately.
Arrange for an interpreter for the ceremony
All wedding ceremonies are conducted in English.
If you or your partner do not speak or understand English fluently, you will need to arrange for an interpreter to be at the ceremony.
An interpreter can be either:
- an accredited interpreter, or
- someone who is fluent in both English and the language the couple speaks.
An interpreter cannot be one of the people getting married. However, an interpreter can also be a witness.
Interpreters need to sign a document from the Attorney-General’s Department that includes:
- a statutory declaration that they are fluent in the relevant language
- a certificate of faithful performance of their services.
The celebrant will witness signatures on these documents. Learn more about the requirements for having an interpreter at a Registry wedding ceremony.
Get prepared for the ceremony
The Registry will send an email confirmation before your wedding date with important details, such as:
- when and where to arrive
- what to bring with you on the day
- the maximum capacity of the venue.
Frequently asked questions about booking a wedding ceremony
What if I need to cancel or change a Registry wedding booking
If you need to cancel or change your booking, you should refer to our changing your ceremony booking page for full details. All requests must be made in writing.
What if I need to get married in less than 1 month
In some circumstances, you can apply to a prescribed authority for an exemption to the 1-month rule because of:
- employment related or other travel commitments
- wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
- medical reasons
- legal proceedings
- an error in giving notice.
You will need to provide proof and may pay an application fee.
Talk to your marriage celebrant if you want to apply for an exemption to get married in less than 1 month.
What if I want to get married by the Registry at a different location
The Registry only performs marriages at our Registry venues.
For information on other ways to get married, visit our getting married in NSW page.
What if my divorce is pending
Your divorce must take effect before the marriage can be solemnised. You will need to produce evidence that the previous marriage has ended.
Contact us
Have questions about getting married by the Registry? Get in touch with our friendly team by emailing bdm-marriages-syd@customerservice.nsw.gov.au.
If you’ve contacted us before, simply reply to your latest email from us for a faster response.
This email is for customer enquiries only. If you are a marriage celebrant, please visit our dedicated celebrant page for specific assistance.