Legal Basics For a New Zealand Wedding

You and your partner have decided that you want to take a step to formalise your relationship and get married in New Zealand.

Congratulations! 🎉

You’ve announced the exciting news to family and friends, posted on social media, and maybe even started envisioning or planning the big day.

Before you get into all the fun, here’s a run down of what you need to know about the legal steps you must take to getting married in Aotearoa / New Zealand:

Before Your Wedding Day

💌Apply for your marriage license at least three business days before you intend to wed. The marriage license costs $158 and is available through this website. The license, when it arrives in your email, is valid for three months’ time. If you delay or do not solemnise your marriage before that date, the license expires and you’ll need to apply and pay the fee again. You can also have the license emailed directly to your celebrant to save the extra step of having to email it to them.

💌I highly recommend that you apply for a marriage certificate at the same time as for your license ($35 plus postage per copy) as that will be the only official confirmation you receive from Internal Affairs acknowledging your marriage has occurred and been filed correctly.

💌You will need to secure a registered New Zealand celebrant who is available on the day you’ve chosen for your marriage ceremony. Most celebrants will travel (but you’ll need to cover travel costs), or you can search by your area.

Factors to Consider for your Marriage Ceremony

• You can keep your wedding as small or large as you would like, but at minimum, you must have two legal witnesses in attendance on the day (this cannot be you two or the celebrant… it can be a photographer and a bystander. It also cannot be people virtually attending via video call). Witnesses can be children, as long as they understand the meaning and could speak to what they witnessed in a court of law, should that ever be required.
• For a personalised ceremony (not a registry wedding), you can write your own vows. However, your celebrant will check to ensure that your vows meet the legal requirements in stating the promise to each other.
• If the location you intend to hold your marriage ceremony needs to change after you’ve filed for your license, you do NOT need to reapply. Your celebrant can hand edit the ceremony form and it will still be valid.
• At the conclusion of your marriage ceremony, your officiant will ensure that the documents are signed properly and will submit them on your behalf to the appropriate office.

A Good Marriage Celebrant in Christchurch New Zealand

A knowledgeable marriage celebrant will be happy to talk through any questions or concerns you might have about this process and ensure that everything is taken care of properly.

Please note, if you are not New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, ie. you are visiting New Zealand, there are additional steps you will need to take in order for your marriage to be solemnised and legal in this country.

Want to work with a celebrant who can make sure all the i’s are dotted and all the t’s are crossed, but also keep things fun and efficient? Contact me to discuss your love story, your needs, and what is most important for you on your special day.