Ordering your Victorian marriage certificate
This is just advice! I cannot provide you with a marriage certificate. You need to order your Victorian marriage certificate (or replacement marriage certificate) yourself! To apply for your Victorian marriage certificate, go to this link: https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/marriages-and-relationships/get-a-marriage-certificate
Warning: another long and boring, but important, post ahead!
I’ve posted elsewhere about how to change your name after you get married. This process involves ordering a marriage certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in the state or territory in which you were married. If I married you, it’s probably Victoria. Also if I married you, I’ve ordered your certificate for you, so you can stop reading now!
This process can be complex, so I wrote some instructions for you!
Ceremonial marriage certificate
The certificate I give you on the day of your wedding ceremony is a legal document and cannot be replaced. But it usually cannot be used as proof of your marriage for purposes such as changing your name or applying for a visa. It is:
- proof that your marriage was solemnised on the day and at the venue listed
- not proof that your marriage has been registered with the government, and
- not evidence of your identity.
Official marriage certificate
For many official purposes you will require a marriage certificate issued by Births, Deaths and Marriages. Think of this certificate as being similar to a birth certificate or death certificate. It shows that a life event that occurred in Victoria has been registered by the Victorian Government.
There are two processes that need to occur before you will receive your certificate:
- Your marriage has to be registered (I look after this for you).
- You need to apply for your marriage certificate and it needs to be issued. The certificate can only be issued AFTER a marriage has been registered.
Applying for your marriage certificate
Under usual circumstances, you would apply for your Victorian marriage certificate at any point after your wedding by visiting this link and following the instructions:
- Complete and submit the online application form (5 days processing time) OR complete the paper application form (10 days processing time).
- Pay the certificate and postage fees.
- Submit certified copies of your proof of identity documents in person (quickest!) or by mail.
- Receive your certificate in the mail.
Timeframes
Please note your certificate will not be issued until the celebrant who performed your marriage has submitted your documents and the marriage has been registered. The law requires us to submit your marriage documents within 14 days of your wedding. It can still take several weeks for BDM to register your marriage. It can then take a further two weeks for a Victorian marriage certificate to be issued and posted. Even if you submit your completed application form the day after the wedding, you will not receive your certificate until the documents have been submitted and your marriage has been registered.
Ask your celebrant
Some celebrants in Victoria (like me) now order the Victorian marriage certificate on their couple’s behalf, so you don’t need to worry about any of this. Ask your celebrant if they do this for you (it might cost you a bit more) or if you need to do it yourself.
Getting a replacement of your Victorian marriage certificate
If you lose your Victorian marriage certificate or it is destroyed, you just follow the steps above again to apply for a replacement marriage certificate. It’s exactly the same process. Remember this does not apply to the ceremonial certificate your celebrant gave you on the day; that one cannot be replaced. Only your Registry-Issued marriage certificate can be replaced.
If you were married outside Victoria…
Here are the links for ordering marriage certificates in the other Australian States and Territories:
***Originally posted 24/10/2016, updated 11/06/2024***