Marriage Celebrants
South Australia

• Can you design your own ceremony, write your own vows etc., as long as everything complies with legal requirements?
  
  
• Are there things that the celebrant requires in a service- other than what is legally required?
  What are the legally required components?
  
  
• Is the celebrant happy to perform the ceremony at the location you have chosen?
  
  
• What charges apply?  How much is required as a deposit, and when is the rest due?
  
  
• What documents do you require, how soon, when must you sign papers etc?
  
  
  
  

A marriage celebrant will:

• Help with the legal requirements of your wedding ceremony.
  
  
• Help you design a legal and personally special wedding ceremony.
  
  
• Officially and legally solemnize your marriage.
  
  
• Comply with the Australian Code of Practice.

• To consent to be present as the responsible authorised marriage celebrant
  
  
• To take a public role in the ceremony
  
  
• To identify themselves to the assembled parties, witnesses and guests as the celebrant authorised to solemnise the marriage
  
  
• To be responsible for ensuring the validity of the marriage according to law
  
  
• To say the words required by section 46 in the presence of the parties, the formal witnesses and the guests before the marriage is solemnised
  
  
• To be in close proximity (ie nearby) when the vows required by section 45(2) are exchanged because it is the exchange of vows that constitutes the marriage and the authorised celebrant must ensure that they see and hear the vows exchanged
  
  
• To be available to intervene (and exercise the responsibility to intervene) if events demonstrate the need for it elsewhere in the ceremony
  
  
• To be part of the ceremonial group or in close proximity to it
  
  
• To sign the papers required by the Act.