Indeed, some Australians who thought they were married, who had gone to the expense and emotional investment of tying the knot before family and friends, went on to learn they were not.

And the inescapable conclusion from information provided by the federal Attorney-General's Department - the national supervisor of the boom in marriage by civil celebrants - is that some Australians are blissfully unaware they were never married in the first place.

How does this happen? Human error. Celebrants, however few, have been licensed to conduct wedding ceremonies when they are simply not up to the task. They are sloppy with paperwork or they do not follow the legally prescribed script.

Says the department, in a cautiously worded statement to the Herald: "While isolated, there are horror stories such as celebrants not turning up for the ceremony, arguing with the couple in front of guests, celebrants failing to lodge the necessary paperwork to enable the marriage to be registered, or forgetting to say the key legal words at a ceremony.

"The department is aware of instances where the actions or omissions of a celebrant have led to negative consequences for the marrying couple.

"The department is also aware of some instances where couples have been found not to be validly married or where marriages have not been registered with the state and territory registry of births, deaths and marriages." Deciding the validity of a marriage is a matter for the Family Court.

The question of civil celebrant standards has become even more pressing as Australians increasingly turn their backs on religious ritual, but not on matrimonial union. In 1990, 42 per cent of marriages were solemnised by civil celebrants; last year, the number was nearly 70 per cent.

Becoming a celebrant has been even more popular. Seven thousand new celebrants signed on over the past eight years, pushing the total to more than 10,000. The increase was particularly high in 2008, when a cap on the national total was lifted, and in late 2009-early 2010 before higher training qualifications were imposed.

In other words, the federal agency foreshadowed tougher requirements on becoming a celebrant but left the gate open for several months while thousands filed into the ranks on more lax entry standards.

This was against a backdrop of individual failures. In 2010, for instance, the Attorney General's Department examined 740 marriage celebrants due for their five-yearly performance review. Disciplinary action, including deregistration and cautions, was taken against 97, mostly for failures to complete training. This meant disciplinary action against less than 1 per cent of the 10,000 Commonwealth registered celebrants, "many of whom do a wonderful job", the department insisted to the Herald.

No doubt, but more accurately the 97 offenders represent 13 per cent of those audited. Across the 10,000, it could be that 1300 celebrants would fail the test of standards.

The celebrant rush prompts the obvious question as to what they are chasing. Nearly a quarter of a million Australians marry a year, requiring 120,000 weddings.

Civil celebrants solemnise 80,000 of them - an average eight a year each. With an average fee of, say, $600, that's an annual income of $4800, less expenses - hardly a path paved with gold.

But many get far less work than that.

Coral Kortlepel has been a celebrant for 17 years in the Sutherland Shire, where 185 celebrants are now registered. Hers is a full-time business and she's at the busy end of it, conducting about five weddings a week, although the number is falling because there are too many celebrants.

"For some of them, it's just a hobby," Ms Kortlepel said. "Their presentation is poor, their grammar flawed and their enunciation appalling. Yet people think it's a nice little job that they can do with their eyes closed." But, said Ms Kortlepel, there is too little scrutiny to ensure standards are met.

She said Australians preferred civil marriage ceremonies because they wanted flexibility in location, timing, dress and choice of vows.