Canberra Elopement Celebrants
The ACT · No Registry Office · Every Couple Needs a Celebrant · From $400
Here is something most people do not know about getting married in Canberra — there is no Registry Office in the ACT. No government building to book, no appointment to attend, no bureaucratic process to navigate. Every single person who gets married in Canberra uses a celebrant. Which means the only question is which one. We would like it to be us.
International couples welcome · Defence & government specialists · LGBTQ+ celebrated · Witnesses supplied · ACT & surrounds · From $400
There Is No Registry Office in Canberra.
Unlike every other Australian capital city, the ACT has no government Registry Office for marriage ceremonies. There is no building to book, no appointment to attend, no civil servant to meet. Every couple who gets married in Canberra — whether they want a 2 minute legals-only ceremony or a full 10 minute personalised wedding — must do so with a registered marriage celebrant.
That means the only question is finding the right celebrant. One who is experienced, registered, available on your date, and genuinely good at what they do. We have been marrying Canberra couples since 2020 and our ACT team is one of our busiest in the country.
Who Gets Married in Canberra?
Canberra is unlike any other Australian city. It is a city of government workers, defence force personnel, diplomats, international staff from embassies and foreign missions, university students, and a highly educated, internationally mobile population. Our Canberra couples reflect exactly that.
Where We Will Marry You in Canberra
Canberra is one of the most planned and beautifully designed cities in the world — which means extraordinary ceremony locations literally everywhere you look. From the lakefront to the arboretum to the hilltop lookouts, our team knows every one of them.
250 hectares of rare and endangered trees with panoramic views over Canberra and the surrounding ranges. One of the most spectacular ceremony settings in Australia. The Pod Playground, the Japanese Bonsai Garden, and the sweeping hillside lawns all make for extraordinary ceremony and portrait backdrops.
The heart of Canberra — the lake, the Captain Cook Memorial Water Jet, Parliament House in the background. Weston Park and Kurrajong Point on the western shore are among our most regularly used ceremony spots. Free to access, stunning in any season.
A gift from Canberra's sister city Nara in Japan, this peaceful park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin features Japanese cherry blossoms, a Japanese lantern, and a beautifully tranquil atmosphere. Particularly spectacular in spring when the cherry blossoms bloom. Deeply meaningful for Japanese and bicultural couples.
Australia's premier collection of native flora, located on the slopes of Black Mountain. Multiple ceremony sites including the Education Lawn, the Crosbie Morrison amphitheatre (up to 100 people), the Brittle Gum Lawn, and the spectacular Rock Garden with its small waterfalls. A permit is required — our team can advise on the process.
Northeast Canberra with sweeping views across the entire city, Lake Burley Griffin, and the Brindabella Ranges beyond. Our celebrants know the best spots just below the main lookout area where you get the views without the tourist foot traffic. Accessible and beautiful at any time of year.
We come to you. No permit, no parking, no strangers. Particularly popular with government and defence couples who want complete privacy and a ceremony that is done before the neighbours know it happened.
About 30 well-defined ceremony sites spread across 80 acres on the northern shores of Lake Burley Griffin. Free. Well maintained. During Floriade (September-October) the gardens are extraordinary — though ceremony permits during the festival are essential and book quickly.
Canberra's deciduous trees are internationally famous in autumn — red, gold, and orange across the suburbs and hillside lookouts. Mount Ainslie and the Arboretum lookouts in March to May are extraordinary. Our celebrants know the best spots for that light.
Queanbeyan · Goulburn · Southern Highlands · Snowy Mountains · NSW South Coast. Our Canberra team covers the full surrounding region. Travel fees apply beyond 20km from the Canberra CBD — ask us for an exact quote.
Three Canberra Packages. Pick Yours.
Because more words don't make you any more married.
Just the two of you or up to 10 guests. Legal, fast, done. NOIM lodgement included. Witnesses supplied if needed. Certificate on the day.
See Details →Up to 25 guests. Personalised ceremony, music, aisle walk. 5 to 7 minutes of properly beautiful. Perfect for the couple who has just a few too many people to leave out.
See Details →Your whole crew — up to 100 guests. Fully personalised 10 minute ceremony with PA supplied. Get it done beautifully. More words won't make you any more married.
See Details →📸 Canberra Elopement Photographers — From $400
Our Canberra photographers know the light at the Arboretum, the best angles at Lake Burley Griffin, and how to capture Nara Peace Park in spring. 15 edited images delivered via Pixieset within 7 days. Three packages from $400.
See Photography Packages →How It Works in Canberra
Choose your package, pick your day, tell us where in the ACT you want to get married. Book directly on the site. Ange at our Australian head office is in touch within one business day.
We send your Notice of Intended Marriage form with clear instructions. Fill it in, return it to us, and we lodge it with BDM ACT on your behalf. Must be lodged at least one month before the ceremony. International couples — please have your passport and any relevant documents ready.
Meet your celebrant before the day. Confirm the location, talk through the ceremony, sort any permit requirements. On the day there are zero surprises.
Meet at your chosen Canberra location. Two to seven minutes later you are legally married. Marriage certificate in hand. Registered with BDM ACT. The rest of the day is yours.
Every Couple. Every Culture. Every Background.
Canberra is one of the most diverse cities in Australia and our ACT team reflects that. We marry LGBTQ+ couples, straight couples, international couples, defence force couples, bicultural couples, couples with complicated paperwork, and couples who just want it done quietly. No judgement. No conditions. Whatever your reason for getting married and however you want to do it — we are here.
All love. Always.
🌿 Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we marry our Canberra couples. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples present or connected to this Country.
🇦🇺 Australian Owned · Women Led
I Do Drive Thru is an Australian-owned, women-led small business founded in Melbourne in 2020. Our Canberra team is one of our busiest — a city that genuinely gets what we are about.
🌍 International Experience
We have extensive experience marrying international couples, embassy staff, and foreign nationals based in the ACT. If your situation involves overseas documentation, previous marriages, or complex ID requirements — talk to us. We have done it before.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — the ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction without a government Registry Office for marriage ceremonies. Every couple who gets married in Canberra must use a registered Commonwealth Marriage Celebrant. There is no alternative. I Do Drive Thru has been providing exactly this service across the ACT since 2020.
I Do Drive Thru Canberra elopements start from $400 on Tight Ass Tuesday. Standard weekday celebrant from $550. Weekend from $650. Add a photographer from the same price. Witnesses supplied at $120 each if needed. NOIM lodgement included in every package. No Registry Office fees, no appointment fees — just one simple package price.
Yes — there is no residency requirement to marry in Australia. International couples, embassy staff, diplomats and foreign nationals based in the ACT can all marry legally in Canberra using a valid foreign passport as their primary ID. The NOIM must be lodged at least one month before the ceremony. We have extensive experience with international couples and complex documentation — contact us before booking if your situation is unusual and we will advise.
Yes — our Canberra team covers the full surrounding NSW region including Queanbeyan, Goulburn, the Southern Highlands, and the Snowy Mountains. Travel fees apply beyond 20km from the Canberra CBD. Ask us for an exact quote when you book.
It depends on the location. Commonwealth Park and most public parks are free for small ceremonies. The Australian National Botanic Gardens requires a ceremony permit — our team can advise on the current process. The National Arboretum also has a booking process for events. We sort the details with you during your Zoom call before the day.
Spring (September to November) for Floriade and flowering gardens, and autumn (March to May) for the famous deciduous foliage — reds and golds across the Arboretum, Anzac Parade, and the city's tree-lined suburbs. Summer is warm and sunny with long days. Winter is cold with occasional frost and sometimes snow — magical for the right couple, challenging for outdoor ceremonies.
Yes — Australian law requires two witnesses over the age of 18 at every marriage ceremony. If you want to elope with just the two of you, we supply witnesses at $120 each. Your photographer can also serve as one of your two required witnesses.
There is no Registry Office in Canberra. There never has been. Every couple who gets married here needs a celebrant — so it might as well be one of ours. From $400, any ACT location, any day of the week.
Book Your Canberra Ceremony →