Eloping from interstate

Winter weddings in Brisbane are a popular choice for couples escaping from wintry weather down south. But any time of the year getting married in Brisbane and surrounds can be a romantic and memorable way to marry with meaningful simplicity. So, whether you've decided to have a weddingmoon and get married on your honeymoon, or whether you've decided that the hassle of a big wedding on your home territory is just not for you, the minute you say to each other "let's just elope" you only have three decisions to make - where, when, and who by.

Making the arrangements
To arrange your marriage ceremony all you need to do is provide your celebrant with a properly completed, signed and witnessed Notice of Intended Marriage at least one month and one day before the ceremony can take place.  This can be completed and witnessed by a JP in any state of Australia..

To book your wedding with me you will need to contact me to ensure I am available on your chosen day, complete my booking form and pay my fee.

No interviews are necessary (we can work entirely by email, phone, or airmail)

Make sure you check out the legal requirements as you must comply with the notice period and the requirement to show your celebrant official documents proving your identity, date of birth and that you are free to marry.

Choosing where to marry
Brisbane and surrounds provide you with a rich assortment of places to marry. I've married couples from interstate and overseas on the balcony off their hotel room, in beautiful public parks and gardens, in rotundas, intimate chapels, bushland settings (with wildlife as a bonus) and on the beach.

If you let me know the type of venue you have in mind it will be my pleasure to suggest some places that meet your criteria and are within easy access of your accommodation.

Your marriage ceremony
Warm and Wonderful Weekday Weddings are tailored to each individual couple so your wedding ceremony will be everything you could wish it to be.

Witnesses
By law there must be two adult witnessest. It is in your interest to ensure that these witnesses are independent of the celebrant. Talk to me about how you can organise witnesses if you aren't bringing your witnesses with you.

Benefits of having your legal wedding in Australia
Eloping to a romantic overseas destination has a lot of appeal, but there can be pitfalls.

• Some countries have a lengthy residence requirement before you can legally marry, in fact, Australia is one of the few countries where there is no residence requirement as long as the required Notice has been given.
  
• European countries require a legal civil marriage first, and those can be a dry as dust recitation of your legal obligations without any romance at all.
• Many countries require extensive paperwork such as Certificates of No Impediment (that is, documentary evidence that you are not already married), together with a range of medical reports (blood tests,  pregnancy  test, and so on)
  
• While your marriage will generally be recognised in Australia (but you need to check that to be sure) it is not registered here, so when you get back home you will find that, in order for the bride to change her name to the groom's she will have to go through a legal name change before government departments will change her documentation.

Have the best of both worlds by marrying legally in Australia and then jetting off overseas for a honeymoon that includes a romantic non-legal ceremony in a French chateau, Italian villa, Greek Island, African safari lodge, Thai resort, or Fijian beach.

And, unlike marrying in coutries that require a civil ceremony first, your Warm and Wonderful Weekday Wedding won't be a ho-hum affair, so you can maximise the memories and the romance by celebrating your love and commitment with two wonderful ceremonies.

Jenny, you wrote the vows perfectly and said them with the passion that was required.

- Angie & Steve who eloped from interstate with a few friends, married in Brisbane, and then sailed off on the rest of their Pacific cruise