The certificate you receive at the ceremony and the certificate issued by the registry serve different purposes. Your celebrant gives you the presentation Certificate of Marriage, usually called Form 15. It is a legal record of the ceremony, rather than merely a decorative keepsake.
The official registry-issued marriage certificate records the registered marriage and is generally the document required for government identity records, banking and use of a married surname.
Ask your celebrant whether ordering the registry certificate is included in your booking. If it is not, apply through the registry where you married. You do not need to order it for an otherwise valid marriage to exist.
| At a glance | Ceremony certificate (Form 15) |
Official registry certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Given on the day? | Yes — you take it home after the ceremony. | No — ordered separately and issued after registration. |
| Evidence of marriage? | Yes — records your ceremony, but is not accepted for every official purpose. | Yes — the registry’s record, generally required by government agencies. |
| Updating ID or surname records? | Generally not accepted. | Generally required. Check the organisation’s rules. |
| Issued by | Your authorised celebrant. | The state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. |
| What is it for? | Your original ceremony certificate — keep it safe. | Official evidence for identification and administrative purposes. |
Form 15 is not merely decorative. An optional commemorative certificate sold by a registry is a different product; it does not replace the official registry certificate.
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