Getting Married in Aylmer

Any person over the age of 16 years old may get married in the Province of Ontario regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, residency, primary language or health; however, there are additional requirements for Applicants under the age of 18 years old and for those Applicants who do not read, write or understand English. For more information on age requirements for marriage, please see the Age Requirements for Marriage tab, and for information on language requirements, please see the Language Requirements for Marriage tab.

In the Province of Ontario, Applicants over the age of 16 and under the age of 18 years old require consent from their guardians in order to get married. In order to grant consent, guardians for underage Applicant(s) must be in attendance with the Applicant(s) when the marriage licence is issued, as well as must provide valid government-issued photo ID and a completed Consent of Parent or Guardian to Marriage form granting the Applicant consent to marry.

In situations where one guardian has custody of an Applicant, the guardian must present the original custody papers outlining the custody arrangement.

In situations where an Applicant is adopted, the guardian must present the original adoption papers finalizing the adoption.

You can access a fillable and printable Consent of Parent or Guardian to Marriage form by clicking here. If you prefer to complete a hard copy, or do not have access to a printer, forms are also available from the front office at Town Hall.

Applicants who do not read, write or understand English will require an interpreter to assist them during their marriage licence appointment. Applicants are required to provide their own interpreters who must sign an affidavit and provide government-issued photo ID.

If Applicants are submitting documents with their marriage licence application that are in a language other than English, the Applicants are required to provide a translated version of each document completed by a certified translator, as well as the original document.

A directory of certified translators in Ontario can be found here.

Yes, you can; however, additional documents are required to process your marriage licence application.

If your previous marriage was dissolved or annulled within Canada, you must present an original or certified copy of the Certificate of Divorce as proof of divorce when you apply for your marriage licence. If you do not have a Certificate of Divorce or have misplaced it, you may obtain one from the court which granted the divorce. Please note that an Order of Divorce is not accepted as proof of divorce.

If your previous marriage was dissolved or annulled outside of Canada, you must apply for a Foreign Divorce Authorization from the Province of Ontario before you can be issued a marriage licence. To apply for a Foreign Divorce Authorization, you will need to send the following documents to ServiceOntario:

• A completed and signed marriage licence application
• A statement of sole responsibility for each divorce signed by both Applicants and a witness
• A legal opinion letter from an Ontario lawyer addressed to both Applicants, giving the reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in Ontario
• An original or certified copy of the divorce decree or annulment in English or French –  If the divorce decree of annulment document is in another language, a translated copy in either English or French with an affidavit sworn by a certified translator must be submitted with the original document.

For more information on the requirements for a Foreign Divorce Authorization, find it here.

Yes, you can. If your prior spouse is deceased, you are not required to submit proof of death when applying for a marriage licence.

If you have legally changed your name, you are permitted to use that name on all legal documents including a marriage licence application. If you have not legally changed your name, you are required to sign your current legal name on all official paperwork.

Following a wedding ceremony, the Applicants, their Witnesses and the Officiant sign the Record of Solemnization, the Statement of Marriage and the Marriage Register. The Officiant is responsible for sending the Statement of Marriage to the Office of the Registrar within two (2) business days of the civil ceremony to register the marriage with the Province of Ontario. Please note that it takes approximately 6-8 weeks for the Province to register a marriage. Wait times may vary.

To order your Marriage Certificate, you must complete a Marriage Certificate Request Form and submit payment to the Province. Forms can be requested from the Town of Aylmer Town Hall office, in-person at Service Ontario or online here.

Civil ceremony services are offered Tuesday to Friday, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, holidays excluded. Requests for civil marriage ceremonies to be held on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday are approved at the discretion of the Officiant.

Civil marriage ceremonies take approximately between 5 and 20 minutes to conduct depending on the vows selected. Plan to arrive approximately 10 minutes prior to the scheduled ceremony time to allow time to review any final details. Please also be mindful to tell any guests that the ceremony must start on time.

While the Town of Aylmer will do its best to accommodate couples on short notice, advance notice is preferred when booking a civil ceremony. It is at the discretion of the Officiant whether the Officiant will perform a civil ceremony on the same day that the request is made.

Civil marriage ceremonies may be performed in the following locations:

Civil Ceremony Chamber (46 Talbot St W, Aylmer, ON)
Can accommodate 12 guests seated, with additional standing space for 6 guests.

Council Chambers (25 Centre St, Aylmer, ON)
Can accommodate 20 guests seated.

Cenotaph Gazebo (Adjacent to 46 Talbot St W, Aylmer, ON)
Can accommodate 20 guests standing, with limited seating for guests with mobility or physical limitations.

Alternate Locations
Alternate locations proposed by Applicants are approved at the discretion of the Officiant. If the proposed location is outside of the boundary of the Town of Aylmer, there is an additional $50.00 charge for travel expenses to the venue. For civil ceremonies occurring outside of the regular hours of operation of the Town of Aylmer Town Hall, an alternate venue must be provided by the Applicants.

The cost of a civil ceremony in the Town of Aylmer is $300.00 + applicable taxes ($339.00), payable by cash or debit. As noted elsewhere, if the location of the civil ceremony is outside of the Town of Aylmer, an additional $50.00 is charged for travel expenses bringing the total to $350.00 + applicable taxes ($395.50).

Payment can be made on the day of the ceremony provided it is scheduled during the Town of Aylmer Town Hall’s regular hours of operation and is held in a Town of Aylmer ceremony space. Ceremonies scheduled outside of regular hours of operation and/or in an alternate location must be paid for in advance of the ceremony.

All fees are subject to change based on revisions to the Town of Aylmer’s Fees & Charges By-Law. Please confirm all fees with the Officiant before booking your civil ceremony.

If a couple is unable to secure witnesses, the Town may supply them upon request for an additional $50.00 + applicable taxes per witness. Please note that this option is only available to civil ceremonies taking place in the Town of Aylmer’s Civil Ceremony Chamber, Council Chambers and Cenotaph Gazebo and is only available during regular business hours.

If you or your partner do not understand English, you will require the services of an interpreter. Interpreters must not be related to either partner, and must be willing to present government-issued photo ID and sign an affidavit stating that they will interpret the civil ceremony correctly and as per requirements.

At the Town of Aylmer, our community and residents can expect to be affirmed, included, and celebrated no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We believe that everyone should have the right to marry and have their love celebrated. The Town of Aylmer is committed to providing an inclusive and safe space for celebrating your commitment to one another through marriage.

If you have legally changed your name, you are permitted to use that name on all documents and during the civil ceremony. If you have not legally changed your name, you are required to sign your legal name on all official paperwork; however, you are permitted to use your chosen name during the ceremony. Please advise the Officiant of how you wish to be addressed, including your pronouns.

The Officiant is not permitted to perform any type of religious or spiritual ceremony in keeping with the spirit of the Ontario Marriage Act, which requires that civil ceremonies be non-denominational. Readings or blessings, however, may be read or performed by someone other than the Officiant. Please advise the Officiant at the time of booking if you wish to include a reading or blessing in your civil ceremony.

Music is permitted at certain times during the ceremony and is to be determined in advance of the ceremony. When selecting the type of music, consideration should be given to its appropriateness and contribution to the dignity of the occasion. It is the responsibility of the couple to supply the music and audio playback device for the ceremony. Please indicate if you would like music as part of your ceremony when communicating with the Officiant.

When using a Town of Aylmer civil ceremony space, minimal decorations are permitted. The use of decorations that are affixed to the walls, ceilings or furniture are not permitted; however, freestanding decorations are permitted. Please also note that candles, confetti, rice, or bubbles are not permitted.

Decorations may be placed in the ceremony space 15 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin and must be removed within 15 minutes of the conclusion of the ceremony. Special setup and takedown arrangements may be made with the Officiant, at the discretion of the Officiant.

The Town of Aylmer can provide minimal decorations or supplies upon request (table cloth, faux flower centerpiece, vase & flameless candle, camera tripod, easel). Please indicate if these items are requested when communicating with the Officiant.