Weddings
Our lay chaplains are licensed by the Province of Ontario to perform marriage ceremonies. Each service is custom designed in collaboration with those who are directly involved. Trained and sponsored by the Canadian Unitarian Council, we respect all faith traditions and will be happy to work with you to reflect your own religious background, if you wish to do so. If you prefer an entirely non-religious ceremony, we can offer you a choice of many beautiful secular readings, vows and selections of poetry.
We enjoy working with engaged couples to help you create the perfect ceremony to express your relationship, your individuality and your decision to marry. Each couple is unique and we recognize that no one template ceremony will work for all couples. We look forward to offering you suggestions and guidance to help craft a ceremony that celebrates your love and hopes for the future on your Big Day.
Our role includes up to two meetings to be acquainted and plan a personalized service. You can be sure that we will include all legal requirements as well as your special requests to design a ceremony that you will enjoy and remember for the rest of your lives.
What to Expect
For weddings, our role includes up to two meetings to become acquainted and plan a personalized service. We provide many resources to help plan a ceremony that recognizes and honours your traditions and values.
On your wedding day:
Officiate at your service;
Sign the register and licence along with the wedding couple and two witnesses;
Keep a record of the marriage;
Send your marriage licence to the Registry Office.
We respect diversity and believe that legal marriage should be available for all. Unitarians have celebrated same sex unions for more than 30 years, and have been on the leading edge to make legal marriage available to everyone.
Ceremony Locations
The services may be held in a location of your choice:
in your home, a park, backyard garden
at a restaurant, a hotel, B & B, or a hall
at the Kingston Unitarian Fellowship (explore KUF room rentals)
Same-Sex Weddings
Unitarians affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We have provided Services of Union to same sex couples for many years before legal marriage was permitted. Since June 11 2003, same sex marriages have been legal in Ontario, following a June 10 2003 Ontario Court of Appeal decision. We welcome all couples and are delighted to work with you to fashion a ceremony that expresses your commitment and love for each other.
Testimonials
“So exciting! 29 years for the proposal, 2 years for the acceptance, moments for the joining, moments to carry forward for the next 31 years! Wow… you were terrific!”
— J & K
“We wanted to thank you for all of your hard work and dedication you put into making our wedding ceremony unforgettable. Anne, your presentation was lovely and your attention to detail made everything go flawlessly.”
— E & R
“Thank you so much for the awesome Job with the ceremony. Everyone said you made it just right for us. We really appreciate you helping us with our special day. Thanks again.”
— M & J
“Thank you for making our wedding ceremony a stress-free, beautiful moment in our lives. We think of the ceremony often and always comment on how perfect it was and how helpful and understanding you are.”
— J & L
“You made us feel very comfortable. I love that the ceremony was about the two of us – which is what a ceremony should be!”
— K & J
“We want to send an official note to thank you for all you did to make our wedding ceremony the perfect celebration for us. The words were so meaningful and authentic, and you delivered them with heart and ease. The entire process was so smooth and we are so happy to have a written copy of the ceremony. Thank you for being a wonderful part of an amazing day that we will never forget.”
— S & S
“We wanted to say a quick thank you for making our special day so memorable. Your guidance was exceptional and we were blown away with the ceremony in general. We would recommend your services to anyone looking for a dedicated and compassionate officiant.”
— N & A
“We’d like to thank you for providing a wonderful service. Thanks you for helping us find the perfect wording for the ceremony. A lot of our family commented on the service and how beautiful it was.”
— A & K
“Our ceremony was perfect – simple, intimate, emotional and real. Thank you for your role.”
— M & M-A
Requirements for a Legal Marriage in Ontario
The Marriage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.3, section 20 (1) states: “No person shall solemnize a marriage unless he or she is authorized by or under section 24 or is registered under this section as a person authorized to solemnize marriage.”
We are officiants licensed by the Province of Ontario to provide marriage services. We have received training from and are sponsored by the Canadian Unitarian Council. For the purpose of performing a marriage ceremony, we are legally equivalent to a Minister or Priest, Justice of the Peace, Judge or Marriage Commissioner.
Lay Chaplains are not members of the clergy but we are happy to work with you to incorporate your own faith tradition into your ceremony, if you wish. We can perform weddings anywhere in the Province of Ontario but we concentrate on eastern Ontario, especially Kingston and the surrounding area.
In Ontario, you may not be legally married by a friend or relative unless they are registered to perform a marriage under the Marriage Act. However, we are happy to include a friend or relative who wishes to be involved in your ceremony. They are very welcome to write special wishes to be read during the service, to offer another reading or special music or help to assist with any portion of the ceremony that does not include the required legal wording.
Marriage Licences
You must have a marriage license before a wedding ceremony can be performed. Marriage licenses are issued by local municipalities (Kingston, Napanee, Gananoque, Prince Edward County,) to all eligible couples. Use the links below to find where to get your marriage licence.