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Ceremony FAQs

Wedding Vow Renewals
ANSWERS
  1. How long after our wedding day do we have to wait before we can have a reaffirmation ceremony?
    You can have a reaffirmation whenever you wish - there is no legal requirement and no established convention. If you're a newly married couple who married away from family and friends, perhaps overseas, a reaffirmation ceremony is a way of including those who weren't at your wedding in a lovely sharing of your joy and your delight in each other. If you've recently been through a particularly difficult time a reaffirmation ceremony can be an act of hope and renewal, a means by which formally to leave regrets and mistakes behind. Reaffirmation ceremonies can be held to celebrate a significant milestone, such as a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary.
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  2. We eloped and our familes do not know that we have been married. Can the reaffirmation ceremony be made to look like a real wedding ceremony?
    No. Section 113(1) of the Marriage Act 1961 prohibits this, and to mislead anyone in this way is an offence. The celebrant is required to make sure that those attending are fully aware that a reaffirmation ceremony is not a legal wedding ceremony.
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  3. Can we use our original wedding vows in our reaffirmation ceremony?
    The vows in a marriage ceremony have to comply with specific wording set out in Section 45 (2) of the Marriage Act 1961. This is a legal requirement. Consequently, if you were to use the exact wording of your original vows you would be breaking the law, so the wording of your original vows must be changed to ensure that the Act is complied with. A professional celebrant will be able to convert your original vows into reaffirmation vows that will be legal and acceptable to you.
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  4. How much notice do we need to give the celebrant?
    A reaffirmation ceremony is not a legal ceremony, and therefore there is no legal requirement to submit notice to a government department, thus there is no legal requirement for a period of notice for a reaffirmation ceremony. However, because reaffirmation ceremonies are often held at the weekend, and professional celebrants can be heavily booked, it is best to book your celebrant as early as possible.
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  5. Is a reaffirmation ceremony held in a church different from a reaffirmation ceremony conducted by a civil celebrant?
    Yes it is. In addition to the religious nature of the ceremony, a reaffirmation ceremony conducted according to the religious rites of a church may be a further marriage ceremony using the wording of the legal marriage vows. This form of ceremony MUST be conducted by a religious celebrant and is normally held in the church, and has no legal standing.
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  6. Do we receive a certificate, or is there anything to sign?
    Yes, all celebrants will provide a certificate as a memento of the occasion.
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  7. Can we have attendants such as bridesmaids, groomsmen, best man, ring bearer etc?
    Yes, it is common for a reaffirmation ceremony to be in many ways a reenactment of the original ceremony. In some cases the reaffirmation is a much more elaborate affair than the original ceremony.
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  8. Can we include the giving away of the bride (and groom) as in the original ceremony?
    Yes, in a marriage ceremony traditionally the bride (and now, more commonly, the groom) were presented, supported and/or 'given away' by a close relative such as father or brother. In a reaffirmation ceremony this role is often performed by children of the marriage.
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