Jeff Montgomery,
General Manager and Registrar-General;
Services and Access
Message from the
Registrar-General
Tēnā koe – hello.
The renewal for independent celebrants is progressing well and my team will start courtesy calling those that have not already applied to renew. Please let us know if you have decided to not renew.
Last week we conducted what is probably our first ever celebrant interview fully in te reo Māori, which was a very pleasing achievement.
As a result of celebrants concerns about a drop in standards, we sought feedback from couples that were married during the last year about their celebrant. The greater majority of couples are very happy with their celebrant and there were only a couple of issues that I asked my team to follow-up. We're currently looking at options for how we do this on a more regular basis. For more information read below.
Kia pai tō rā (Have a good day)
Jeff
Reminder: 2021 celebrant renewal
For more information refer to Ngātahi issued 23 September.
The renewal for independent celebrants is currently underway until midnight 25 October. Independent celebrants were sent an email to renew on 5 October. If you did not receive your email contact Celebrants@dia.govt.nz
As at the time of publication, for independent celebrants:
- 2,465 have applied to be renewed.
- 1,336 are ready to be removed because they have not applied to be renewed. Removed celebrants can perform marriages until the Gazette list is scheduled for publishing on 18 December 2020.
Organisational celebrants renewal is from 2 November until midnight 29 November. Your central contact will do your renewal for you. Ask your colleagues if you are not sure if you have a central contact.
If you do not renew
If you do not apply for renewal between those dates, you will be removed as a celebrant and will not be able to marry couples in 2021. If you later decide to be a celebrant, you must make a fresh application, pay the full application fee and provide new documents.
Married couples provided feedback on celebrants
An outcome of the survey of review of the appointment and renewal of independent celebrants we conducted earlier this year is that there was a lack of understanding about couples’ experiences after they had been married i.e. did their celebrant carry out their duties to the required standard.
Some of you may have seen the email that we sent to 8,056 married couples between 3 September and 20 September 2020, which we had mentioned in September's Ngātahi.
We received 863 replies, with 749 (86%) of those telling us how wonderful their celebrant was. The remainder were a varied mix of comments of a minor nature that did not require further investigation, especially given that there is always two sides to every story.
Of the handful that were of concern (0.05%), were celebrants that:
- disregarded what the couple wanted to happen during their ceremony
- were generally disorganised in front of the couple
- the celebrant didn't understand what needed to happen with the marriage licence and copy of particulars.
Other matters of concern to couples were celebrants who mispronounced:
- the couple's names
- te reo Māori.
Also of particular concern was the comment that a same-sex couple had been rejected by several celebrants. While organisational celebrants may decline to perform a marriage if it would contravene the organisation's religious beliefs, philosophical or humanitarian convictions, the Human Rights Act prevents an independent celebrant from discriminating on the basis of gender or sexuality.
As with running any event, minor issues can be expected to occur and we expect celebrants to learn from those experiences. Celebrants are encouraged to improve their professional development by taking advantage of the resources offered by:
- BDM's website at Get celebrant training, support and information
- Celebrants Association of New Zealand (CANZ)
- Celebrant School
- The Celebrants Training College
Thank you to the celebrants that provided their own feedback about the email we sent couples. We are currently investigating how we can incorporate an easier feedback loop for married couples to tell us about their celebrant. In a future Ngātahi we will let you know how the new process will work.
Children as witnesses
Recently we were asked to clarify whether the 2 witnesses to a marriage needed to be 18 years of age or older. In response, we confirmed that there is no lower or upper age limit on who can be a witness. A useful test for the celebrant might be: “Could this witness, if required, later give evidence in court that they understood the ceremony, that each of the parties identified themselves to each other and freely consented to the marriage?”. This rules out not only young children, but also someone who is intoxicated, has dementia, does not sufficiently understand the language of the ceremony, or who lacks capacity to understand and recall information.
The 2 witnesses that sign the Copy of Particulars of Marriage/Civil Union can be children of any age, so long as they understand the nature of the ceremony and are able to demonstrate that understanding in court if later required to do so.
It is always best to try and accommodate the couples wishes if they want children to act as their witnesses and as the child's parent(s) will know better than anyone else whether they are capable, it is recommended that the celebrant discuss this with the couple before the ceremony to ensure it goes smoothly on the day.
Interview in te reo Māori
When applying to become a marriage celebrant, the Registrar-General may require the applicant to attend an interview by video conferencing.
Recently, a prospective celebrant asked that their interview by conducted fully in te reo Māori. As Māori is an official language of New Zealand, we were happy to accommodate the request.
The interview occurred on 9 October and it went very well.
A significant milestone was achieved recently with over one million New Zealanders making history on 14 September 2020 by coming together to celebrate te reo Māori at the same time, Te reo Māori is becoming more widespread every day so whether speaking te reo during a marriage ceremony or in other settings, the expectation on all of us is that it will be pronounced correctly and with respect to the language. As a starting place for resources refer to www.tpk.govt.nz/en/whakamahia/te-reo-maori.
We encourage other prospective celebrants to request that their interview be fully in te reo Māori.
New registry ceremony vows
A new version of the registry ceremony vows has been approved. The Celebrants Association of New Zealand has provided a more contemporary version, taking away some of the more difficult language for those whom English is not their first language. This will soon be updated on www.govt.nz/bdm:
Celebrant Welcome, including any health and safety comments.
A wedding is a wonderful occasion and I welcome you all here today to celebrate the marriage between [insert name] and [insert name].
Thank you for sharing this important day with them [Insert witness names].
You have an important role today because [insert name] and [insert name] have asked you to sign the legal paperwork as witness to their marriage.
[insert name] and [insert name], in marrying, you are making a sincere commitment to go forward in your lives as marriage partners … promising love, support and encouragement to each other throughout your lives together.
However, no ceremony can create a marriage; only the two of you can do that —through love and patience; through dedication and perseverance; through talking and listening, helping and supporting and believing in each other.
What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have both made to stand together as friends and partners for life.
Vows
We come now to the words that will confirm that choice … the marriage vows.
In front of everyone here, the vows that you are about to declare are your promises and commitment to each other.
The law requires that each of you declare before me and at least two other witnesses that you are freely entering into this marriage and that you take the other person to be your legal wife or husband.
I will now ask each of you to make that statement …
[insert name] please repeat after me:
I [insert full name] declare that I am freely entering into this marriage between myself and [insert full name].
I invite everyone to witness that I, [insert name] take you, [insert name] to be my legal husband/wife/partner.
[insert name] please repeat after me:
I [insert full name] declare that I am freely entering into this marriage between myself and [insert full name].
I invite everyone to witness that I, [insert name] take you, [insert name] to be my legal wife/husband/partner.
Exchange of rings (if the couple is exchanging rings)
A wedding ring is a symbol of your love and of the vows you have made. As you wear these rings, may they be constant reminders of your promises to each other and your commitment to your marriage.
I now invite you to exchange rings and ask:
[insert name], to please place the ring for [insert name] on his/her finger.
[insert name] to please place the ring for [insert name] on her/his finger.
Pronouncement
Today you have made a true commitment to each other … we wish you a fulfilling life together, rich in caring and in happiness.
And now …
[insert name] and [insert name], I now pronounce you to be legally married as husband and wife (partners/ wife and wife/ husband and husband).
Congratulations [insert name and name].
[insert name] and [insert name] will now sign the paperwork and I ask [insert witnesses names] to come forward please.
