Getting married

How to get married in NZ

Choose the kind of ceremony you want then follow the step-by-step guide.

• Personalised ceremonies
• Registry ceremonies

Getting married overseas

If you’re getting married or having a civil union overseas, you usually do not need to do anything in NZ beforehand — check with the country’s officials if you need to do anything there.

Celebrants

Only registered celebrants can perform weddings or civil unions in New Zealand.

Get a marriage licence

Before you get married, you need to apply for a licence. A licence confirms it’s legal for you to marry. It costs $150 if you use a celebrant, and a registry ceremony costs $240 in total.

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.

Order a marriage certificate

Your New Zealand marriage certificate is an official record of your marriage. It costs $33 to get one sent to you.

Submit a notice of objection to someone’s wedding

If you think there are legal reasons why someone shouldn’t get married or have a civil union, you can lodge a caveat or notice of objection.

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.

Civil unions

• How to have a civil union in NZ
• Get a civil union licence
• What is a civil union certificate
• How to order a civil union certificate
• Change a civil union to a marriage