Q. What is a Marriage Commissioner?
Marriage Commissioner is appointed by the Alberta government and is able to perform civil ceremonies (as opposed to a religious ceremony performed by clergy). People often refer to us as “Justice of the Peace”, but the two positions were separated some time ago.
Q. What do you need from us?
In a nutshell, I need the date and time of your ceremony, it’s location, the couple’s full legal names, addresses and phone numbers, the legal names, phone numbers and addresses of 2 witnesses over the age of 18, a Marriage License dated within 3 months of the date of your wedding and the fee associated with your requested ceremony type! That is it. Truly. All of the rest of the ceremony details are up to you! I am able to make your wedding as simple or as elaborate as you want!
Q. What are your fees?
My rates vary depending on what types of ceremony you want, the location of your wedding and any extras! Check out my “Fees and Services” page for more information!
Q. Do you require a deposit?
No. Following the chaos of Covid, I scrapped the idea of a deposit. Once we have agreed on the booking you are considered booked and I ask that the full amount due is paid by the day before the ceremony.
Q. What if I need to cancel?
If you cancel, that would stink for you more than it would for me. Any amounts paid prior to you cancelling would be paid back in full.
Q. We are doing a destination wedding and just want to make it legal here in Alberta. We don’t want the legal ceremony to overshadow our real ceremony. What are our options?
I usually customize my ceremonies to suit the couples requests. By law, you are required to make 2 legal statements to one another, so it can literally be as simple as that! I also have a lovely office space that we can use for no additional cost if you don’t want to do it in your home.
Q. How do I obtain a Marriage License?
You must present a valid marriage license prior to getting married. Licenses can be obtained from a Registry Office and both people wanting to get married will need to attend. You both are required to provide picture ID, a Decree of Divorce (if you have been married before) and need to know the dates of birth and location of birth for both sets of parents. The cost is approximately $70 + tax, but can vary from office to office. Once purchased, you have three months from the date to get married. DO NOT complete any part of the Marriage License prior to giving it to your Marriage Commissioner and make sure that the document is kept in good condition and not folded as the document will be permanently archived.
Q. What is a Civil Marriage Statement?
Following your ceremony, the Marriage Commissioner will give you a certificate called the Marriage Statement. It is a legal document that can be used to order a Marriage Certificate, change names, etc.