Marriage & Civil Ceremonies | Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula

You must have a marriage licence before you can be legally married in the Province of Ontario. You can apply for a marriage licence or civil marriage solemnization at the Municipal Office. Marriage certificates and name changes are issued by the Province of Ontario.

To schedule an appointment to obtain a marriage licence please contact the Clerk's Department at 1-833-793-3537 ext. 236 or by email. An appointment is recommended to ensure authorized staff is available to meet with you.

Application

You must complete a Marriage Licence Application Form. It must be signed by both parties to the marriage. The original application must be provided at your appointment. Faxed or scanned forms are not accepted.

Appointment Requirements

At least one of the applicants must be present in order to obtain the marriage licence.

You must bring:

the original application;
the fee (cash, cheque or debit) $140;
2 pieces of government issued identification for each applicant.

One piece of identification must include your photo. Examples of government issued identification are:

government issued birth certificate, including any change of name certificates;
valid passport;
record of immigrant landing;
Canadian Citizenship Card;
valid Driver's Licence.

We are unable to accept a Health Card as identification in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act.

If either applicant is divorced, please see the requirements for Marriage After Divorce below.

If a person is under the age of 18, consent from both parents is required using Form 6 – Consent to Marriage – Sworn Affidavit. Further information regarding underage applicants is available from the Clerk.

Marriage After Divorce

Canadian divorce

Where an applicant has been divorced, and the divorce was granted in Canada, you will need to bring official proof of the divorce with you when you apply for the marriage licence. This can be the original or court-certified copy of one of three documents:

the final decree;
the final judgement;
a certificate of divorce.

Out-of-country divorce

If you were divorced outside of Canada, you will need to provide certain documents to prove that you are no longer married. The government needs to validate these documents. This process can take up to 4 weeks. Please visit Service Ontario for details on what is required.

Issuance of Licence

The marriage licence will be issued at the appointment, provided all documentation is complete.

You will be required to certify information under oath. If you do not understand or are not able to read English, you must bring an interpreter to assist you.

The marriage licence is valid only in the Province of Ontario and for a period of three months from the date of issue.

The issuer of the licence is responsible to ensure all requirements of the Marriage Act are fulfilled and has the authority to not issue a licence if warranted.

Civil Ceremonies

Getting Married

The Municipality of Northern Bruce offers Civil Ceremonies for couples wishing to marry in a non-religious ceremony. Our Marriage Commissioners are delighted to perform your wedding ceremony at any reasonable location of your choice. Planning a wedding can be a fun and challenging experience. Together with you, they will design a ceremony that will make your special day one to remember.

The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula can help you check a few tasks off your long to-do list. We can even help you find the perfect venue for your special day.

We offer marriage commissioners who can perform civil wedding ceremonies throughout the area. To book a civil wedding ceremony, contact the Municipal Clerk or designate. If possible, please submit your request for a Civil Marriage Ceremony at least seven days before the date of the Ceremony. Depending on availability, we may be able to conduct same day services.

Marriage Commissioners for the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula

Meet your Commissioners

Cathy Addison

Cathy has lived on the peninsula all her life and has been employed by the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula for over 25 years.

Cathy has been a certified to perform civil wedding ceremonies since, June 2007.

Cathy conducted her first personalized wedding in July 2007 on the shores of Georgian Bay. She has now performed over 250 special and meaningful ceremonies in all types of different settings from the grotto at Bruce Peninsula National Park, to ceremonies on board boats off the coast of Tobermory. Beach settings, sunset backgrounds or in your backyard, Cathy can accommodate your perfect location.

Cathy looks forward to hearing from you to set up a time to discuss and create that perfect ceremony you have always dreamed of, that expresses the nature of your love in a truly personal way in your chosen unique setting.

Peggy Van Mierlo-West

Peggy moved to the area in 2020 to continue her professional career as a CAO for the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula.

Her depth of background, people orientation, and understanding of the importance of family and marriage relationships, enables her to bring a warm, thoughtful, caring approach to your wedding day. Her wide experience with public presentations and ceremony, combined with her flexibility and creativity, will result in a very personal, meaningful wedding event.

Working together, your wedding day will be a reflection of your love story and your dreams. Peggy looks forward to being a part of your joyous occasion and help make your day unforgettable.

Once you have selected a Marriage Commissioner, please complete and submit the Marriage Commissioner Booking Form.

Marriage Commissioner Booking Form

Marriage Certificate & Name Changes

You can order a marriage certificate online at Service Ontario or complete a Request for a Marriage Certificate and mail it to the address indicated on the form.

A marriage certificate is the legal record of a marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of people who were married.

A record of solemnization is not the same as a marriage certificate.

For information on name changes after marriage, please visit Service Ontario.