Wedding
The crowning of husband and wife as an icon of Christ and the Church.
Marriage is a Holy Sacrament, a journey towards the Kingdom of God. Those who are married are called upon to love unselfishly, to put the needs of their spouse before their own, and to communicate. If God has a very central part in our life, this will help us in many ways, including in our marriage. Being cultivated spiritually helps us to be humble and forgiving, to see things from the other’s perspective — and this will guard our marriage and lead it to greater heights.
If you wish to organise your marriage, an initial meeting with your parish priest is desirable, simply to talk and to get to know one another. The date of the wedding can be booked at that first meeting, and the preparation quietly begun.
Paperwork for a marriage needs to be completed at least 31 days prior to the wedding. This is a legal requirement. To enable your priest to do the paperwork, you will need to meet with him and each bring the following: a Birth Certificate (if you were not born in Australia and do not have your overseas birth certificate, a current or expired passport will do); photo identification such as a driver’s licence or passport; and your baptism certificate.
If you have never been married and are Orthodox, you will need a Certificate of Celibacy. If you have been previously married, you will need your civil divorce papers, and if you are Orthodox, you will also need to bring your Ecclesiastical divorce papers. If a previous spouse has reposed, you will need to bring the death certificate.
Marriage is permitted between an Orthodox Christian and a Western Christian who has been baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity — Roman Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Lutheran, and others. The wedding itself is a service of crowning, in which the couple are led three times around the Gospel, crowned as martyrs and as kings, and given a common cup to share.
FAQs
How far in advance do I need to book a wedding?
No less than 31 days are required to complete the relevant legal paperwork beforehand. Can I get married to my partner even though they are not an Orthodox Christian?
Marriage is permitted between an Orthodox and a Western Christian who has been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity: those belonging to the Roman Catholic, Anglican (Church of England), Uniting, or Presbyterian Churches.
Marriage is also permitted with Oriental Orthodox (Coptic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Indian Orthodox etc), and with those belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East.
What periods of the year are marriages not permitted in the Orthodox Church?
Dates on which Marriages are not permitted are:
From the 13th December until Christmas day
5th January, the eve of Epiphany
Great Lent until Easter Sunday (these dates vary from year to year)
1st to 15th August, the Dormition of the Theotokos
29th August, the Beheading of St John the Baptist
14th September, the Elevation of the Holy Cross
Fees
Please Note: Effective as of the 1st of July 2022, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has issued standardised pricing for all sacraments. The below is valid across all parishes and communities under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.
Marriage Certificate for the Holy Archdiocese $500
Celibacy Certificate for the Holy Archdiocese (For Orthodox only) $150p.p
Civil Marriage Certificate $200
For the church $450
For the priest $200
For the chanter $100
For the altar assistant $50
Total: $1650