About the Marriage Office
The Margaret River Marriage Office was originally founded by Celebrant Anita Revel, in response to the surge in elopements and micro weddings since 2020.
During Covid, elopements and micro weddings became the norm. Big weddings used to be 95% of Anita’s workload. Now, although they are on the return, elopements are still popular.
“I think couples realised that marriage ceremonies didn’t have to be big and fancy to be valid — running away to Margaret River to tie the knot could be just as adventurous and story-worthy, (or low-key and fuss-free!) as they wanted,” she said.
But how to get a legal ceremony without the expense of venue hire, the risk of wet weather, or the hassle of driving to Perth Registry Office?
These are questions Anita heard often, from couples simply wanting to say “I do”.
She explained that the reasons for couples choosing a marriage office ceremony are many: Perhaps they:
- Want to have a big ceremony in Bali and need the legals done before they go.
- Or they’re having a baby and want to share the same surname.
- Or they want to acknowledge their significant other by making them next-of-kin through marriage.
- Or they’re shy and can’t imagine declaring their commitment to a crowd.
So the seed was planted, for a dedicated space for tasteful legal ceremonies, right here in Cowaramup, and the Margaret River Marriage Office was born.
Anita intends it to be an inclusive space, where a stable of Celebrants will offer their services on weekdays during school hours. It will even cater for alternative ceremonies not related to marriage — think 5-year contracts, sologamy, baby-namings, and more. You think it, she will design it.
Anita has a photo of her own wedding day, 20 years ago, where she was married by Elvis in Las Vegas. It reminds her that “for every pot there is a lid”, and all couples are entitled to a ceremony that meets their ceremony goals.
If this means a couple has a preferred Celebrant that is a better fit for them, no problem. The couple can simply hire the space and arrange a contract with their own Celebrant.
UPDATE: The Marriage Office was officially opened on 3 January 2025.