FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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 licence and is there a waiting period before getting married?

You may obtain a marriage licence at any City Hall within the province of Ontario. You can download an application form or obtain further information from: The Service Ontario web site by clicking here. Your marriage licence is valid for 90 days. In most cases, you will fill out an application and receive a marriage licence. 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 licence and actually marrying.

Two pieces of valid identification for each applicant are required (photocopies are not acceptable).

o Records of immigrant landing or Canadian citizenship card, along with photo identification. (Certificates of Naturalization are NOT accepted.)

3. Do we need to have a marriage licence before we can book a wedding date with Civil Marriage Celebrations?

No, you do not need to have a marriage licence to schedule a date with Civil Marriage Celebrations. However, you must have a valid marriage licence with you on the day of your wedding ceremony, otherwise the marriage cannot take place. For this reason, we require that the licence be in our possession from our preparation meeting onwards. This ensures that we have the licence 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 licence. 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 licence. 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 licence 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 Civil 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 licence, Civil 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).

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. Civil Marriage Celebrations has an extensive library of assorted readings and music that we will gladly discuss and share with you during the preparation meeting.

Civil 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!

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.

Following the ceremony, you will receive from us a "Record of Solemnization of Marriage".
The Form 7 section of your licence will be mailed by Civil Marriage Celebrations the same day to the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay for registration. After 12 weeks, you may request an official Certificate of Marriage from them. This is NOT sent to you automatically by the province. It must be applied for with the exact information as it is recorded on your Record of Solemnization of Marriage (I suggest you send in a copy of your Record of Solemnization of Marriage with the application to the province.) To apply for it, contact Service Ontario web site by clicking here

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.

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.

For heterosexual couples married in Canada , their civil marriage will be recognized throughout the world.

However, for same sex couples married in Canada , while the marriage is recognized in Canada , it might not be recognized in the couple’s home jurisdiction. This is not to say that they ARE NOT validly and lawfully married; they are. It just might not be recognized as such where they live.

As world-wide debate on the topic of same sex marriages continues, there is significant progress in terms of ‘recognition’. Many legal scholars on this matter believe there will be more and more countries granting lawful ‘recognition’ to same sex marriages conducted in other countries.

Same Sex Marriages Are:

Conducted nationally in: Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Norway, Sweden

[In the United States ] - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, District of Columbia (Washington DC)

Recognized (not conducted) in: Israel, and in New York State.

15. Why doesn't Civil Marriage Celebrations require a deposit when booking with them?

Civil 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 there advantages to civil marriage celebrations over church marriage celebrations?

While there is no official study to demonstrate that one celebration is better than the other, you be the judge…..click on this attachment to see what we mean…

17. Are traditional rehearsals required for a marriage celebration with Civil Marriage Celebrations?

I am unable to attend rehearsals because of the high number of marriages I officiate each year – many often on the same day. With 2 or 3 possible weddings on a given Saturday, it becomes problematic as to which rehearsal would I attend the night before. And, frequently, I am asked to officiate marriages on a Thursday and/or Friday night, making rehearsals for Saturday/Sunday weddings all but impossible.

When I meet with couples for their second “planning” meeting I ensure that they leave my home with a very clear understanding of how their marriage ceremony will occur. I email them the completed ceremony (in Word format) within 3-4 days after the planning meeting. That document details the entire ceremony from beginning to end, including the lineup and format for processing in and out.

I recognize that there are some who still believe in the importance and tradition of a rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner the night before their wedding. My absence does not preclude YOU from gathering your wedding party together before the BIG DAY and having your own rehearsal. You will already have the actual ceremony in your possession by then to guide you and then, afterwards, you can celebrate with food and drinks.

This being said, there might still be exceptional reasons to have me present for the rehearsal. In those exceptional circumstances I will only attend the rehearsal with the understanding that if I am subsequently requested to officiate a marriage on the same night as your rehearsal, the marriage request takes precedence. And, if your marriage rehearsal takes place outside of Windsor , a nominal fee of $50.00 will apply for my travel and time.

The fee for officiating marriages in Windsor/Essex County is $300.00, the same fee charged by Windsor City Hall for their evening and weekend weddings. For more information please click on this link CMC Fee.

You receive this after the marriage celebration	You apply for this 90 days after the marriage celebration