Marriage
Town of Amherstburg Civil Marriage Ceremony
The Town of Amherstburg offers Civil Marriage Ceremonies at Town Hall 271 Sandwich St. S, Amherstburg, ON N9V 2A5.
The Town of Amherstburg, through By-Law 2017-101, and the Town Clerks authority offer two (2) qualified Marriage Commissioners that have been designated and trained to conduct Civil Marriages for the Town of Amherstburg, and would act as Officiators to solemnize the ceremony. The civil marriage service will be a non-denominational and solemn ceremony, adhering to the requirements of the Marriage Act.
Obtaining the Marriage Licence
Both applicants must sign the Marriage Licence application form. A Marriage Licence can be issued to one or both of the applicants. One applicant to the marriage may submit the completed
application form provided that the required original identification and documentation for the absent applicant is presented.
Hours of Service
Ceremonies are available from 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. Services are offered upon availability.
The civil ceremony usually lasts approximately 30 minutes. The service time booked should be approximately one (1) hour to allow for photo opportunities. Photographers and/or videographers are allowed during the ceremony.
Please note that same day service for civil ceremonies is NOT available.
Location of Marriage
Ceremonies can be held in the Council Chambers which can accommodate approximately 40 people.
Ceremony Booking Process
The couple must attend a booking meeting with the Licensing Officer prior to the ceremony. During the meeting, the couple will choose their vows and provide the details of their ceremony. The marriage licence will also be reviewed and prepared.
To book the meeting, please contact the Licensing Officer at 519-736-0012, extension 2219. The meeting will last approximately 1 hour and the booking agreement will be signed.
Ceremonies must be booked in person at Town Hall during office hours, 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday. All ceremonies must be paid for in full (cash or debit only) during the booking.
Required Identification
Original identification for both applicants is required. Two (2) pieces of identification MUST be provided for both parties confirming full name, birth date, and signature.
First piece of identification must be one of the following:
- Birth Certificate
- Current Passport (must show your first name, middle name, and last name)
- Record of Immigrant Landing
- Canadian Citizenship Card
Second piece of identification must be a photo ID such as:
- Driver's Licence
- Current Passport (providing it is not used as the first piece of identification)
Note: All documents must be valid originals, not photocopies. This identification must be provided for both individuals. Documents in a language other than English must be translated by a certified translator.
Marriage After Divorce
If there was a previous marriage and the divorce was dissolved or annulled in Canada you are required to provide the original Certificate of Divorce or Court Certified Copy of the final decree or certificate of divorce. A copy can only be certified by the Court who granted the divorce. A photocopy that has been certified by the court will not be accepted.
Divorced Outside Canada
If you were divorced outside of Canada, the applicant must obtain authorization from the Office of the Registrar General before a Marriage Licence can be issued. Please consult with the Clerk's
Office or an Ontario lawyer for information regarding this procedure as it may take several weeks. Further information on this divorce process can be found on the Provincial website at www.serviceontario.ca.
Widowed Applicants
When an Applicant is a widow/widower, the original Death Certificate or Funeral Director's Statement of Death is required when purchasing a Marriage Licence.
Fees
During regular office hours (8:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri) $305.00
Additional costs:
Marriage Licence $145.00
*all prices listed include HST*
All ceremonies must be paid in full prior to the civil ceremony.
Cancellations
- No refund will be given to couples who cancel the marriage ceremony or fail to appear the day of the ceremony.
- Marriage Licenses are non-refundable.
Eligibility/ Requirements
A Marriage Licence is required to be married in Ontario. Couples must purchase a valid Ontario Marriage Licence within 3 months of the date of marriage. A Marriage Licence may be purchased at the Town Hall during the ceremony booking meeting. You can find more information on requirements for a Marriage Licence as well as the marriage licence application below, under the Related Links section.
If the Marriage Licence is purchased from another municipality, it must be provided to the officiator no later than one week prior to the marriage ceremony.
Couples are required to provide two witnesses. There is no set minimum age for a person to be a witness to a civil ceremony; the officiator for the ceremony must be satisfied that the witness understands what he/she is signing.
Couples are also responsible for providing a language interpreter, if required, for any language other than English. The persons being married cannot act as the interpreter for the ceremony or cannot be a witness to either party.
Marriage Ineligibility
The Town of Amherstburg Marriage Commissioners will not solemnize the marriage of any person who he or she knows or has reasonable grounds to believe lacks capacity to marry. Circumstances rendering a person ineligible for the civil marriage include:
- One or both parties are under physical or mental duress
- One or both parties fail to meet the age requirements (both parties must be at least 18 years old to get married in Ontario. Parties who are 16 or 17 years old may marry only if they have consent in writing of both parents)
- The parties are related as grandparent, parent, child, grandchild, brother or sister
- One or both parties are currently married
- One or both parties are mentally ill or under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs and incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties, obligations and responsibilities that result from marriage. If the person solemnizing a marriage has any doubts as to the mental capacity of the parties, or one of the parties, he/she may refuse to perform the ceremony.
Inclusive Ceremonies
The Town of Amherstburg offers civil marriage services to all eligible couples, following the June 10, 2003, Ontario Court of Appeal decision, making same-sex marriages legal in Ontario.
Related Links
