Terms and conditions of wedding booking

1. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms and Conditions:

• “Parish” refers to The Greek Orthodox Parish & Community of Belmore & District “All Saints” Ltd and any priest, deacon, or duly authorised representative officiating on behalf of the Parish.
• “Parties” means the couple intending to enter into the Sacrament of Marriage.
• “Orthodox Christian” means a baptised and confirmed member of the Eastern Orthodox Church in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
• “Non-Orthodox Christian” means a person belonging to a Christian denomination recognised as acceptable by the Orthodox Church (as set out in Clause 4(c)).

2. Amendments

These Terms and Conditions may be amended at any time without prior notice. It is the responsibility of the Parties to ensure they have reviewed and understood the latest version at the time of booking.

3. Bookings

(a) Only one wedding booking is permitted per couple. Duplicate or multiple bookings will be cancelled without notice.
(b) The Parish reserves the right to decline, cancel, or amend any booking at its absolute discretion.

4. Eligibility Requirements

(a) At least one of the Parties must be a baptised Orthodox Christian in good standing with the Church.
(b) A marriage cannot take place in the Orthodox Church between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Christian.
(c) Where one Party is not Orthodox, that Party must belong to a Christian denomination recognised by the Orthodox Church. Acceptable Christian traditions include (but are not limited to):

• Roman Catholic
• Anglican (Church of England)*
• Uniting Church*
• Methodist
• Presbyterian*
• Congregationalist*
• Lutheran
• Armenian Apostolic
• Coptic Orthodox
• Syro-Chaldean
• Uniate Churches (Byzantine Catholic traditions including Belorussian Catholic, Greek Byzantine Catholic, Hungarian Byzantine Catholic, Maronite, Melkite, Romanian Catholic, etc.)
• Apostolic Catholic
• Armenian Catholic
• Syrian Orthodox
• Assyrian Orthodox
(*Note: A baptism performed by a female pastor or clergy member is not accepted by the Orthodox Church.)

(d) Recognition of these denominations is based on the following:

• Baptism is performed in the name of the Holy Trinity, in water.
• There is some degree of Apostolic Succession.
• There is an ordained priesthood established through Holy Ordination.

5. Conditions of Marriage

(a) Both Parties must declare their intention that any children born of the marriage will be baptised in the Orthodox Church and raised in the Orthodox Faith.
(b) Proof of Baptism is required from both Parties before the booking can be confirmed.
(c) The marriage ceremony must be celebrated in accordance with the Holy Canons and Liturgical Tradition of the Orthodox Church.
(d) The Parties must also satisfy all legal requirements for marriage in Australia, including compliance with the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) (e.g., completion of a Notice of Intended Marriage, proof of identity, valid documentation, and statutory declarations as required).

6. Archdiocesan Fee

(a) The Archdiocesan fee of $700 is payable by the Parties.
(b) Payment must be received within fourteen (14) days of booking in order to secure the reservation.
(c) Where payment is not received within the prescribed timeframe, the booking will be cancelled without further notice.

7. Right of Cancellation

The Parish reserves the right to cancel any booking at any time and for any reason, including, but not limited to, failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

8. Further Clarification

For further inquiries or clarification regarding these Terms and Conditions, please contact the Parish office directly.