In Austria, the principle of compulsory civil marriage applies. Accordingly, marriage can only be performed by a registrar. The marriage takes place when the future spouses declare in personal and simultaneous presence before the registrar that they wish to enter into marriage with each other. In this process, the fiancées are asked individually and one after the other by the registrar, with the assistance of two witnesses, whether they wish to enter into the marriage. However, the witnesses can be dispensed with if the fiancées declare this by mutual agreement. If this question is answered in the affirmative, the registrar declares that the persons concerned are legally joined spouses. Finally, the minutes of the ceremony must be signed by the parties.
