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Your Wedding Ceremony Part I

October 21st, 2011

Happy Friday! Today I wanted to chat about a piece of your wedding that sometimes gets overlooked. I also think it happens to be the most important part of the WHOLE day. That’s right, it’s your ceremony. We’re going to spend the next week focusing on your ceremony and chat about legal requirements, content, decor,  and ways you can make your ceremony uniquely you!

Photo Credit: Catherine Farquharson

Let’s start with the legal requirements you need to be aware of to have an Alberta Wedding Ceremony ! ( on a side note, for my Emerald Lake Lodge Brides, there is a whole different set of requirements in British Columbia!)

1. Get a marriage license.

Head over to an Alberta Registry Agent for this requirement. You can do this up to 3 months before your wedding. There is no waiting period, so you can also get it 10 minutes before your ceremony ( although I really don’t recommend that approach). To get this license you will require valid government issued ID, and the knowledge of  both of your parents full names and where they were born. You also have to be 18, be sure you aren’t related (no kidding) or already married, you’re not drunk, and that you both show up to get the license.  Oh, and you’ll need $125.00.By the way, there is no blood test requirement in Alberta.

2. Sign the Marriage registry

You’ll get this with your license, and your commissioner or clergy will ask you for it before you ceremony. I learned recently that the registry signing is not common in US ceremonies, but up in Canada, we almost always include it within the ceremony.

3. Have 2 witnesses to sign the registry with you

You don’t actually need to know these people, they just need to be 18 ( although they can be related!). If you are eloping, your wedding planner and photographer can serve as witnesses.

4. Say the following phrases within your marriage ceremony

a)I do solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, (name) may not be joined in matrimony to (name)

b)I call upon those persons present to witness that I, (name), do take thee, (name) to be my lawful wedded wife/husband/spouse

5. A registered Officiant or clergy member must marry you.

There are TONS of fabulous marriage commissioners in the Canmore/Banff/Calgary area. There are also some wonderful reverends, priests, and other clergy members.  I know what you are going to ask next – can my friend get ordained in the church of temporary wedding officiants and marry us? Well, kind of. It’s not easy. Your friend must be 18 and a resident of Alberta.  The tough part – you MUST prove that there is no other marriage commissioner available to marry you. The form actually includes a list of all of the commissioners you  contacted, and the reason they can’t marry you. Perhaps if you are getting married underwater and you can’t find a commissioner with a dive certificate this might work.  Here’s the form if you are interested!

6. Crazy this but…

You must also both be present to get married.  Who would have thought?

. . .

Ok, that’s all the legal stuff.  Not exactly fun, but very necessary. Over the next week I’m going to touch on the actual content of a ceremony, what decor you might want to consider, and some really unique ideas of come across over the past few years!

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Ceremony