To get married in Ontario, you need a marriage licence, an authorized marriage officiant and two witnesses. Below is information to guide you, a family member, or a friend on how to get married in Ontario:
A marriage licence is required to get married in Ontario (or the publication of banns from a church).
To get a marriage licence, you will need to:
You should apply for a marriage licence within 90 days of the day you intend to be married.
Please visit Applying for a Marriage Licence for more details.
Please note that a marriage licence is different than a marriage certificate. A marriage licence is needed before your wedding ceremony. A marriage certificate is the document that you apply for from the Province of Ontario after your marriage ceremony that proves you are married.
Who can legally perform a marriage in Ontario?
You must have your marriage licence prior to your wedding ceremony. Do not hold a ceremony without a marriage licence (or the publication of banns).
Please note that a marriage licence is different than a marriage certificate. A marriage licence is needed before your wedding ceremony. A marriage certificate is the document that you apply for from the Province of Ontario after your marriage ceremony that proves you are married.
Your marriage must be performed by an officiant who is authorized by the Province of Ontario to properly and legally perform marriages. For a list of authorized officiants please visit Service Ontario.
The person marrying you will:
The City of Toronto is now piloting offering civil wedding ceremonies out of the North York Civic Centre! Please visit Having a Civil Wedding to book a consultation.
Two witnesses are needed to get married in Ontario. The witnesses must be physically present at the wedding ceremony.
If you are having a civil ceremony with the City of Toronto, a witness can be provided for a fee. Please see Having a Civil Wedding for more information.
Once you have your marriage licence, you can get married anywhere you like, as long as you have permission from the owner/tenants. Examples of where you can get married, include, but are not limited to your home or a friend’s home, a restaurant, a banquet hall, a place of worship, a municipal park, or several City of Toronto facilities.
The City has 3 wedding chambers located at the North York, Scarborough and York Civic Centres. Wedding chamber rentals are for a minimum of 30 minutes at a cost of $133.50 for each 30-minute booking. The rental is for the room only and does not include an authorized marriage officiant.
City museums and cultural centres represent a range of historical periods and architectural styles, many set within beautiful natural surroundings. Venues can be rented for a variety of functions including weddings and wedding photography.
The City has many beautiful sites for wedding ceremonies and photography, including indoor conservatories, parks and outdoor gardens.
A marriage certificate is a legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married.
Marriage certificates are issued by the Office of the Registrar General for the province of Ontario. You can order a Marriage Certificate through Service Ontario approximately 10-12 weeks from the date your marriage took place.
Please see Obtaining a Marriage Certificate for more information.