Marriages

Officiant Services

The Municipality of Grey Highlands now offers Civil Marriage Ceremonies.  Ceremonies are held in Council  Chambers at 206 Toronto Street South Markdale on the last Friday of each month and are performed by the Clerk or designate.  Alternate times and locations may be available upon request and at the availability of the Officiant.

Application for Civil Marriage Services - Please complete the form and return only page 2 along with the $60 deposit to book a civil marriage ceremony. Sample ceremony options are included for your reference. Please be prepared with your chosen options on the date of your pre-consultation. 

All ceremonies require a pre-wedding consultation prior to the ceremony, usually arranged approximately 2-4 weeks prior to the wedding date. For consultations, couples must come prepared with the following:

• A valid marriage licence (date issued must be within 3 months of ceremony and may be obtained during the pre-consultation meeting)  

• Two pieces of Government ID per applicant (one photo)

• Payment for service

• Names and addresses of two witnesses

* Please note that any Civil Marriage Ceremony performed by Marriage Officiants will be a non-denominational and dignified ceremony, which adheres to the requirements of the Marriage Act for the Province of Ontario. The Municipality of Grey Highlands has appointed the Clerk and/or designates to solemnize civil marriages in the Province of Ontario.

The base fee for a civil marriage ceremony is $300.00 which includes pre-consultation meeting and the ceremony.  Marriage licences obtained by the Municipality of Grey Highlands are $150.00.  Bundle your licence and ceremony together and save $50.00.

For more information or additional options related to ceremonies, please view the information document or contact the Clerk's Office.  

Marriage Licence

Marriage licence application forms must be submitted in person by at least one of the individuals getting married. The application form must be signed by both parties and two pieces of government issued identification for each party are required along with copies of any divorce orders if applicable.  

Marriage licences are submitted and issued at the Grey Highlands Municipal Office.  

Fees*

Marriage Licence Only - $150 (no tax)

Civil Marriage Ceremony - $339.00 (tax included) (Officiant service and pre-consultation only)

Bundle - licence and ceremony - $439.00 (tax included)

* Fees subject to change, please see the Fees and Charges By-law for current fees.

After the Wedding:

Obtaining your Marriage Certificate 

After the wedding, your officiant will supply you with a record of solemnization and will submit your completed and signed Marriage License to Service Ontario on your behalf so the marriage can be registered. You can order a marriage certificate about 6-8 weeks after the wedding. 

To order a marriage certificate for a marriage that was registered in Ontario, you can order online at: Online Certificate Application (gov.on.ca). 

For more information, please see the Government of Ontario website: How to get a copy of an Ontario marriage certificate online | Ontario.ca

Assuming your Spouse's Last Name 

You can assume your spouse’s last name after marriage on government documents such as:

• health card
• driver’s licence
• Ontario Photo Card
• enhanced driver’s licence

There is no cost to assume your spouse’s last name on the above documents. When you assume a spouse’s last name after marriage, it does not change the name on your Ontario birth registration (and birth certificate). You should change all your identification documents to reflect the new last name.

To change your last name on these documents, visit a ServiceOntario centre with your:

• marriage certificate
  • this is not the “Record of Solemnization of Marriage” given to you by the person who performed your marriage
  • you must apply for a certificate as one is not issued to you automatically
• current photo health card (if you do not have a photo health card, you must bring 3 original documents to prove you are a Canadian citizen and Ontario resident)
• driver’s licence, enhanced driver’s licence or Ontario Photo Card

When updating your last name on documents issued by other organizations, contact each organization that you have an account with and ask what they require to make the change. Most organizations will ask you to show a copy of your marriage certificate.