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3D Pink Flower

Legal Facts

Registered Marriage Officiants
Before you get married
Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario

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.

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There are two types of marriages in Ontario. 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 10-12 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.

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