The Marriage License

The number one thing you need to get right when planning your wedding, is getting your marriage license! If that gets screwed up, you have no wedding. So here is some interesting information that you should be aware of…..

In Canada, there are few requirements for getting married. You need a marriage license, someone authorized to perform the ceremony, and two witnesses. Medical tests are not needed to get married anywhere in Canada.

Let’s first talk about the marriage license. Every province has different requirements for obtaining a marriage license. In some provinces, the couple need to go together to get their marriage license. In other provinces, the bride or groom can go to get the marriage license without their partner present.

Provincial requirements to obtain a marriage license vary, but can include:

• proof of age or birth certificate
• proof of divorce
• photo identification
• proof of death of a previous spouse
• date of marriage and who is going to perform it
• immigration documents
• social insurance number
• full names and place of birth for both sets of parents

When supplying a proof of divorce, some provinces need ‘certified final proof’ or ‘certified final divorce papers’. Often these need to be original copies, and if you don’t have original copies it can take up to 2 months to get a court certified copy. If you have been divorced outside of Canada, some provinces require a letter from a lawyer that says they are eligible to be married in that province.

Proof of death of a previous spouse is usually a death certificate, but some provinces allow a newspaper clipping.

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