MARRIAGE UNDER THE MARRIAGE ACT
The statutory marriage is the type commonly referred to as court marriage. In reality though, it’s a marriage made under the hand of the registrar of marriages (who is neither a judge nor court registrar/clerk). The nuance of court marriage is one that has stuck over time and has gained so much notoriety that it may just be too difficult to displace. The major highlight is that the marriage rite is conducted in accordance with the manner prescribed by the Marriage Act. The main participants in a statutory marriage are the intending couple, marriage registry personnel, registrar and the witnesses. The procedure commences with the indication of an interest by any or both of the intending couple who would approach a marriage registry (the debate about whether it should be the federal marriage registry or local government marriage registry is an issue for another day) to file a notice of an intention to get married. The particulars (full names, addresses, marital statuses and passport phot