Civil Marriage Ceremonies
Photo Gallery: Civil Marriage Ceremonies will appear here on the public site.
Effective January 14, the City of Oshawa will enter a stay-at-home order in addition to the already in effect province-wide shutdown as a result:
• Civil marriage ceremony bookings and the ability to issue marriage licences are suspended until further notice.
• Visit COVID-19 Information & Updates for information about what's open, closed and changes to City services.
| Officiant |
| Maggie Cavalier has been officiating civil marriage ceremonies for many years. Maggie will help to ensure your ceremony is worry free. |
| Venue |
| The fully accessible Council Chamber at Oshawa City Hall is modest but tastefully decorated and can accommodate up to 100 guests. Attendees can use nearby paid parking behind the Oshawa Public Library McLaughlin Branch, on-street or in the Centre Street Parkade. |
| Service |
| The City provides 4 scripts for couples to choose from (see below). Your booking will include use of the Council Chamber for 45 minutes. It is anticipated that your service will take about 20 minutes. Music appropriate to the occasion as approved by the Officiant and provided by the applicants is permitted. Photography and/or videography are allowed before, during or after the ceremony. |
| Marriage Licence |
| Applicants are required to obtain a marriage licence at least 1 month prior to ceremony. More marriage licence information. |
| Applying for a Ceremony |
| The City of Oshawa is pleased to offer civil marriage services to those who are looking for a simple but tasteful non-religious ceremony. Ceremonies take place in the Council Chamber at Oshawa City Hall on Wednesday and Friday afternoons and on Saturday mornings.
The fee for this full-service ceremony is $400 plus H.S.T. The fee includes a mandatory pre-ceremony meeting with the Officiant. Submit Application for a Civil Marriage Ceremony - we will review your application, confirm availability and send back to you for payment. Your date and time will be held as a temporary booking for 1 week. If payment is not received during that time, the date and time will be released to others. Once payment has been made, the City will transfer your file to the Officiant who will be in touch to arrange a mandatory pre-ceremony meeting at City Hall. Applicants will be required to agree to the Terms and Conditions for Civil Ceremonies. |
| Pre-Ceremony Meeting |
The Officiant will coordinate a mandatory brief meeting at Oshawa City Hall approximately 1 month prior to the ceremony. You are required to attend and should be prepared to bring the following:
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| Scripts |
| The City offers the 4 following scripts for applicants to choose from: |
| Decorations |
| The Council Chamber will be tastefully decorated prior to your arrival. Candles, confetti, rice, bubbles, etc. are not allowed inside or outside of the building. |
| Witnesses |
| Applicants are required to provide 2 witnesses who are 18 years of age or older. If preferred, the City can provide these witnesses for a fee of $25 (plus H.S.T.) per witness due at time of application. |
| Bible or other religious readings |
| Civil ceremonies must be non-denominational and as such our Officiant is unable to perform any type of religious reading. |
| Rescheduling Requests |
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| Cancellation Requests |
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| Language Translation |
| The City does not provide language translation for this service. If required, applicants are required to provide a translator at their cost. A translator can not act as a witness. |
| American Sign Language (A.S.L.) |
| If required, the City can provide an A.S.L. interpreter at no cost to the applicant. The interpreter can not act as a witness. |
| Ineligibility |
The Officiant will not formalize the marriage of any person if:
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Photo Gallery: Civil Marriages new photo gallery will appear here on the public site.