Registry Ceremony Resources
Registry Ceremony
All your registry ceremony, validated member (VCANZ) resources and frequently asked questions, with easily accessible links.
Need help?
Our support team are here to help, whether it’s a question that’s not covered in our FAQ’s below, something technical, or where to go to find what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact for help with my validated member (VCANZ) application?
Contact the Celebrants Aotearoa support team, they are always available to help with any questions you may have and provide any assistance.
A couple has asked me for a “just the legals only” wedding ceremony, and a friend will officiate the “real wedding” - how should I respond to these enquiries?
Mel Stuart has assisted the National Executive in crafting a professional response to enquiries that ask for a “just the legals only” ceremony AND state that a friend/family member will deliver their ceremony at the “real wedding.”
It is also appropriate to use where a Registry ceremony enquiry indicates that a larger event will be held in New Zealand with a non-celebrant taking the ceremony.
Your Wedding Ceremony response
Please email president@celebrantsaotearoa.co.nz or support@celebrantsaotearoa.co.nz with any concerns or queries.
How can I register with BDM to officiate registry weddings once I am a validated member (VCANZ)?
Only Celebrants Aotearoa celebrants who have attained VCANZ are eligible to perform registry weddings throughout the country.
Once you are validated you need to apply to BDM to officiate registry weddings.
Complete the BDM application to officiate registry weddings here.
Is there a registry ceremony template in English and Te Reo Māori?
You can view the template in both English and Te reo Māori here.
A new single registry script - what do I need to know?
Oct-2022
In recent years, BDM and CANZ have focused on modernising the process of becoming legally married. Contemporary couples consider modern language and phraseology, and simplicity, to be key factors in their marriage ceremony. In October 2022 BDM adopted a new single registry script.
The new registry ceremony script is simple and contemporary and meets the requirements of the Marriage Act.
The couple are identified, and their full legal names are used once at the beginning of the ceremony. You will, of course, have also checked their identity first as part of the process.
Further to their full names being used once, their first names are used for the remainder of the ceremony.
The celebrant makes the statement that “New Zealand law requires that each of you declare before me, your celebrant, and at least two other witnesses that you are freely entering into this marriage and that you take the other person to be your legally wedded wife or husband (or marriage partner).”
Each party makes their own response using the legal sentence of marriage: “I AB take you CD to be my legal wife/husband.” (Reference: s31(3)(a) of the Marriage Act). In fact, with first names only in use, this is, “I A take you C to be my legal wife/husband.”
It is within BDM’s jurisdiction to be satisfied that there is no prohibition on the marriage and no legal objection to it; and in 2022, that happens when the couple apply for their marriage licence online, and BDM issues it. The Registry celebrant – indeed, any celebrant conducting any marriage ceremony – is not required, expected, or authorised to consider the reason why the couple are marrying, nor whether their marriage will succeed. It is the sole jurisdiction of BDM, under the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to issue a marriage licence on the basis of the parties having satisfied the requirements of the Marriage Act in applying for it.
We are asked as registry celebrants to check the couple’s identity and to officiate the registry ceremony as outlined, using the set script. This has been well described in the introduction below. In particular, it clearly states the celebrant cannot ask couples to pay more than the set fee (currently $90.00 in October 2022); and that the couple needs to travel to the celebrant. Most importantly of all, it states that if the registry option does not meet their requirements, the couple are to discuss their need for a personalised ceremony with you.
Apply for a registry marriage ceremony here.
- Registry ceremonies are standardised to meet the legislative requirements of getting married, which includes the marriage vows. The vows are simple and standardised.
- There is a set fee for a registry ceremony. Registry celebrants cannot charge you additional costs over the set fee; e.g. they cannot charge you extra for travelling outside of their area.
- The ceremony must be held on a weekday. The ceremony cannot occur on a weekend or public holiday or during the Christmas-New Year break. Regional public holidays are also included but are not blocked out on the BDM calendar. The latter need to be explained to the couples on a case-by-case basis by you with regard to your local regional holiday.
- Your celebrant may set a maximum number of guests that may attend, which is usually less than 20 guests.
- The location for your marriage in New Zealand must be close to the registry celebrant of your choice. If you are choosing your own venue, it must be close to where your registry celebrant is based.
- The ceremony usually takes less than 30 minutes in total from the time the couple arrives, saying the vows and signing the papers.
- Other persons may not generally be involved in the ceremony.
When a registry ceremony doesn’t meet your requirements
If a registry ceremony does not meet your requirements, you may prefer a personalised marriage ceremony. You can usually have a personalised ceremony in a location of your choice at a physical location in New Zealand, on any day of the week, including weekends and public holidays, and at any time you wish. An independent celebrant will work with you to deliver the ceremony you want, personalising it to your needs, culture, and style. In a personalised ceremony, you can choose to have readings, write your own vows, and include a range of elements and activities meaningful to you as a couple. Celebrant fees vary across the country, and it’s important to discuss this prior to engaging them.
Reference – Part 4: Marriage vows PDF.
Charge for services - how do I maintain the scope of a registry ceremony, and can I charge more on the day?
- Your couple have incorrect ID verification or none – you need to be satisfied that the couple before you are the same people that are named on the marriage licence. The couple is required to provide proof of identity and BDM trusts registry celebrants to exercise their professional judgement when checking the couples’ ID. You may need to use your discretion as people can have a variety of types of identification. If you are not satisfied that the couple before you are those named on the marriage licence you may need to postpone the marriage. The couple are also responsible for providing two witnesses and an interpreter, if required. (Note: this does not need to be a recognised interpreter – a friend or family can do this if they can confidently translate and have signed the translator’s declaration).
- Your couple have not paid you $175.00 fee – you have the right to decline on the day. It is in your interests to ensure payment beforehand.
- If the couple go beyond the scope on the day – you cannot charge more money.
- Your couple do not turn up or cancel the booking – if the couple cancel within 24 hours or less then the celebrant can retain the fee. The celebrant has been booked and there is not sufficient time for that slot to be taken by someone else. Keeping the fee is a matter between the celebrant and the couple, which the celebrant needs to decide. You can discuss with the couple the need to rebook. You can suggest to the couple that it is advisable to arrive 30 minutes (or more) early if travelling, especially if traffic is expected to be busy.
- Your couple turn up late – the couple should advise you if they will not be on time. If the couple are on time but some of their guests are not, you are able to proceed. There are two witnesses required and any of the guests present can fulfil this role. If the couple want specific witnesses and they are late, they will need to forfeit their fee and reschedule.
- Your couple have a professional photographer and/or videographer – the celebrant needs to exercise their professional judgement and discretion about how to approach this. If all other conditions of a registry ceremony are met, this could be considered acceptable. In the actual moment, it may be difficult to decline the ceremony on this alone.
- Your couple has more than 10 guests – if it is significantly beyond 10 you can decline to conduct the ceremony if you so choose.
- Your couple have vows of their own – they must say the set vows of the standard Registry Ceremony script.
- Your couple have set up the space with decorations and installations, which may include seating with an aisle – if all other conditions are met, this is acceptable.
- Your couple have a sound system and are expecting a bridal procession – advise your couple that this is not part of a Registry Ceremony, and they cannot have a procession in or out.
Please get in touch with us with any issues you have with registry ceremonies through support@celebrantsaotearoa.co.nz.
National Executive would much prefer to solve problems in the first instance and then keep everyone in the loop.
Checklist - A guide for you and your couples on ‘How to recognise a Registry Ceremony’
Please see the below document, “What you need to know about a Registry Ceremony”; you can share this document with your couple in their preferred language:
Listen to the recording of the registry ceremony template in Te Reo Māori here.
Cancellation - Can I keep the fee for service when a couple cancel with short notice?
Where the couple cancels within 24 hours of their booked time for a registry wedding, the celebrant may keep the $175.00 fee as that time slot is not likely to be taken up by another booking.
This is at the discretion of the celebrant and is a matter to be resolved directly between the celebrant and the couple.
Ceremony - How far am I able to travel for a Registry ceremony?
Registry celebrants should not be travelling any distance in order to conduct registry ceremonies. Previously, couples travelled from where they lived to a DIA office or courthouse; therefore, it is expected that they travel either to a celebrant’s home or to a nearby location e.g. 10 – 15mins from the location of the celebrant.
See the Registry ceremonies marriage vows document here.
View the guide to officiating registry ceremonies for VCANZ celebrants here.
Christmas and New Year - BDM closure dates during the holiday period.
The BDM offices and contact centre will be closed on all New Zealand public holidays.
The specific closure dates can be found on the BDM website here.
Noting that they can only apply 3 working days before their intended date.
Key Information
Registry Ceremonies: These are not available between 25 December and 7 January each year.
Online Services: The website remains available 24/7 for general information and online applications, but these will not be processed until staff return in the new year.
Changing to a ‘personalised ceremony’ - how do I notify BDM of the changes?
A celebrant cannot upsell a registry wedding; i.e. they cannot add services and charges, but they can, in discussion with you, provide a personalised ceremony if appropriate. An example is if what you are requesting is outside the limits described above or has all the characteristics of a personalised ceremony as described. If a registry wedding is changed to a personalised ceremony, the celebrant will notify BDM of this change to ensure that the ‘type of wedding’ is recorded accurately.
Declining a ceremony - can I decline to officiate a registry ceremony, either before or after the licence has been issued?
Yes. The Marriage Act Section 29(1) says “A marriage licence shall authorise but not oblige any marriage celebrant to solemnise the marriage to which it relates.”
You may decline to officiate a Registry ceremony, either when first contacted by a couple or after the licence has been issued to you. Reasons for doing so may include: you are unavailable on the requested date, the distance to the requested venue is too far, or the ceremony described by the couple is well outside the scope of a Registry wedding. Communication difficulties may also lead you to legitimately decline, for instance if the couple do not respond to your calls or messages to confirm their plans, or if you feel pressured by what they are “demanding” (e.g. an unreasonable bombardment of text messages). If physically together with a couple and you feel concerned for your personal safety, you can remove yourself from the situation and advise Celebrants Aotearoa and BDM of the situation.
A marriage licence “authorises you (or any other Marriage Celebrant) to solemnise the marriage.” If you have received a licence for a Registry ceremony and you are not available or willing to officiate it, you can refer it to another VCANZ celebrant in your area. BDM and Celebrants Aotearoa encourage celebrants to help find an alternative celebrant, but this is certainly not a requirement. You can forward the licence and Particulars to the couple and let them find an alternative celebrant themselves.
Email MarriageLicence@dia.govt.nz to ask BDM to re-issue the licence directly to the couple, if you prefer to have no further involvement.
How do I find registry celebrants in my area?
We suggest that members follow these steps to check the BDM list of registry celebrants in their region. Perhaps print out your list and keep it in case you need any backup or wish to arrange cover. If they are unable to perform the ceremony for any reason, the BDM online list is regularly updated.
To check the BDM website click here and follow the steps below:
- Click ‘Next’ at the bottom of the page to begin a new application.
- Select ‘Registry ceremony’ and click ‘Next’
- Enter a weekday date (a week away works well here)
- Enter the town of the couple and click ‘Next’
- That will give a list of local registry celebrants to the couple
Identification - how do I securely check a couple’s ID before marrying them?
As celebrants, BDM expects us to confirm a couple’s ID before we marry them.
In the case of registry weddings, couples are asked to bring their ID to the ceremony in order for you to confirm prior to the ceremony that they are in fact who they are, as stated on the license – as you have not met them previously. Appropriate forms of photo I.D. are a current passport and/or driver’s license.
“Please note, with regard to ID verification, where an out-of-date ID or alternative forms of ID offered,you, as the marriage celebrant, need to be satisfied that the couple before you are the same people named on the marriage licence. The couple is required to provide proof of identity, and BDM trusts registry celebrants to exercise their professional judgement when checking the couple’s ID. You may need to use your discretion, as people can have a variety of types of identification. If you are not satisfied that the couple before you are those named on the marriage licence you may need to postpone the marriage.”
For weddings, other than registry weddings, you still need to be confident that the marriage license issued is for the couple you are marrying. Easier if you have met and corresponded several times. You may ask to see photo ID; you may know the couple; or you may have checked to see that they have a Facebook account, for example. For local couples, this is not an issue. It can be done at any stage prior to the ceremony taking place: at an interview or at the rehearsal.
In any situation where you are not meeting the couple beforehand (they are from out of town or overseas) then you can check photo ID either at the rehearsal the day before or, if not, at the rehearsal prior to the wedding.
Clear communication
Couples need to be informed that you will view their ID prior to the ceremony and that this is non-negotiable. They need to be diplomatically informed that the wedding cannot proceed without their ID being viewed, and to ensure they have a form of photo ID with them on the day.
Offering simple personalised ceremonies
QUESTION: I am a registered celebrant and would like to conduct registry-style weddings, but is it right that I have to be VCANZ approved? Are celebrants who are not members of CANZ allowed to do registry weddings? Some enquiries I have are for very short services with just the couple and two witnesses. I just want to see how I go about being able to offer this service, as well as personalised services.
ANSWER: Any ceremony that is not a Registry ceremony, officiated by a VCANZ member, is a personalised ceremony. All celebrants can offer personalised ceremonies whether or not they are members of CANZ or have achieved validation [VCANZ]. Celebrants offering personalised ceremonies should consider a range of approaches and price points to cater for a wide range of tastes and budgets. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to personalised ceremonies.
You can certainly offer a very simple ceremony under the classification of “personalised ceremony”. CANZ and BDM suggest you refer to such a ceremony as “no frills”, “simple” or “legals only”. To avoid confusion, please do not refer to it as a “registry-style” ceremony. Make it your own – simple, straightforward, professional, and warm, and remember to charge the couple what you are worth.
NB: When setting your fee for a simple personalised ceremony, it is important to bear in mind that the current $175.00 fee, set by law for Registry ceremonies taken by VCANZ celebrants, is universally considered to be low; and it is currently the subject of a formal CANZ submission to Parliament lobbying for a substantial increase. CANZ members understand that they are prohibited by law from discussing how their individual fees are set.
View the Commerce Commission Guide: Is your business at risk of breaking the competition law here.
Pronounciation - If the couple’s name/s are difficult to pronounce, how do I manage this?
Names are so personal that mispronouncing them can be embarrassing for all parties. If marrying a couple whose full names are difficult to pronounce, can the couple say their full names during their “I AB take you CD….” and introduce them by their first names?
Answer: The Marriage Act defines the legal sentence of marriage as, “I AB take you CD to my legal wife or husband”; this refers to the first and last names for both parties. In recent years, BDM have clarified that as long as the celebrant says the full name of both parties at the start, the couple can just say their first names in that legal sentence of marriage. If however, the parties have names that are tricky for the celebrant to pronounce correctly, using their full names in the introduction can be at the celebrant’s discretion, and first names could be used. In that case, however, BOTH PARTIES MUST SAY THEIR FULL NAMES themselves in the legal sentence of marriage. They do not need to repeat them after the celebrant; it would be sufficient for the celebrant to prompt the parties to insert their spoken full names in the appropriate pause.
See the Marriage Act legislation here.
31 Place and Form of marriage before marriage celebrant
(1) Every marriage solemnised by a marriage celebrant shall be solemnised at a place described in the marriage licence issued in respect of that marriage.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), every such marriage shall take place between the persons named in the licence according to such form and ceremony as they may think fit to adopt, and shall be solemnised in the presence of a marriage celebrant and 2 or more witnesses.
(3) During the solemnisation of every such marriage each party must say to the other—
(a) “I AB, take you CD, to be my legal wife or husband”; or
(b) words to similar effect
Can a registry ceremony be performed on a Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday?
No, registry weddings cannot be performed on weekdays; i.e. they cannot be officiated on a weekend or public holiday, or in the Christmas-New Year break.
Regional public holidays are also included, but they are not blocked out on the BDM calendar. The latter need to be explained to the couples on a case-by-case basis by you with regard to your local regional holiday. Timing is within business hours – 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
See the Registry ceremonies marriage vows document here.
View the guide to officiating registry ceremonies for VCANZ celebrants here.
What is a registry ceremony?
View the registry ceremony guide here.
It is a legal, simple, scripted ceremony, taken in a location close to the celebrant, with no meetings beforehand, no rehearsals, and a limited number of guests; and the celebrant cannot charge for additional time or travel. If a couple wants more than this, it is a personalised ceremony and they will need to find a celebrant to conduct their ceremony of choice at an appropriate cost.
See the Registry ceremonies marriage vows document here.
Template - Registry ceremony online portal template
View the Officiating registry ceremonies for your Celebrants Online portal here.
The above allows the provision of a consistent service to couples/clients who request a registry ceremony.
Please contact CANZ support at support@celebrantsaotearoa.co.nz, if you have any issues.
Template - Communications with couples about Registry ceremonies, changes and requirements
This template has been provided to support your communication with couples seeking a Registry Wedding. It has been provided as a Word document as well, to allow you to personalise it for your situation.
Download the template in word here.
Please see the below document, “What you need to know about a Registry Ceremony”; you can share this document with your couple in their preferred language:
Listen to the recording of the registry ceremony template in Te reo Māori here.
Registry wedding clients may phone you first, or you may receive the marriage papers directly from BDM and be asked to get in touch with the couple. While a phone call is good to discuss dates and times, we recommend that you use this downloadable document – which can be tailored to suit you. Communicating with couples by email provides a paper trail, which is helpful in managing queries.
This document explains to couples what a registry wedding is, the limits of a registry wedding, and the situations in which a personalised ceremony may suit their needs better.
Taking a Registry Wedding is optional. Please bear in mind that as a registry celebrant, you can only charge the $175.00 with no additional fees able to be added/charged.
Where appropriate, you can advise the couple that a personalised ceremony may suit their needs better (as above) if what they are requiring is outside the scope of a registry ceremony. Be sure they understand these must happen on weekdays only and not on public holidays.
We hope you find this helpful in communicating effectively to help couples see what a registry wedding is able to offer.
Timeframes for registry ceremonies - managing your couples’ expectations and addressing clashes on dates/timing
When a couple apply for a marriage licence online, the form asks them to “Enter your preferred date for the registry ceremony” and it says “The celebrant that does registry ceremonies will contact you to confirm the date and time of your ceremony once you’ve submitted your application.”
At this stage, it can be assumed that nothing is locked in. The wording will be updated to say “If you have not already contacted the celebrant that will perform your registry ceremony, they will contact you within 5 working days after you’ve submitted your application to confirm the date and time of your ceremony.”
BDM does not give couples the indication that the ceremony is booked in – but couples can assume and don’t always read the fine print. When applying online, they can enter an intended date of marriage 3 working days out, and BDM try to issue those licenses after 3 calendar days. This is the earliest they will receive them unless they can prove exceptional circumstances. BDM does try to issue all licences within the legislated timeframe; and the fact that the licence has been issued to their celebrant can give the couples the impression that everything is on track for the date/time they want. This can cause problems for couples where they don’t read the fine print, communicate, or are in a rush to book a ceremony ASAP, as there may be that lack of attention to detail.
The easiest solution, if the couple have not checked with their celebrant first as a courtesy, is for the celebrant to forward the email with the paperwork to them, suggesting they ring around to see if someone can perform the marriage at short notice.
It is all about communication and education and appreciating that you are not obliged to perform the ceremony at such short notice.
Witnesses to a Registry ceremony
Examples of registry couples being advised by BDM that they need to bring their own witnesses
Arrange witnesses
You need to bring 2 witnesses to the ceremony.
Your 2 witnesses must understand what’s happening during the ceremony. They must be able to clearly identify both of you and be satisfied that both consent to the marriage.
They:
- don’t need to have known you for any specific length of time and
- can be children of any age, as long as they understand the nature of the ceremony and are able to demonstrate that understanding in court if required.
If the witnesses speak a different language to you, you’ll need an interpreter. The interpreter has to sign a declaration before the ceremony to say they’ll interpret what you say accurately.
Download the BDM35T – Declaration for an interpreter form here.
In addition, the email that the couple are sent when we issue the licence for a registry marriage says:
You need to bring 2 witnesses. They must be able to clearly identify both of you and be satisfied that both consent to the marriage.
Uncertainty about the ceremony - can I decline taking a ceremony if I feel uncomfortable about the ceremony taking place?
As a celebrant, you can refer to section 29(1) of the Marriage Act that says “A marriage licence shall authorise but not oblige any marriage celebrant to solemnise the marriage to which it relates.”
Depending on the circumstances, you may wish to take the party aside and make sure they still want to proceed i.e. that they are voluntarily consenting to getting married. If you (the celebrant) are not comfortable performing the ceremony (aside from human rights issues), you (the celebrant) could suggest that the marriage be postponed or rescheduled. As you know, the couple has 3 months within the validity of the licence to get married, so postponing would give the parties some breathing space. This requires careful negotiation with the parties involved, but it does give leeway in this situation.
Updating your BDM celebrant self-portal (a guide and template)
Celebrants Aotearoa has worked with BDM to put together this template for your Celebrants Online portal in order to allow provision of a consistent service to couples/clients who request a registry ceremony.
Please contact the CANZ Support team here, with any questions.
Where can I find the Celebrants Aotearoa and VCANZ Logo?
As a member you are able to use the Celebrants Aotearoa logo on digital and printed documents.
Download the logo below:
- Celebrants Aotearoa – Full Logo
- Celebrants Aotearoa – Circular Logo
They can also be found in the Member Hub under member resources.
VCANZ Logo
Celebrants Aotearoa validated members may use the initials VCANZ after their name on their Celebrants Aotearoa website listings and your profile will change from blue to green.
VCANZ members appear before non-VCANZ members when people search the Find your Celebrant listings on the Celebrants Aotearoa website.
You may also use the VCANZ logo on your website and any other marketing material.
The VCANZ logo is provided upon successful completion of VCANZ.