Declaration of no Impediment to Marriage

The Declaration of no Impediment to Marriage is a document that you have to sign before your marriage ceremony. It will be on the reverse side of the Official Certificate of Marriage that you will sign on your wedding day.  It is usually signed at the rehearsal, or the last time that you meet with the celebrant before the big day. It must be signed before you are married. It can be signed on the day if needs be, but it has to be signed legally before the ceremony takes place.

This document is basically a Statutory Declaration that you are over the age of 18 and there is no legal reason that you cannot be married to the person that you are about to marry. (If you are under 18 years of age you can still sign the paperwork, but you have to get a court approval to be married and it must be to someone that is over the age of 18) It states that you are a person who has never been validly married, or that you are a divorced person, or a widow or widower, and that there is no reason you cannot be married to the person that you are marrying.

Photo from Love Journal. Check out more of their work here.

 

 

Destination Weddings

There are so many things to think about with a destination wedding. I think that some people think it is a great way to avoid all of the stress of a planning a wedding and many people think it is going to cut down on the cost of their big day. It may be the case, but I don’t really think so.

I guess it depends too why you have chosen a destination wedding. Some people choose to have a destination wedding so that they don’t have to pay to have every person they know there, and an easy way to cut down your guest list. Perhaps consider eloping if you don’t want anyone there with you. However, there are going to people who still expect an invitation, and there will be some wondering why they are not invited, just like weddings in your home town. On the flip side you need to realise potential invitees to your destination wedding may not always be able to come and share your big day due to health or financial constraints. A destination wedding or elopement can be a wonderful wedding choice if you really don’t like being the centre of attention or speaking in public, or if who don’t like fuss. It is a great way to take the pressure off you both as a couple. However, be prepared to accept some of your friends and family may be disappointed that they were not part of your special day.

Some couples choose a destination wedding because it is a great way to start off a wonderful holiday and your honeymoon in an exotic, faraway place. It could also be a great way share it in part with family and/ or friends, especially if it is somewhere that you have both been before and really love, or somewhere that you both want to experience for the first time together.

Cost is a big factor. Some people seem to think that it is going to be a cheaper wedding alternative, but I don’t know this is always the case. It can be cheaper compared to a 150 guest sit down dinner at one of the top function centres, but not for example to simpler home catered options.

Paperwork such as passports and visas, and legal requirements are issues you need to take into consideration. Every country will have different laws about marriage, such as how long you have to be in the country before you can be married. If you decide on a country where resorts offer package deals, they may provide information, but you should still contact someone at the Australian Embassy and in  your country of choice and ask questions to ensure you abide by all legal requirements before your departure.

Something else that I didn’t really think about until I was discussing with my friend who had her wedding in New Zealand (check out the blog about it here) is that you need to take everything with you, or send it there in advance. She had to organise and transport the table decorations, gifts for the bridesmaids, and her dress. Luckily she did a couple of trips over there prior to the big day, but if this is not an option, you may want to think about this or find out what the venue can provide and what is specifically included in the package.  This can sometimes be a problem if you are the kind of bride or couple who have unique requirements and it may be difficult with a destination wedding to coordinate these things. It can sometimes become out of your control especially when you can’t visit the venue or speak to the event organiser in person. It may not be possible to have everything exactly as you have dreamed of and you may have to compromise.

Whatever your reason for a destination wedding there are pros and cons and lots of things that you need to consider. Did you have a destination wedding or were you considering one?

Thank you again to Untamed Images for the photos from this weeks blog, check out their website here, and go over and like them on their facebook page to keep updated with all of their photos.