Legal Facts
Did you know?:
There are only three groups of people who can legally solemnize a wedding ceremony in Ontario: a Registered Religious Official, an Ontario Municipal Clerk/Designate, or a Judge/Justice of the Peace. Please see “Before you get married” link below.
There are two types of marriages in Ontario. Here is a quote from the Service Ontario website:
To ensure that your marriage is performed properly and legally, an authorized official needs to marry you. There are 2 types of marriage ceremonies performed in Ontario:
Religious marriage: a recognized religious official marries you. Check the religious marriage Officiants list to ensure that the officiant you are interested in hiring is authorized to perform a marriage in Ontario.
Civil marriage: a judge, justice of the peace or authorized municipal clerk marries you, often at a local municipal office or city hall. Find a local city hall, town hall or municipal office
The officiant is the only professional of the day you MUST have. No officiant means no wedding.
There are people in Ontario who are unlicensed but still performing weddings. Always confirm that the officiant you have chosen has a licence to marry in the province.
A marriage certifcate will not automatically be mailed to you by the marriage office, you are required to order one.
A marriage certificate is an official record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married.
A record of solemnization of marriage is not the same as a marriage certificate.
Before you can get a marriage certificate, a marriage needs to be registered. The official who performed the marriage will do this by sending a complete and signed marriage licence to Service Ontario.
You can order a marriage certificate about 6-8 weeks after this happens.
I always recommend you order a long version of the marriage certificate.
I am a Religious Official that is involved in an organization that encourages couples to choose their own ceremony content. We desire that the ceremony be a reflection of your love and commitment to each other, not a particular religion.
I am licenced with a government-recognized denomination.
For legal confirmation my name can be found on the Service Ontario website.
Helpful Links:
Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario