getting legally married in ontario

Did you know:

  • There are only three groups of people who can legally solemnize a wedding ceremony in Ontario. Religious Official, Ontario Municipal Clerk/Designate, Judge/Justice of the Peace. See before you get married fact sheet (pdf)
  • 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. Registered Marriage Officiants

Civil marriage: a judge, justice of the peace or authorized municipal clerk marries you, often at a local municipal office or city hall.

  • On your wedding day you have a wedding themed party until the officiant shows up.
  • The officiant is the only professional of the day you MUST have. No officiant = no wedding.
  • There are people in Ontario acting fraudulently masquerading as Wedding Officiants. Always confirm that the officiant you have chosen has a licence to marry in the province.
  • A marriage certificate will not automatically be mailed to you by the marriage office, you are required to order one.
  • A marriage certificate is a 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.
  • If you are unsure if you need a file sized certificate or certified certificate, please check with the Ministry, government agency, or person requesting the document before you order.

Helpful Links:

Getting married in Ontario fact sheet pdf

Before getting married - Service Ontario

Requirements Respecting Marriage in Ontario pdf

Who is allowed to perform marriages in Ontario

Getting remarried in Ontario after a divorce