Archives: FAQs

After the signing of the register has taken place I will give you a “manual marriage certificate”.

Yes, but it can be a nightmare preparing all the paperwork.

Please verify your Marital Status by clicking on this link below:
http:// www.home-affairs.gov.za/enquiry/marital/status/marital_status.asp

All the legal requirements for getting married are very simple and I will give you all the information and guidance you will require, as well as the vows and ring exchange details so you can relax. Just contact me at info@marriageofficiant.co.za

BI-32  : Consent to the marriage of a minor

I reserve the right to refuse any request for a booking of my services and I further reserve the right to refuse to perform any service that I am not comfortable with should demands be made that I am not willing to fulfill (this has never happened to date) even if the booking has been paid and accepted. Should I refuse to do a wedding ceremony I will refund what I received in payment. Please note I do not do same sex unions.

I start charging R100 per half hour if I have to wait more than 15 minutes past the scheduled starting time of the wedding ceremony. Should you refuse to pay for abusing my time, I will just withhold the registration of your marriage papers, but trust this will never happen. Please note that no refund will be given if I am not able to perform the wedding ceremony because of any delays within the stipulated time period, because I have another appointment.

No, according to South African law, a woman after her marriage may:-
(a) Assume her husband’s surname;
(b) Resume a surname, which she bore at any prior time;
(c) Join her maiden surname or previous married surname with that of her husband’s; or
(d) Retain her Maiden name.
Simply let me know which choice you will make before the ceremony.

In terms of South African law, if no ante-nuptial contract (also known as a pre-nuptial contract, or a pre-nup) is signed prior to the wedding, you are automatically married ‘in community of property’. This means that all property owned by either spouse becomes part of the joint estate upon marriage, whether it is theirs at the time of the marriage or is acquired by them afterwards. This also means that you are liable for each others debts.

Remember that the ante-nuptial contract needs to be executed by the attorney in front of a Notary Public BEFORE THE MARRIAGE – otherwise it’s not valid!

If you decide after the wedding to enter into an ante-nuptial contract, you will require a High Court application, which can be very expensive. In addition, you will be expected to produce a valid reason as to why you did not conclude an ante-nuptial contract before your marriage.

If you are a South African woman marrying a man from a foreign country, bear in mind that the law of your prospective husband’s home country at the time of the marriage applies. In this case it is best to contact an attorney prior to the marriage.

That is entirely up to you. Some choose to meet with me in person while others choose to do everything via telephone and/or email, especially for reasons of distance and convenience. If possible, however, I would like to at least have a face-to-face chat with the two of you and if this is not possible, I would like to have a chat on Skype so I feel that I know you a little before the ceremony.