Getting married
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How to get married in NZ
A step-by-step guide to getting married in New Zealand.
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Getting married overseas
If you’re getting married or having a civil union overseas, you usually don’t need to do anything in NZ beforehand — check with the country's officials if you need to do anything there.
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Find a celebrant
Only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand. You need to arrange your celebrant before you can get a marriage licence.
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Registry office ceremonies
You can get married or have a civil union in a registry office. You don't need to arrange your own celebrant.
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Find a registry office
Contact details for registry offices across New Zealand.
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Get a marriage licence
A licence shows it’s legal for you to marry. You need to arrange it at least 3 working days before you get married. It costs $150 if using a celebrant and $240 if getting married at a registry office.
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Changing your name when you get married
In New Zealand, you don’t usually have to do anything special if you want to change your name after you get married or have a civil union.
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Get a marriage certificate
Your New Zealand marriage or civil union certificate is an official record of your marriage. It costs $33 to get one sent to you.
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Submit a notice of objection to someone’s wedding
If you think there are legal reasons why a couple shouldn’t get married or have a civil union, you can lodge a caveat or notice of objection.
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Information for marriage celebrants
Celebrants can legally perform marriages and/or civil unions in New Zealand. If you want to become a celebrant, you can choose to be independent or connected with an approved church or organisation. Once you're registered you need to renew your registration each year and keep your contact details up-to-date.
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Civil unions
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