After the ceremony, you will leave with a marriage certificate from your celebrant. It is a meaningful document and a lovely thing to keep. It is not always the certificate an organisation will ask for when you need formal proof of marriage or want to change your name.
What happens at the ceremony
On the wedding day, you, your spouse, the celebrant and two adult witnesses sign three marriage certificates. Your celebrant gives the couple their certificate after the signing. This is often called the Form 15 certificate or ceremonial certificate.
What your celebrant does next
Your celebrant is responsible for sending the registration paperwork to the births, deaths and marriages registry in the state or territory where you married. The paperwork must be submitted within 14 days of the marriage. The registry then records the marriage.
When you need an official certificate
If you need to prove the marriage to a government agency, financial institution, passport office or other organisation, apply for an official marriage certificate from the registry once the marriage has been registered. This is also generally the document needed for a name-change process. Your celebrant may be able to help arrange it, often for an additional charge, but check what they offer.
A practical next step
Before the wedding, ask your celebrant which registry will register the marriage, whether they offer an official-certificate service and how long you should wait before applying. Keep your ceremony certificate somewhere safe, but do not assume it replaces the official registry certificate in every situation.
For current certificate and registration information, see the Australian Government guide to getting married.