Frequently Asked Questions
|
1
Who may be married in Ontario?
2 Where do we get our marriage license and is there a waiting period before getting married?
3 Do we need to have a marriage license before we can book a wedding date with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
4 If one or both of us is divorced from a previous marriage, what procedures do we need to follow?
5 How far in advance do we need to book a marriage date with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
7 How long does the ceremony take? What kind of venues are acceptable?
8 May we take pictures during the ceremony? Can music be played?
9 What type of ceremony do you perform?
10 May we write our own vows and have friends read?
11 What will we receive after the ceremony?
13 Are we required to have wedding rings to be married?
14 Will our marriage in Canada be recognized outside of Canada?
15 Why doesn’t Creative Marriage Celebrations require a deposit when booking with them?
16 Are traditional rehearsals required for a marriage celebration with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
1. Who may be married in Ontario?
Any
person who is at least 18 years of age may marry. No person under 16 years of
age may marry. Any person who is 16 or 17 years of age may marry with the
written consent of his/her legal guardian (consent not required if previously
married and divorced). You do not
have to be a resident of Canada to marry in Canada.
2. Where do we get our marriage license and
is there a waiting period before getting married?
You may
obtain a marriage license at most City Halls within the province of Ontario. You
can download an application form
clicking
here.
Your marriage license is valid for 90 days. In
most cases, you will fill out an application and receive a marriage license. At least one party to the
proposed marriage must apply in person. However, two pieces of original
valid identification are required
for each applicant, and the application must be signed by both applicants
(please see below for identification requirements).
There
are no requirements respecting residency, pre-marital blood tests or medical
certificates. There
is no waiting period in Ontario between obtaining a license and actually
marrying.
Two pieces of valid identification for each applicant are required
(photocopies are not acceptable).
The
first type of identification must
be one of the following:
o
Birth
certificate (along with any change of name certificates)
o
Current
passport
o
Records
of immigrant landing or Canadian citizenship card, along with photo
identification. (Certificates of Naturalization are NOT accepted.)
The
second type of identification
must be one of the following:
o
Driver's
License
o
Photo
Health Card
3.
Do we need to have a marriage license before we can book a wedding date
with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
No,
you do not need to have a marriage license to schedule a date with Creative
Marriage Celebrations. However, you must have a valid marriage license
with you on the day of your wedding ceremony, otherwise the marriage cannot take
place. For this reason, we require that
the license be in our possession from our preparation meeting onwards.
This ensures that we have the license on the day of the marriage and
allows us time to complete necessary paperwork before the marriage.
4. If one or both of us is
divorced from a previous marriage, what procedures do we need to follow?
If you were divorced in Canada, you must bring the original or court-certified copy
of the final decree, final judgment or certificate of divorce to your local
municipal office when you are purchasing the marriage license. Contact your
local municipal office for further information.
If you were divorced outside of Canada, you must obtain authorization
from the minister of Government Services before you can be issued a marriage
license. For authorization, send the following documents to:
The Office of the Registrar General
Marriage Office
P.O. Box 4600
189 Red River Rd.
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6L8
A marriage license application form, Statement of Sole Responsibility form and a suggested format for a lawyer’s opinion letter are also available from most municipal offices or click here for the forms.
5. How far in advance do we need to book a
marriage date with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
Some
months are busier than others and Saturdays are the most popular day for
weddings. For this reason, we suggest that
you book as soon as you have established the date and location of your wedding.
Please call us to check our availability any time.
However,
there are couples who decide to marry very quickly for a number of different
reasons. As long as you are in possession of a valid Ontario marriage
license, Creative Marriage Celebrations will be there to assist you - whether your
marriage is today or a year from now!
No,
we do not provide witnesses (unless prearranged ahead of time). Two witnesses must
be present during the ceremony. They can be family or friends (over the age of
eighteen).
7. How long does the ceremony take?
What kind of venues are acceptable?
The
duration of the ceremony varies depending on what you have planned with your
Officiant. Generally, they
run between 20 to 40 minutes, including the signing of the register. The choice and arrangement of a venue (indoors or outdoors) rests with the couple.
While we generally have no concerns about most venue locations, we do
reserve the right to refuse to officiate at locations that are inappropriate or
unbefitting the occasion being celebrated.
8. May we take pictures
during the ceremony? Can music be
played?
Yes,
pictures and video may be taken at any time. And yes, music can be played.
While we do not supply the music, please arrange all these details ahead
of time with the officiant during your preparation meeting.
Creative Marriage Celebrations has an extensive library of assorted readings
and music that we will gladly discuss and share with you during the preparation
meeting.
9. What type of ceremony
do you perform?
Creative Marriage Celebrations
performs ceremonies that reflect the
couple’s choices and desires. It
can be faith based or secular. All elements of the ceremony are thoroughly
discussed with the couple in the preparation meeting. Remember,
this is YOUR DAY and you get to choose HOW you want it celebrated!
10. May we write our own vows and have
friends read?
Yes,
you may expand upon the Officiant's vows and read you own personal vows to one
another. In addition, you may
choose to include readings of your choice throughout the ceremony. We strongly
encourage as many persons as possible to participate in this memorable day.
11. What will we receive after the
ceremony?
Following
the ceremony, you will receive from us a "Record of Solemnization of
Marriage".
The Form 7 section of your license will be mailed by Creative Marriage
Celebrations
the same day to the Office of the Registrar General in
|
You receive this after the marriage celebration |
You apply for this 90 days after the marriage celebration |
|
|
|
12. Do we have to
change our name after the marriage? If
so, how? Can we keep our name or
combine them as one?
You
do not have to change your surnames after marriage; you can keep your original
surnames. However, if
you choose, you
may assume your spouse’s surname or a combination (hyphenated surname), simply
by using it. In fact, most communities and organizations accept this practice
with proof of marriage (Record of Solemnization of Marriage).
This is not the
same as a formal (legal) change of name and does not change the name on your
birth certificate. If you wish to revert to your legal name, you simply revert
back.
Individuals may
choose to ‘legally’ change their surname
(family name) or a combination (hyphenated surname) as a result of marriage by
filling out an Election Change of Name form. There is no fee for this type
of name change, if it is made at the time of the marriage.
Please be aware that if you elect to legally change your name and were born in
Ontario, this type of name change will result in changing your surname on your
birth certificate (it will appear as if you were born with your married name).
If you wish to revert back to your previous name at any time, you will need to
contact the Office of the Registrar General. Please refer to the previously cited web site for The Ontario
Ministry of Business and Consumer Services for more detailed information.
13
Wedding rings are not a requirement for a
marriage celebration. The Egyptians are credited with the origin of the wedding
ring some 4,800 years. Twisting plant material such as hemp into rings and
bracelets, they believed, was linked to an immortal love with no end. These
rings were worn on the fourth finger of the left hand based on a belief in vena
amoris, or love vein. It was believed that this vein connected directly from
that finger to the heart, thereby linking the couple's destiny.
The
Romans took a less romantic approach. Their iron wedding bands were not a symbol
of love, but signified a binding legal agreement of ownership by their husbands,
who regarded rings as tokens of purchase. As with the Egyptians, the Romans
believed in vena amoris and wore the bands on the fourth finger of their left
hand
14.
Will our marriage in
For heterosexual couples married in
However, for same sex couples married in
15. Why doesn't Creative Marriage Celebrations require a deposit when booking with them?
Creative Marriage Celebrations does not require a deposit when booking a marriage celebration to assist in eliminating unnecessary financial worries for engaged couples who might have to reschedule or postpone their marriage. There is enough of a financial loss suffered in such situations without the marriage officiant fee adding to their concerns.
16. Are traditional rehearsals required for a marriage celebration with Creative Marriage Celebrations?
The vast majority of marriage celebrations we officiate are usually for small, intimate gatherings of friends and family. More and more couples are frequently choosing this approach in lieu of the larger, more traditional style marriage celebrations. In these cases a very detailed discussion and understanding of the marriage celebration format occurs during the planning meeting and does not require a rehearsal. That being said, if couples would like a more traditional style marriage celebration including a ‘rehearsal’ (often to satisfy mom and the traditionalists), then a rehearsal can be arranged.
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
