Which country was the first to have authorised civil celebrants (officiants) to officiate at legal marriage ceremonies?

Many Western nations permit celebrants who are not clergy to carry out basic, legal, marriage ceremonies. However Australia was the first nation whose government appointed non-clergy celebrants (19th of July, 1973) with the specific intention that they would create ceremonies that might be as culturally enriching and, if required, as formal as church weddings, i.e. that these ceremonies would not be inferior in status to religious weddings.

An "authorised celebrant" is a person who is authorised (registered) by the Australian Government to perform legal marriages according to the Marriage Act 1961.

The celebrant may be a representative of a religious organisation (known as a religious marriage celebrant) or someone providing secular or non-religious weddings (known as a civil marriage celebrant). Only authorised (registered) marriage celebrants have the authority to perform marriages in Australia.

In 2016, 76.4 per cent of Australian marriages were performed by civil celebrants.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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9 Comments

Coral Harvey

I knew it was Australia as my aunt remarried in 1987 in a venue with a celebrant this was not performed in UK at the time.

Silvia Levame

Great question, Rob! As a Civil Marriage Celebrant since 1991, I can attest that in Australia, Celebrants can celebrate weddings ANYWHERE (restaurant, beach, park, boat, living room) not necessarily inside an office. That's the difference.

Gary Chadwick

Peter Middlehurst, Yes but this is about an official ceremony other than a Church, not just the legal side.

Charles J. Russell III

Calling the person a celebrant really makes no sense

Peter Middlehurst

This is not correct. A Registrar of Marriages has been authorised to conduct a civil marriage in a District Register Office in the UK since 1837.

Patrick G Cox

I’m not sure this is correct, since “civil marriage” has been the legal requirement in many European countries since Napoleon stripped the “Church” of rights and property, with the local Civil Marriage Officer officiating in most. In Germany a marriage is only recognised if conducted by a Standesamt official, although SOME of the Lande also allow a church wedding IF the officiating Minister is a civilly appointed marriage officer.