A paperwork only marriage is a quick & convenient way to get married without a wedding ceremony and the associated hype and paraphernalia. Paperwork only marriages are an ideal option for couples who want to get married quickly, cheaply or without the fuss of a larger celebration.
In NSW you have two options for a legals-only wedding (aka paperwork-only marriage). You can either book an appointment to get married at the Registry Office, or hire a marriage celebrant to organise the legalities for you. Below, you'll find a list of celebrants in NSW who offer paperwork only marriage packages.
Types of paperwork only marriages in NSW
The decision of whether to be married at the Registry Office or by a marriage celebrant is typically decided by some common motivating factors. Here's a run down on both options to help you decide which is right for you.
Celebrant |
Registry |
|
| Price | $450 - 800 | $469 - 799 |
| Online Option | Y | N |
| Venue Choice | Y | Limited |
| Paperwork Lodgement | Y | N |
| Personal Vows | Y | N |
| Queue | N | Maybe |
| Stress Free | Y | Y |
Registry Office Wedding
Getting married at the Registry Office is quick, cheap and reasonably easy for anyone with a good command of the English language. There are 6 main Registry Offices in NSW with 4 located in Sydney, 1 in Wollongong and 1 in the Northern NSW region of Kingscliff.
To get married at the Registry Office you'll need to submit all your own paperwork and attend a marriage interview one month before the date of your intended marriage. At the interview you'll be asked to pay, your documents will be reviewed and you can discuss options and ask questions about your ceremony. If you are not fluent in English you are required to organise your own interpreter who must accompany you to the interview.
To organise your Registry Office wedding, complete the following documents and then book a marriage interview at your preferred location:
Marriage Celebrant
Booking a paperwork only marriage with a wedding celebrant, much like a Registry Office wedding, is quick, easy and affordable. A celebrant wedding includes all the legal paperwork to officially register your wedding under Australian law and all legalities are finalised for you.
There are several benefits to choosing your own personal marriage celebrant to help you through the process of getting married. Here's our top 6:
- You don't need to attend an interview one month before your wedding. This is particularly handy for interstate and overseas couples who can simply fly into NSW and get married without waiting around for a month first.
- Your Notice Of Intended Marriage is lodged for you. You also receive the support of your celebrant in completing the form.
- You can choose your own celebrant so you know you'll be married by someone who you connect with.
- It's often cheaper
- You can pick your own location
- You can opt for personalised vows and/or include your love story
A paperwork only marriage is much like an elopement. You get to choose the location, your celebrant and can personalise the moment according to what works for you. Here are 10 marriage celebrants who offer paperwork only weddings in NSW.
10 Paperwork Only Weddings in NSW
1. Michael Janz
- Location: Sydney, NSW
- Service Area: Greater Sydney
- Personality: Friendly, warm, personable
- Paperwork Only Wedding: $500
Michael Janz is a warm, personable and friendly marriage celebrant who makes a paperwork only marriage in Sydney super easy. Simple ceremonies are his specialty and he does all the legal paperwork for you. You can choose your preferred park or garden anywhere around the city or beaches and Michael is happy to help you find the right location.
He's a brilliant conversationalist, is very easy to chat with and has a keen interest in other people. Highly experienced & highly recommended.
2. Mick Goldie
- Location: Sydney, NSW
- Service Area: Sydney
- Personality: Happy, jovial
- Paperwork Only Wedding: $500
Mick Goldie is one of Sydney's newest male celebrants and has a super special available for couples wanting a paperwork only marriage. You can choose a location anywhere on Sydney Harbour or in the Greater Sydney region and Mick will get you legally hitched for $500.
3. Paperwork Weddings by Vicki Frittman
- Location: Pagewood, NSW
- Service Area: Sydney
- Paperwork Only Wedding: $550
- 5 Star Reviews: 40+
Vicki Frittmann is a Commonwealth authorised wedding celebrant who officiates paperwork marriages in Sydney's CBD, Eastern Suburbs and Inner West. She was married herself at McKell Park on Sydney Harbour and recommends this location if you're looking for a quiet spot to sign wedding documentation.
Paperwork only weddings are $550 and get you officially hitched in a 5-8 minute legals only ceremony that involves saying the required wording and signing documentation which Vicki organises for you.
4. Hitched by Kellie Warren
- Location: Penrith, NSW
- Service Areas: Western Sydney, Blue Mountains
- Personality: Laid back, fun
- Paperwork Only Wedding: $500
Kellie Warren has a warm, relaxed and welcoming presence that's perfect for low key paperwork only weddings. Her couples love how she blends the right amount of humour to create a stress free and fun process. Wedding fees start at $500 for a paperwork only option.
5. Married By Sharon
- Location: Dapto, NSW 2530
- Service Areas: Wollongong, Illawarra, South Coast
- Paperwork Only Weddings: $500
- 5 Star Reviews: 80+
Sharon is a bubbly, fun and laid back marriage celebrant who's easy to talk to and makes the process of getting married in a fuss free ceremony super easy. She'll get you hitched in a legals only style ceremony from $500 anywhere in the Wollongong and Shoalhaven region.
6. Simple Ceremonies
- Location: Central Coast, Hunter Valley
- Years in Business: 8+
- Paperwork Weddings: $350+
- 5 Star Reviews: 700+
Simple Ceremonies are the specialists in quick & easy paperwork weddings offering affordable packages from $350 throughout the Central Coast and Sydney regions. Led by Michael Teulon, a team of local marriage celebrants offer all types of legal only weddings from last minute ceremonies to quickie celebrations and intimate signings for two.
7. Megumi Carver Celebrant
- Location: Rosebery, NSW 2018
- Years In Business: 11+
- Cost: $450+
- 5 Star Reviews: 180+
With Megumi, even a paperwork only wedding is an hilarious affair. This Sydney based fashionista and professional marriage celebrant makes the simplest of weddings as fun and lighthearted as a big momentous celebration and offers a legals-only ceremony for $450 with free fits of giggles. Megumi is fluent in both English & Japanese and is just as funny in both languages.
8. Julie Muir
- Location: Mayfield, NSW
- Service Areas: Port Stephens - Lake Macquarie
- Personality: Genuine, kind, thoughtful, calm
- Legals Only Wedding: $500
Bilingual marriage celebrant Julie Muir can get you hitched in English, Irish, Spanish, French and reasonably well also in Italian. Expect a super simple wedding ceremony with a good dose of humour. Wedding fees start at $500 for legals-only including lodgement of all paperwork.
9. Married By Elva
- Location: Wellington Point QLD 4160
- Years in Business: 4+
- Cost: $450+
- 5 Star Reviews: 50+
Elva Nicolson is a friendly, warm and caring marriage celebrant who delivers quick & easy registry style weddings from $450. Elva makes the process easy and carefree for her clients taking care of all paperwork and submissions. She also officiates immigration letters to support applications for a partner or marriage visa.
10. Weddings With Jules
- Location: Newcastle
- Service Areas: Newcastle, Hunter Valley
- Personality: Warm and welcoming, funny, compassionate
- Legals Only Wedding: $800
Jules delivers light hearted marriage ceremonies in a funny and graceful style. Her paperwork only weddings include a little extra personalisation to make the moment special for her couples. Fees start at $800.
Eligibility for a paperwork only marriage in NSW
To get legally married in NSW you & your partner must be 18 years of age or older on the big day. There's a bunch of other rules like you can't already be married and there are restrictions on marrying blood relatives which are incidentally not as strict as you might expect. If you're worried about your eligibility, grab yourself a marriage celebrant from the above list and they'll sort you out.
Notice of Intended Marriage
if you are choosing a celebrant to marry you, they will email you the right NOIM for you to fill in, and will lodge it for you online. Your NOIM must be submitted more than 1 month before your wedding date and is valid for 18 months from the submission date.
What you'll need for a paperwork only marriage in NSW
To get married in NSW you'll need either of:
- original birth certificates + photo ID (drivers licence)
- passports
If applicable to you, you may also need:
- change of name certificate
- divorce papers
- death certificate of previous spouse
The state of NSW makes it reasonably easy to get married without all the fuss of a large wedding ceremony and reception. Simply find a registry office location convenient to you, or pick one of our paperwork only celebrants above and you're 30 days away from being a legally married couple. Love rules.