Getting Married In Australia - Australian wedding services

Land of Oz. Down under. The sunburnt country. Whatever you want to call it, Australia is a fantastically beautiful place to get married. Be it at a beach ceremony or a vineyard shindig, you can be sure that you’ll be surrounded by stunning scenery and that inimitable Aussie charm.

Fact File

• Size: 7,692,024 km²
• Population: Approximately 25.92 million
• Capital City: Canberra
• Currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
• Languages Spoken: English and approximately 27 Aboriginal languages
• Main Religions: Christianity
• Major Holidays and Festivals:
  • New Years Day - 1 January
  • Australia Day - 26 January
  • Easter Sunday - March or April
  • Anzac Day - 25 April
  • Christmas Eve - 24 December
  • Christmas Day - 25 December
  • Boxing Day – 26 December
  • New Year’s Eve - 31 December

Highlights

A popular place for city goers to tie the knot is by the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, while country bumpkins prefer the sprawling greenery of Norfolk Island. Melbourne is famous for its thriving bar and restaurant scene, as well as the nearby Yarra Valley, which is ideal for a vineyard wedding. Head up to Carins for that surfer lifestyle, the Great Barrier Reef and a beach wedding with a fantastic sunset view. The bottom line is, the varied landscape of this sunny escape makes for an ideal destination wedding.

Weather and Climate

Australia is a vast country, covering 7,692,024 km² and comprising three major biomes: tropical, savannah and desert. They are all vastly different – from thick forrest filled with ample wildlife, to dry desert as far as the eye can see. Victoria and some of South Australia get quite cold and windy in the winter, sometimes even hailing. Most people prefer to wed in Oz in the summer months, in particular if the wedding is held anywhere south of Queensland.

Culture and Etiquette

The laid back nature of Australian folks is a massive draw for many, allowing the ceremony to be as stress free as such an occasion can be. There are numerous words that the Australians have coined, and many that they have just shortened. Arvo, for example, means afternoon, and bush telly means a campfire.

Although English is the official language of Australia, the indigenous Australian Aboriginals speak 27 different languages of their own. Australia has an estimated population of 25.92m, and of those, 881,600 are Aboriginal Australians.

Food and Drink

Australian food revolves largely around meat, and in particular barbecued meat. Australians enjoy having a barby outside on the deck and cooking meat, onions and vegetables on it. Modern Australian is the term coined to describe the nations cuisine, which ranges from steak, ribs, to European dishes with international influences. 

Money and Wedding Costs

The currency is Australian dollars, and while Australia is a relatively expensive country, you’ll get more reasonable prices for a wedding the further out of the major cities you go. The average cost of a wedding in Oz is just under $32,000 AUD.

ATMs can be found very easily in Australia, however it is always worth carrying cash for last minute or impromptu payments. Most of the wedding costs will likely be secured by credit card in advance.

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Legal Requirements for Australian wedding services

The following notes are not comprehensive and are intended as a guide only. Before planning your wedding in Australia we strongly advise you to contact the Australian embassy in your home country or your country's embassy in Australia to obtain up-to-date legal requirements.

Before you arrival in Australia for your wedding, you will need to obtain a visa online from the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). You are also required to complete a Notice of Intended Marriage form and give it to your celebrant at least one month before the wedding. For more information see the Australian Government website for getting married. 

It is advisable to check with the Australian embassy in your home country for up-to-date legal requirements prior to planning your wedding.

States and Territories of Australia

Australia is divided into six states and ten territories.  Mainland Australia is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state being the island of Tasmania to the south of the mainland. There are also six other island territories and Australian Antarctic Territory.

Find out more about the States and Territories of Australia or browse our Australian Wedding Directory to start planning your dream wedding.