If you are getting married in Queensland, your authorised marriage celebrant must receive your Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) at least one calendar month before the wedding and no more than 18 months before. The Marriage Act 1961 sets the legality and your celebrant registers the marriage after the ceremony. To get started, contact LL Celebrant in Brisbane to lodge your NOIM and lock in your ceremony date.
What the notice of intended marriage is and why timing matters
You must give a notice in writing to your chosen celebrant at least one calendar month and not more than 18 months before your wedding day.
The NOIM tells your celebrant you intend to marry and lets them check your legal requirements early. Your celebrant receives and holds your completed and signed form, then lodges the marriage registration after your wedding ceremony.
A NOIM starts your one month notice period only when your celebrant receives your completed and witnessed form. Your celebrant verifies identity and status documents and schedules your wedding date. For couples planning to marry anywhere throughout Queensland, this timing is the same whether you plan a park wedding, a beach elopement, or a registry-style marriage feel with a private celebrant in Brisbane.
Quick definition
- NOIM: A legal form required by the Marriage Act 1961 that must be lodged with your authorised celebrant within the 1–18 month window.
When to lodge your NOIM in Queensland
Lodge your NOIM when you have chosen your celebrant and wedding date so your celebrant receives it at least one calendar month before your ceremony.
Your notice period begins on the day your celebrant receives your completed and signed NOIM, not the day you post or email it. Couples planning to marry in Brisbane often lodge once venue holds are confirmed so their notice period safely covers the wedding date.
If your wedding date is flexible, aim to lodge 2–3 months before for document checks and any name or divorce evidence. If you are near the one month notice period, lodge immediately so the day your celebrant receives your completed form sets your earliest possible ceremony date.
Simple checklist
- Confirm wedding date and chosen celebrant.
- Sign NOIM before an authorised witness.
- Send to your celebrant electronically or in person.
- Receive confirmation of the day your celebrant received it.
How to calculate the one month notice period
Count one calendar month from the day your celebrant receives your completed and witnessed NOIM.
If your celebrant receives it on 10 March, you can marry on or after 10 April. If it’s received on 31 August, you can marry on the last day of September. Public holidays do not change the legal calculation, but offices and venues may be closed for appointments or interviews.
Your celebrant records the exact received date and confirms the earliest ceremony date that meets the month notice requirement. This one month notice period is a calendar calculation, not 30 days. Couples married in Queensland often use the “same-day next-month” rule to plan.
Example table
| Received by celebrant | Earliest legal ceremony date |
|---|---|
| 15 January | 15 February |
| 1 May | 1 June |
| 31 August | 30 September |
How to lodge your NOIM and who can witness
You can lodge your NOIM in person or electronically; an authorised witness must watch you sign before you send it to your celebrant.
In Queensland, an authorised celebrant, justice of the peace, police officer, or certain other officials can witness you. If both you and the celebrant are within Australia, the celebrant may witness via audio and visual communication. If you are outside Australia, you must use an authorised overseas witness such as an Australian consular officer, not video.
The day your celebrant receives your completed and signed NOIM starts your notice period. Your celebrant confirms receipt by email and stores your notice securely. If you need help arranging a witness, LL Celebrant can organise a quick Brisbane appointment or guide you to a local JP.
Authorised witness snapshot
- Within Australia: Celebrant, JP, police officer, solicitor and others.
- Outside Australia: Australian consular officer, notary public, or equivalent.
- Remote witnessing: Allowed inside Australia via video; not allowed if you are overseas.
Documents you must provide for legality
Your celebrant must sight identity and status documents such as a passport or birth certificate and evidence of the end of any previous marriage.
Acceptable ID usually includes an Australian or overseas passport. If you do not have a passport, you can use a birth certificate with photo ID. If previously married, you must provide an original divorce certificate or a death certificate. If documents are not in English, provide certified translations.
Your celebrant checks names across all documents to ensure a correct marriage certificate. If your current name differs from your birth or passport name, your celebrant may ask for change of name certificates. Providing clear scans electronically speeds up checks before your interview appointment.
You must provide
- Passport, or birth certificate plus photo ID.
- Divorce or death certificate if applicable.
- Certified translations where required.
- Any name change certificates.
Shortening the one month notice in exceptional cases
A prescribed authority may shorten the notice only for specific reasons with documentary evidence, and approval is not guaranteed.
Common categories include employment-related travel, wedding date set with non-refundable commitments, medical reasons, legal proceedings, or other compassionate circumstances. The process is separate from your celebrant’s role: you lodge your NOIM first, then apply to a prescribed authority (often at a Magistrates Court).
If you are inside one month, act immediately: lodge your NOIM, gather evidence, and request an urgent appointment. Your celebrant prepares supporting paperwork for the authority. If approved, your celebrant can proceed before the one month ends; if not, you must wait until your notice period finishes.
Shortening at a glance
- Lodge your NOIM with your celebrant first.
- Book a prescribed authority appointment with evidence.
- Approval is discretionary; fees may apply.
- If approved, your celebrant can marry you sooner.
Getting married in Brisbane and registry-style options
You can marry with a celebrant anywhere in Brisbane or choose a registry-style ceremony vibe with a private celebrant; both follow the same NOIM rules.
Many couples choose a simple ceremony at a Brisbane park or in a small venue near Ann Street, with two witnesses aged 18 or over. Your celebrant arranges the marriage registration with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages after your ceremony.
If you prefer a government-run registry-style marriage, the RBDM Brisbane office on Ann Street offers weekday options. Remember that public holidays like the King’s Birthday (often the first Monday in October in Queensland, for example Monday 6 October 2025) can affect office availability and appointments. Your celebrant can guide you on timelines and certificates.
Compare your options
| Option | Who runs it | Flexibility | Paperwork handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private celebrant | Your chosen celebrant | High (locations/times) | Celebrant manages end-to-end |
| Registry-style at RBDM | Qld Government | Fixed session times | RBDM manages ceremony admin |
When this may not be the right fit
If you cannot meet the one month notice period and cannot show evidence for a shortening, you may need to move your ceremony date.
Where identity or status documents are missing, it is better to delay lodging until you can provide what the Marriage Act requires. If you are overseas and cannot access an authorised witness in time, consider shifting the wedding day or holding a non-legal celebration first.
Your celebrant wants your marriage to be valid. When in doubt, pause, collect documents, and reset the timeline. That protects your legality and avoids rushed applications that may be refused.
Consider waiting if
- Your NOIM cannot be witnessed correctly.
- Your divorce documents are unavailable.
- Your translations are incomplete.
How to judge urgency and next steps
If your wedding date is within one month, lodge now and apply for a shortening; if it is outside one month, lodge once your date and celebrant are confirmed.
Inside one month, time is critical: evidence drives approvals, not intention. Outside one month, you still benefit from lodging early to resolve any document issues and to lock in your Brisbane ceremony logistics.
LL Celebrant can review your evidence the same day by email, confirm witness options, and map your exact earliest legal date based on the day your celebrant receives your completed NOIM.
Decision guide
- Inside 30 days: Lodge NOIM today; seek prescribed authority.
- 31–90 days: Lodge when date is set; confirm IDs and witnesses.
- 3–18 months: Lodge anytime within window; plan ceremony details.
Where this connects to choosing your celebrant
Choosing your celebrant early starts the formal process because the notice must be given to the celebrant who will solemnise your marriage.
Once you choose LL Celebrant, we confirm availability, provide witness options, and record the day we receive your completed NOIM. That date sets your one month notice. Your celebrant then prepares your ceremony and manages the marriage registration step after the wedding.
Selecting your celebrant first avoids duplicate paperwork and ensures your notice period aligns with your preferred wedding date.
What your celebrant does
- Confirms your earliest legal ceremony date.
- Checks and records documents for legality.
- Conducts your wedding and lodges registration.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as “one month” for the NOIM?
It is one calendar month from the day your celebrant receives your completed and witnessed NOIM. If received on 12 July, you can marry on or after 12 August.
Can we lodge our NOIM by email?
Yes. You can send a scanned or electronic copy to your celebrant after it is completed and witnessed. Your notice period starts the day the celebrant receives it.
Who can witness our NOIM if we are overseas?
Use an authorised overseas witness such as an Australian consular officer or notary public. Remote video witnessing is not available when you are outside Australia.
Can we marry sooner than one month?
Possibly. A prescribed authority may approve a shortening only for specified reasons with supporting evidence. Approval is not guaranteed.
Do public holidays affect our notice?
Holidays do not change the legal one month calculation, but offices and venues may be closed. Plan around major dates like the King’s Birthday in Queensland.
References
- Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) — s 42 Notice to be given and declaration made
- Marriage Act 1961 — current compilation (Federal Register of Legislation)
- Attorney-General’s Department — Get married in Australia (NOIM, 1–18 month rules)
- Prescribed authorities — apply for shortening of time (official list)
- Queensland Government — Births, Deaths and Marriages (getting married, services)
- Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages — Registering a marriage
- Queensland — Applying for a marriage certificate
- Queensland public holidays — check office/appointment availability
Ready to lodge your NOIM with a Brisbane marriage celebrant? Contact me to confirm your date, witness options, and earliest legal ceremony day. Prefer to chat first? Email for a quick timeline check today.