Making the Paperwork Easy
Applying for a marriage licence just got a whole lot easier, which is especially good news for people wanting to marry in New Zealand, but who presently live overseas and for couples living in remoter areas here.
With a strong customer focus, the team at Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) has worked to simplify systems and in particular, make the marriage licence application more accessible. From 31 October 2018, couples are able to make the required declaration online instead of having to travel to a registry office. As well, couples can apply and pay online to get married, pre-order a marriage certificate and get their licence emailed to them.
Other changes are in the pipeline too. With fewer customers conducting face-to-face transactions there is less need for marriage licence services from BDM or the courthouses. This means that from 1 July next year marriage and civil union celebrants will provide registry type ceremonies in the regions outside Auckland, Manukau, Wellington and Christchurch.
People who live away from a main centre but who want a registry style wedding will be able to do this, provided there is a registered celebrant who is a validated member of the Celebrants’ Association of New Zealand (this means they have the letters VCANZ after their name as listed on the CANZ website) in their area; www.celebrantsassociation.co.nz
Whatever your style of wedding, CANZ is an excellent place to begin your search for the right person to officiate. The Celebrants’ Association especially values ongoing professional development and has approved two celebrancy training providers: the Celebrant School of NZ and the Celebrant Training College of NZ; both provide formal qualifications in celebrancy.
By engaging a CANZ celebrant you have an assurance of using someone from a professional body, that has always seen the importance of its members providing a consistently high level of professional and ethical service, with ceremonies personalised to suit their client's needs and wishes.
