Ottawa Wedding Ceremonies

Frequently Asked Questions

Over the years, most couples usually ask us the same questions about their ceremony and getting married. We have compiled the top questions which always come up. If however your question is not answered here, do not hesitate to contact our office, or ask your officiant prior to your big day. We're here to help!

What is the secret to all wedding planning?

Choose a picture perfect setting. Select a professional wedding officiant who takes great pride in conducting perfect ceremonies. With these two items every thing else will fall into place.

Who or what is Ottawa Weddings?

Ottawa Weddings is a wedding ceremony - event planning company. We enlist the help of a team of licensed male and female wedding officiants. Each officiant carries their license to marry couples with them. We conduct your wedding ceremony the way you wanted it conducted. Every ceremony is personalized.

What is your refund policy?

Weddings that need to be cancelled within 30 days of booking will be refunded minus $100 administration fee. Those weddings that are cancelled more than 30 days after booking will not be refunded.

How do we book one of your officiants to conduct our wedding ceremony?

Contact our office. We will send you a sample ceremony and other resources, as well as a quote. We will pencil you in till you talk it over. You reserve by sending a deposit for roughly half the fee.

How long does the ceremony take?

We tell couples to budget thirty minutes. The entrance, the ceremony, signing, recessional etc. For us the key is the start time as our officiants usually are heading off to another wedding.

Can my best friend conduct my ceremony?

Yes under certain conditions. We believe we are the only wedding ceremony service that allows a friend or relative to conduct your wedding ceremony. We do this by having one of our licenced officiants on site then later they register your wedding with the Government. The process begins when you contact us. Our regular fee applies.

Can we talk with an officiant before we reserve?

Certainly. Feel free to ask about any officiant on the web page.

Do you have an emergency back up officiant on my wedding day?

Yes. There is a emergency phone number posted on our answering machine after office hours to access an officiant. We are the only wedding ceremony service to provide this important service.

Do we have to memorize our vows?

No you can write your own vows but come wedding day, we 'feed them to you one word at a time'.

Can we write our own vows and have friends read etc?

You sure can! We have other ceremony resources on our web page.

Can our children take part in the ceremony?

We encourage it. Ask us for our list of ideas in how to do just that!

Can photos be taken?

Up to you. We encourage every one to be involved. Tell them to get doubles.

Is a rehearsal necessary and how much does it cost?

A tough call. Tradition, moms, and bridal books say have one. We say talk it over with your officiant. You should always walk through the ceremony with your wedding party. You may or may not need your officiant present. (Much depends on place and size of wedding). There is an additional fee for a rehearsal and the cost depends on how much time is involved for the officiant.

What do your officiants wear to the ceremony?

Appropriate business attire. Clergy garb if requested.

Does the officiant stay for dinner etc?

Most would like to but usually have another wedding ceremony to go to. You can ask your officiant when the time comes.

What time does the officiant arrive on our big day?

We arrive 15 minutes or so before the ceremony. In every case you should give your officiant an on site phone number.

Is a gratuity expected?

No but you may feel you would like to express your gratitude for an excellent ceremony in this way. Some couples send a thank you card with a picture. The best of all is to refer a friend. Some couples do all of the above.

Can the officiant be a woman?

Yes, we have a number of woman officiants located throughout the province, however some regions may not be able to accomodate.

Do we get to meet the officiant?

Most of our wedding packages call for a planning meeting 30 to 90 days before the ceremony. Other arrangements can be made as well. We will give you any officiant's phone number before you reserve.

How long before the wedding should we book a wedding officiant?

Every one is different. Some months are busier than others. We suggest you should book just as soon as you have your reception venue reserved. Please call us and check our availability any time.

Can our wedding ceremony be held in Quebec?

Yes but talk to us first about issues specific to marriages in Quebec.

Where and when do I get my license?

At a local municipal office or City Hall in Ontario or downloaded from the Ontario Ministry of Business and Consumer Services web site. The license is good for 90 days. To get a license one needs to obtain an application.The application can be picked up anytime , and it explains the i.d., the legal documentation, etc. that you need to obtain the license. (There is no blood test.) In most cases you can pick up the application and license the same day. *Note: there are issues if one of you has been divorced outside Canada. We have info on this issue.

How long must I wait from the time I get the license until I can marry? Is it three days?

No. One can now get a license and be married the same day. There is no waiting period in Ontario.

How do I change my name in Ontario after the ceremony?

There are 2 issues involved in the Name Change:

The first is easy. You can just 'assume' your spouses last name. In other words to 'change' our name you do nothing. Just start using it. In short, spouses may 'take' the other spouses last name.

But second. When you run up against an organization most if not all will want to see a copy of your wedding certificate (you get one from the Government). In other words  to get a new drivers license or OHIP card, credit card, immigration, etc. you will need to use a marriage certificate for a stronger proof that you are married. Ditto Bank accounts etc. Formal information about changing your name, and applications for marriage certificates can be found at the Government of Ontario website.

You may also pick up 'The Marriage and The Change of Name Act' hand out sheet at City Hall. It outlines three options. It is important to note that 99% of people who get married need only exercise Option 2 on the form, which I have explained above.

What couples say about Ottawa Wedding Ceremonies

  • "Luc Despatis was fantastic - friendly and organized right from the start! We wanted something a little different for our blended family and Luc was open to all our ideas and provided wonderful suggestions. Whenever Patrick and I talk about the ceremony we always talk about how calming Luc was - he was so professional but laughed with us when it was needed!! We are so happy we chose him because we couldn't imagine having someone else marry us. He was perfectly suited! Thank you Luc, thank you for making sure our incredibly wonderful day got off to such a great start. Merci!!"

    Josee & Patrick

  • "We would like to thank Michael O'Callaghan so much for taking part in our outdoor baseball theme wedding and for helping make the day very special for us. Michael's assistance leading up the wedding was amazing. He put our minds at ease by personalizing our ceremony to match our needs and the theme of our wedding. He was extremely friendly and warm, not only with us, but with everyone involved in our wedding. We received many compliments from guests about the uniqueness of our ceremony and Michael's delivery. And, we truly appreciate that he wore an umpire uniform in order to fit in with our baseball theme!! We were thoroughly happy with the services provided by All Seasons and Michael O'Callaghan and will gladly recommend them to family and friends."

    Leslie and Chris

  • "Caleb and I would like to thank you so much again for being a part of our day. You made our ceremony so personal. You were so flexible and willing to work with us to make sure we had the ceremony that we wanted. You truly made the exchanging of our vows so very special. We had many of our guests comment on how much they loved our ceremony. Thank You! Charlotte St Jean Melanie & Caleb "

    Melanie and Caleb

  • "We just wanted to pass on our gratitude and high praises for Barbara Cote who officiated our wedding. She was wonderful, patient and performed the ceremony exactly as we imagined."

    Adrienne and Brady

  • "Rejean Piche was really reliable and professional with our marriage paper work. Really hassle free, the experience was enjoyable. Mr. Piche by nature was very friendly from the start. The fact that he was bilingual in all three languages, english, french and spanish really made it helpful for us and our families at the ceremony. He represents All Seasons Weddings with great charisma and pride. Thank you very much for helping us have a memorable wedding ceremony, we coudln't ask for better!"

    Dignora & Mathieu

  • "Hi Anna Yates - Thank you, it was a beautiful day. We had so many comments on the passing of the rings part of the ceremony. Great suggestions it made the ceremony very unique and special.Thank you again,Tracey & Pat "

    Tracey and Pat

  • " Dawn Brown was an instrumental part of our *Special Day*. Dawn was able to guide us through the ceremony with her absolute professionalism, while keeping a light-hearted calm, making sure to flow with the Fun and Laughter that was enjoyed by all. It truly was the Best Day of Our Life, and it is with heartfelt thanks to Dawn, for performing such an endearing ceremony. Thank you ! "

    Christine and Glendon

  • "Joan Bruce-Nibogie was amazing and my husband and I highly recommend her! We decided on a non-traditional wedding (for sure!) with funny vows and antics that would get all our friends and family laughing! Along with some "lighthearted" vows, about putting up with my back-seat driving, etc, Joan's acting background surely played a part in the FANTASTIC job she did, but it was more her enthusiasm and excitement that really made it great fun for us! We had a fabulous time, we were thrilled with her, and truly believe no one else could have done better! Thanks again Joan!"

    Trick and Andie

  • "Hello Sue Kellison, A very close friend of mine complimented on the wonderful job you did for us. Much of her compliments were of our wording, how expressive you were and how genuine the whole ceremony was. Lorie and I wrote our vows to each other. It was truly something to hear and say our vows. I remember during our meeting with you, you mentioned for us to look at each other and not you. Our emotions took over quite unexpectedly. Those tears of happiness and such deep emotion were extremely powerful. ...Thank you so very much for guiding us.We truly are grateful. It was the best day of our life.Thank You for Sharing Our Day. "

    Lorie and Rozanna

  • "From the instant we began working with Joan Bruce-Nibogie, she took the time to get to know Tony and I. Everything from the ceremony to our readings was carefully chosen in order to reflect the two of us. Joan did an excellent job at creating the perfect ceremony for the two of us! Also anytime I had any questions, your staff was always there to answer our questions. Thank you!"

    Shelley & Tony

  • "Sophie Branchaud was very friendly and both myself and my husband could relate to her. Just before the ceremony started the groom was a lil/very nervous and Sophie calmed him down. The ceremony was perfect. I love that your officiants can make it so personal."

    Deborah & Tim

  • "Brian Ballinger was fabulous and made us and all present feel very welcome and confortable! He has a great sense of humour as well. Everything from start to finish was great! EXCELLENT SERVICE WELL WORTH THE FEES INVOLVED!"

    Scott & Adina

  • "Hello Colleen Kenny. Thank you again for everything. Our Carnival style theme wedding was a smash. Our guests could not say enough about our ceremony and how you kept everyone on track with sincerity and humor. Thank you again for all your help! "

    Serreh and Chris

  • "Carlo Lombard was awesome! He was the perfect officiant for our backyard surprise wedding!"

    Emily & Craig

  • "Robert Francis I’m sorry if this seems a bit long but, again, we find it hard to express how extremely happy we are with our entire experience with you, Robert, and with All Seasons. We can’t thank you enough for helping to make our dream day a reality. The ceremony was better than even we could imagine. The rain stopped just in time but even before that, your positive attitude and willingness to proceed no matter what the weather, as long as that is what we wanted, helped bring things together. Again, your willingness to embrace our dream of a hockey-themed wedding, inject the proper amount of humor and your warm personality made our dream wedding a reality. Every member of our families and friends who made the trip remarked how lucky we were to find such a perfect person to perform our wedding ceremony."

    John and Cathy

Ce que les couples disent à propos de nos célébrants de mariages d'expérience.

  • "Nous avons aimé faire affaire avec Jocelyne Daoust, et elle a très bien respecter notre plan de cérémonie et tout s'est passé a merveille! Nous avons reçu des informations rapidement par courriel au début, lorsque nous avons planifié notre mariage. Nous avons beaucoup aimé notre expérience, merci beaucoup. "

    Stephanie et Benoit

  • "Salut André Fontaine,Nous sommes extrêmement satisfait de tes services du début jusqu'à la fin! Tu as été très amical, fiable, professionnel et tu nous a donné de très bons conseils (encouragements à dire nos propres voeux, utiliser la brouette pour les enfants etc...)On va certainement te recommander si on entend parler de quelqu'un qui cherche un officiant car tu as rendu notre préparation de mariage très plaisante.Merci infiniment d'avoir contribué au succès de notre grande journée! "

    Natasha et Alexis

  • "Bonjour Diane Paquette. Juste un petit mot afin de vous remercier pour la belle cérémonie de mariage. Nous avons beaucoup apprécié le déroulement de la cérémonie malgré sa simplicité et surtout pour l'aisance avec laquelle vous pouvez guider les principaux intervenants. Nous nous sommes sentis très à l'aise malgré certain passages très touchants. Nous avons remarqué des notre première rencontre, le professionnalisme avec lequel tu exerçais tout en nous plongeant dans une atmosphère très amicale. Nous tenons encore une fois, Hélène et moi à te remercier pour cette magnifique journée qui demeurera à jamais dans nos souvenirs et nous n'hésiterons jamais à vous recommander. Amicalement, Hélène et Jean "

    Hélène and Jean

  • "Bonjour Réjean Piché. On veut te dire un gros MERCI pour avoir célébré notre mariage. La cérémonie a été parfaite, on n'aurait pas pu demander mieux. C'était la première fois pour nous tous de participer à une cérémonie comme la nôtre et tous ont adoré l'intimité et le partage d'émotions que ça a produit. "

    Chantal et Yves

  • "Bonjour Francine Mongeon,Un petit mot pour vous dire que nous avons beaucoup apprécié vôtre aide pour accomplir les diverses démarches qui nous ont permis de célébré notre mariage dans un délai si court. Nous avons bien aimés votre contribution et interprétation de notre cérémonie que vous avez merveilleusement célébrée selon nos désirs et attentes. C’est avec plaisir que nous vous recommandons à ceux qui désirent une cérémonie à la hauteur de leur attente. "

    Chantal et Simon

  • "Bonjour André Fontaine ! Words cannot express how delighted we were with the wedding ceremony. Drew would like to thank you for making the longest minutes of his life so relaxing and comforting with your soft spoken nature and calming humour before seeing me. Also being so patient with saying his vows in french. Our family and friends all thought it was a brilliant idea of having the celtic handfasting tradition with the fabric making the knot ! Voici trois photos de la cérémonie. Merci encore d'avoir fait le service dans les deux langues. Tout le monde a apprécié ce beau geste ! "

    Mr and Mrs Clark

  • "Bonjour Réjean (Piché) Nous désirons exprimer notre gratitude à toi Réjean pour avoir accepté de célébrer notre mariage. Tu as su bien nous guider tout en nous laissant la latitude de façonner notre célébration à notre gout et selon nos valeurs personnelles. Merci pour cette journée mémorable. Johanne et Michel"

    Johanne et Michel

  • "J'ai aussi joint deux photos pour ton portfolio. "" Un gros merci encore, la cérémonie était très belle et je n'ai eu que des commentaires positifs sur ta participation à notre grand évènement."" Si jamais tu as besoin de références n'hésite pas de nous contacter! "

    Phil and Monique

  • "Je recommanderai Diane Paquette n'importe quand, elle dégage une énergie tellement positive et elle nous a tellement mis à l'aise que nous n'étions aucunement stressés. La famille nous a même féliciter de notre célébrante. Pour nous, nous ne pouvions choisir meilleure célébrante. Haut la main pour Madame Diane Paquette!!!"

    Chantal and Jean

  • "Gisele Savard-Lalonde est très gentille, très organisé, disponible à l'écoute de nots désirs. Elle nous a permis de mettre la cérémonie a notre goût et s'est adapter aux petits changements de dernières minutes. Merci!"

    Isabelle et Miguel

  • "Bonjour Réjean Piché. Nous voulons encore une fois te remercier pour la belle cérémonie que tu nous as fait vivre lors de notre mariage. Nous en garderons un souvenir pour très longtemps. Merci pour ta gentillesse, ta flexibilité et ton charisme.Au plaisir de se revoir, "

    Charline et Pierre

Want to be a wedding officiant?

We can make it happen! We are always looking for people to join our Wedding Officiant team in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta or Nova Scotia. We licence and we train. Just send us an email  and tell us where you live and a bit about yourself!

All Seasons Weddings Ltd. is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Wedding Chapels & Ceremonies in Metcalfe ON