Civil Marriage Ceremonies
The City of Windsor offers civil marriage ceremonies at City Hall, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). The simple, dignified and non-denominational marriage is conducted by the City Clerk or designate and lasts approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Due to the civil nature of the service, there cannot be any religious connotation to the ceremony.
A valid Province of Ontario marriage licence is required before the date of the ceremony. Visit our Marriage Licence Requirements web page for more information on obtaining a marriage licence at City Hall.
Civil ceremonies are performed at City Hall at the following times:
- 9:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.
- Note: Only one ceremony can be scheduled per time slot each day.
Note: Certain dates and times throughout the year are not available for bookings, including statutory holidays. Email clerkvitals@citywindsor.ca for availability.
The fee for a civil ceremony is $260.00 (effective May 1, 2024), payable in exact cash (Canadian funds only), debit, Visa or Mastercard.
When reserving a civil ceremony, a $60.00 non-refundable portion of the total fees must be paid.
Booking your ceremony can be done with a member of the Vital Statistics Office at least one week prior to the date of the ceremony by email or phone. We do not want to encourage last-minute bookings, as we want to ensure enough time to issue the marriage licence.
It is recommended that both parties attend City Hall to reserve the ceremony. If both parties are not available, a separate time prior to the ceremony date might be required to meet with the officiate and complete the booking process.
A complete Civil Ceremony Application must be submitted by email to book a ceremony. The details of the ceremony will be confirmed at the time of booking. Be sure to review our current selection of vows and optional poems listed below.
Civil Ceremony Application, Vow Selections and Optional Poems
For more information, please contact the Vitals Statistics Office at 519-255-6100 ext. 6139 or email clerkvitals@citywindsor.ca.
Requirements
- A valid Province of Ontario Marriage Licence: Couples are requested to obtain or supply a valid Ontario Marriage Licence. A marriage licence may be obtained at the Office of the City Clerk, Council Services in Windsor located in Suite 530, 350 City Hall Square West. Marriage licences are also available from many local municipalities in Ontario. Visit our marriage licence web page for more information and additional requirements.
- Two witnesses: Couples must provide two witnesses (one for each partner) who must be present at the ceremony, as specified in the Marriage Act. The City of Windsor can provide witnesses, upon request, for a fee of $25.00 per witness.
- Language Interpreter: Couples are responsible for bringing a language interpreter, if needed, for languages other than English. Couples who require a sign language interpreter for the ceremony consultation and/or the civil ceremony may make their own arrangements or may ask the City Clerk's Office to make the necessary arrangements. Either way, the cost for a sign language interpreter will be borne by the City as required by the City of Windsor's Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.
Marriage Ineligibility
Vital Statistics Office staff will not solemnize the marriage of any person who they know - or have reasonable grounds to believe - lacks capacity to marry. Circumstances which make a person ineligible for the civil marriage include:
- One or both parties are under physical or mental duress.
- One or both parties fail to meet the age requirements (both parties must be at least 18 years old to get married in Ontario. Parties who are 16 or 17 years old may marry only if they have the consent in writing of both parents).
- The parties are related as grandparent, parent, child, grandchild, brother or sister.
- One or both parties are currently married.
- One or both parties are mentally ill or under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs and incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties, obligations and responsibilities that result from marriage.
Fees
All fees may be paid by exact cash (Canadian funds only), Visa or Mastercard.
Civil Marriage Ceremony: $260.00, taxes included (effective May 1, 2024)
Please note that a $60.00 administration fee shall be retained by the City should the scheduled ceremony be cancelled after the booking.
Witness Fee: $25.00 per witness, should staff be required to act as witness.
Marriage Licence: $140.00, taxes included.
Ceremony Room
Ceremonies are held in our Marriage Room (maximum capacity of approximately 30 people). At this time, outdoor ceremonies on the grounds of City Hall are not provided due to health and safety reasons.
Want to know more?
For more information about marriage ceremonies, contact the Vital Statistics Office by email at clerkvitals@citywindsor.ca or by phone at (519) 255-6100 ext. 6139, or call 311.
To find out how to register your marriage or obtain a marriage certificate, visit Service Ontario or call The Office of the Registrar General at 1-800-461-2156.
Office of the City Clerk, Council Services
530 - 350 City Hall Square West
Windsor, Ontario
Canada
N9A 6S1