Legal Marriage Now: Wedding Day Later?

Legal Marriage Now: Wedding Day Later?

Sometimes couples just want ‘that bit of paper’, that a legal marriage provides – but the timing might not be right for the Actual Wedding just yet?  The reasons for having the small ‘legal only’ ceremony are varied……   Maybe it’s about moving to another country – or maybe it’s about applying for a visa – or maybe it’s about financial constraints – or maybe you just want to get married and set up home together – having the ‘Wedding Celebration’ later?

The later ‘Wedding Celebration’ in many ways, would be the ‘Real Thing’ – as that would be the day when you, as a couple, exchange rings and declare your everlasting love and commitment to each other, with your family and friends as witnesses.  That would be the day that you walk down the aisle and publicly declare your love for each other.  Missing would be the Monitum, which is the part spoken by the Authorised Celebrant during a Legal Marriage Ceremony.

I recently had the pleasure of quietly marrying a young couple who needed to marry earlier than planned due to a family situation.  They aren’t in a position yet, to have a ‘proper’ wedding, with family and friends present – so we met at a lovely restaurant, with two of their close friends as witnesses. (However, passers by can also be witnesses as long as they are over 18 years of age).  We sat quietly and discreetly at a corner table and the Monitum was said; the vows were spoken and the Certificates were signed…. even the staff didn’t know a Marriage had taken place! This took about 5 minutes.

In a couple of years’ time, once this couples families and friends can all be gathered in one place (currently scattered all over the world) – the Wedding Celebration will take place.

If this is something that appeals to you, for whatever reasons, ask me how we can set this up – under certain conditions this can cost as little as $300 – I think that’s less than the Registry Office charges?  (and without the inner city parking hassles!)

Contact me here if you would like a chat about this, to see if it would suit your situation.

 

the ring exchange