After your ceremony, your marriage documents are officially processed and securely lodged—but not all of them stay with you.

Here’s what happens:

Three certificates are signed at your wedding:

  1. The commemorative certificate – You keep this one. It’s a beautiful memento but not valid for ID or name changes.

  2. The celebrant’s copy – This is kept on file by your celebrant for 6 years, as required by law.

  3. The official certificate – Your celebrant submits this to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) in the state or territory where your marriage took place.

Lodgement process:

  • Your celebrant must lodge your marriage paperwork within 14 days of the ceremony.

  • Once it’s processed by the BDM, you can apply for your legal marriage certificate (used for passports, driver’s licence, bank records, etc.). Sometimes your celebrant can organise this for you.

Privacy and security:

All documents are handled in accordance with privacy laws. Your personal information is not published publicly, except on your official marriage certificate issued by a BDM