Marriage Ceremonies in the COVID – 19 Crisis
The plans and dreams of many couples have been thrown into chaos by the restrictions arising from the Covid – 19 Pandemic. Many people, like my own daughter and her fiancé, have been preparing for a year or more for their big day – only to have the rug pulled out from under them.
It is absolutely inspiring to see how people have organised their marriage ceremonies and stayed within the 5 person rule. The five people can only be the couple, their two witnesses and the celebrant.
I’ve just finished reading a story about the couple who live streamed their 5 person marriage ceremony to all their friends and family on Facebook. The likes and smiley faces took the place of cheering!
Marriage ceremony options
- Simple 5 person legal ceremonies, the choice of many couples anyway, may still go ahead.
- Live stream the ceremony or treat it as simply the legal part of the marriage with the full part to occur later.
- If your heart has been set on a particular type of wedding involving all your friends and family, then defer the occasion to when the crisis is over.
- Some couples are going ahead with their planned marriage, opting for the 5 person ceremony and planning for the full celebration with a renewal of vows, readings, family involvement and all the trimmings when the crisis is over.
Planning the marriage ceremony with the celebrant
Like many celebrants I am very happy to ‘meet’ for planning by Skype, Facetime or What’s App.
Your Notice of Intended Marriage can be lodged electronically. It still needs to be signed in front of approved witnesses like a marriage celebrant, consular official or police officer. Alternatively the NOIM can be lodged and signed with the marriage celebrant by one person, so long as the other signs before the marriage.
As always, the NOIM must be lodged one month prior to the proposed marriage ceremony date.
If you have any questions at all about your particular circumstances, please give me a call, send an email or use the ‘contact me’ page on this site.
Two recent simple legal marriage ceremonies held in my home
Roko and Anna Maria and Hank and Shuhui
