Every wedding ceremony can be shaped to reflect the couple, their story, culture and personalities. However, alongside those personal touches are several legal requirements that every marriage celebrant must follow.
These are the non-negotiables that ensure the marriage can be legally registered.
The celebrant must take an active role
An approved marriage celebrant must officiate the legal parts of the ceremony. They must be clearly seen by everyone attending to be taking an active role in the marriage.
The celebrant must also formally identify the couple and be satisfied that the people standing before them are the same people named on the marriage licence. This may be as simple as asking each person to state their name.
The ceremony must take place in New Zealand
The marriage ceremony must take place within New Zealand. This includes the Ross Dependency and locations within New Zealand’s territorial boundary.
At least two witnesses are required
The couple must exchange their legal vows in front of the approved celebrant and at least two witnesses.
The couple’s full names, as recorded on the marriage licence, must be used at some point during the ceremony. Nicknames and shortened names can be used elsewhere in the ceremony, but the full legal names must be stated at least once.
The legal vows
Couples are welcome to write their own vows, but the legally required wording must still be included.
Each person must say to the other:
“I take you, [partner’s name], to be my legal wife, husband or partner.”
Words with the same meaning may also be used.
This legal declaration can be incorporated into longer, personalised vows, allowing the couple to express their promises in their own way while still meeting the legal requirements.
Completing and returning the paperwork
After the ceremony, the Copy of Particulars of Marriage must be completed in full.
Check that it includes:
- the date of the marriage
- the specific place where the ceremony was held
- the couple’s signatures
- the witnesses’ signatures and addresses
- the celebrant’s full name and signature
- the celebrant’s registration number or denomination details, where applicable.
Email a clear scan or photograph of the completed document to bdmtoregister@dia.govt.nz. The surnames of both parties should be included in the email subject line.
The Registrar’s copy must be returned within 10 calendar days of the ceremony.
Retaining and destroying personal information
Keep the original Copy of Particulars of Marriage for four weeks in case the scan or photograph needs to be submitted again.
After four weeks, the document must be securely destroyed, along with related emails and other documents containing the couple’s personal information.
Taking a few minutes to carefully check each legal requirement protects the couple, the validity of their marriage and your professional practice as a celebrant.
