COVID-19 and Your Wedding
UPDATE: 25TH MARCH 2020
You may have watched Scott Morrison’s announcement which specified that weddings from the 26th March 2020 until further notice can only take place with up to five people (the couple, the celebrant, and two witnesses).
What Options Does This Leave Couples?
If you're already in the planning process, you may be wondering what your options are. Basically, you have four:
a) If you want to keep the date you have been originally planning for your wedding, you can have a small ceremony with you, your two witnesses and your celebrant on that date at a place of your choice
b) If you are happy to be flexible with your date and have already submitted your Notice of Intended Marriage (and a month has passed) with your celebrant, you can have a small ceremony now (before any further restrictions come into place). If you haven't yet submitted a Notice of Intended Marriage, then you will need to do so and wait a month unless you fall under the category of applying for a Shortening of Time (read more about this below)
c) Postpone everything until times are clearer
d) Sit tight, and wait until you feel ready to make a decision
What Happens If We Choose ‘a’ or ‘b’?
You can still invite your family and friends into your ceremony by live streaming it using Skype, Facetime or any other suitable app. Or you can film it, and then share it with your family and friends at a later date with full celebrations.
You can also hold this small ceremony now and hold a bigger celebration at a later date of your choice. If you’d like this, The Marrying Kind are happy to do both: marry you legally and attend the bigger celebration to conduct something really special which can include your exchange of vows and rings, as well as any other non-legal elements you'd like, in front of your family and friends.
What Happens If We Choose ‘c’?
Great! This is what a lot of couples are doing. Below are some suggestions to consider:
Check with your venue what dates they have available. Months like September, October and November are busy wedding months and you may find it better to consider days other than Saturdays to try and find something which is available.
We don’t know how long this will last for. If you want to wait until the dust has settled a little before choosing a new date, just let your vendors know. The Marrying Kind is in regular contact with other wedding industry vendors, and there is a real sense of everyone trying to work together to be as flexible as possible.
What Happens If We Can’t Decide What to Do At The Moment ‘d’?
That’s completely okay! We realise a lot of people are under a lot of stress at the moment and we certainly do not want to add to that. If you have a bit of time, take a moment and wait until you're ready to make a decision. Ask family and friends to be patient with you whilst you gather your thoughts.
Don't Despair
We realise that this is a truly difficult time for everyone. Weddings should be full of joy and happiness. If you're postponing, once this is all over, it will be! Imagine how much more we'll appreciate giving out our hugs and kisses?
However small weddings don't need to lack this love. We have delivered many legals only type weddings and we know they can still be truly happy occasions.
With love,
Roxy, Jac, Lisa, Jacki, Liz and Rachel
Shortening of time:
A prescribed authority may authorise a marriage to be solemnised despite the celebrant receiving the NOIM within one month of the date of the marriage. A list of prescribed authorities is published on the Attorney-General’s Department’s website.
When can a prescribed authority consider a shortening of time request? The five circumstances in which an application for shortening of time may be considered by a prescribed authority are set out in Schedule 3 to the Marriage Regulations. These are limited to:
1. employment-related or other travel commitments
2. wedding or celebration arrangements, or religious considerations
3. medical reasons
4. legal proceedings, or
5. an error in giving notice.
If you wish to know more about Shortening of Time, please contact us here.
Cover Image by Lara Furst