Written by Tarnia Riggs
Founder, All Eyes on Me · October 2026
A wedding ceremony should feel like your own. This guide explores civil and non-religious weddings in Australia, with practical ideas for the words, people and moments that make your celebration personal.
A civil wedding is a non-religious marriage ceremony. It can be warm, elegant, playful or quietly intimate: the tone comes from the people getting married and the promises they choose to make.
In Australia, Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrants generally conduct civil weddings, while state and territory officers also offer civil ceremonies. An authorised celebrant handles the legal requirements; the couple can shape the personal elements with their guidance.
You might prefer a short registry ceremony, a small gathering in a garden or a fuller celebration with family and friends. Choosing a civil ceremony gives you room to make the occasion meaningful without following a religious service.
Look for someone who listens to both of you and makes you feel comfortable. Your celebrant should understand the ceremony you want, explain the paperwork clearly and help you separate the required parts from the optional ones.
Use the Attorney-General’s Department celebrant directory to check authorisation. Then discuss:
Ask for the fee, inclusions and cancellation arrangements in writing so everyone understands the booking.
For an Australian marriage, give your Notice of Intended Marriage to an authorised celebrant at least one month and no more than 18 months before the wedding. Your celebrant will check identification, eligibility and evidence that any previous marriage has ended.
Each partner must meet the celebrant separately and in person before the marriage. The celebrant, both partners and two adult witnesses must be physically present for the ceremony. Required legal words sit alongside your personal vows.
The ceremony certificate differs from the official marriage certificate you can obtain from the relevant state or territory registry. Discuss your circumstances with your celebrant and check the Australian Government’s current getting-married guidance before confirming plans.
There is no single personal script that every civil wedding must follow. This order is a starting point to discuss with your celebrant, who will ensure the legal elements are included correctly:
Keep the sections that matter to you. A short ceremony can carry just as much feeling as a longer one.
Begin with what you appreciate about your partner, then move to promises you genuinely want to keep. Shared everyday life often provides the most touching material: listening, making time for each other, offering support and finding humour together.
You do not have to perform or reveal private experiences to make your vows moving. Agree on a rough length and tone so neither partner feels caught off guard.
An original personal-vow example:
“I choose you as my partner in the life we are building together. I promise to listen with care, speak honestly, celebrate your joys and stand beside you through change. I will keep making room for laughter, kindness and the dreams we share.”
This is optional personal wording. Your celebrant will provide the required legal vows.
Rings give a visible reminder of commitment, but your ceremony can also include a meaningful object, a shared reading or a carefully chosen piece of music. Explain the meaning briefly so guests can appreciate the moment.
You could invite children to offer a reading, acknowledge family members or honour someone who cannot be there. Give participants a choice about taking part and choose roles they feel comfortable with.
If you are considering handfasting or a custom from your cultural background, discuss its meaning and practical arrangements with your celebrant. Choose traditions thoughtfully, particularly when they belong to a faith or community outside your own.
Use the names, pronouns and relationship terms that reflect you. Decide who walks in with whom, whether anyone is introduced, and how you want to be presented at the end.
Think about your guests’ experience as well as the setting. Check step-free access, seating, shade, toilets and whether everyone can hear. A printed outline, readable text and clear directions can help guests follow the occasion.
For an outdoor ceremony, arrange a workable wet-weather option and consider wind, heat and nearby noise. Ask about interpreter arrangements early if needed.
Before the day, confirm the script, music cues, witnesses, arrival times and document arrangements. Let anyone with a role know what they are doing and who will guide them.
Then give yourselves permission to enjoy the moment. Your ceremony does not need every tradition or an elaborate performance. It needs words and choices that feel right for the commitment you are making.
A new addition to the All Eyes on Me ceremony collection, written for October 2026.
References and further reading
These Australian government sources explain legal marriage requirements and how to find an authorised celebrant. The personal readings and ceremony ideas are optional planning suggestions.
Official information: Find a marriage celebrant and Get married in Australia, Attorney-General’s Department.
Explore our Ceremonial Information guides or read about a commitment ceremony.