Celebrants online

Celebrants online

August 14, 2007

The Department of Internal Affairs is providing a new online service to help people choose a marriage or civil union celebrant. Go to www.bdm.govt.nz and look in the Civil Union or Marriage sections.

Previously people had to search for a civil union or marriage celebrant by searching through The New Zealand Gazette at a library or Registry Office.

Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Brian Clarke, says the online service is a quick and easy way of getting the name of a genuine celebrant.

"The website is divided into two categories, organisational and independent marriage celebrants. Organisational celebrants are priests or ministers of churches or are attached to other organisations or fellowships. There are 7,552 religious and organisational marriage celebrants. You can search for these marriage celebrants by name or organisation.

The second group is the 1,622 independent celebrants listed by name and region. The 680 civil union celebrants are listed on a separate web page."

Mr Clarke says a small number of exempt organisations, such as The Society of Friends or Quakers have permission to solemnise marriages without a celebrant but still require a marriage licence.