The Name Act states that you can legally adopt your spouse`s surname without applying for a legal name change. You can also revert to using your old name at any time. At any marriage in British Columbia, the couple, two witnesses and the official who marries them must sign the marriage certificate and marriage registration after the ceremony. If you want to get married at City Hall, you can rent a room and book a wedding official to get married there. We have had a number of weddings and runaways at Vancouver City Hall. Fun fact: newlyweds can ring the big bell after their ceremony! If you are getting married in another country, you must abide by that country`s marriage laws. Some foreign countries require non-residents to provide a document confirming that they can marry. The Vital Statistics Department can search marriage records in British Columbia and provide you with a document showing if you got married in British Columbia. To get married legally in British Columbia, you need four things: in British Columbia and the rest of Canada, opposite-sex and same-sex couples can get married.
The marriage laws that apply to same-sex couples are the same as those that apply to opposite-sex couples. Information on marriage registration and certificates. Find out how to get married in British Columbia, order a marriage licence, change a marriage entry, and search for a marriage issuer or commissioner. Yes, an ordained minister can perform a marriage ceremony if they are legally authorized to perform marriages in British Columbia. Many religious leaders and representatives are licensed by their religious bodies and can legally hold wedding ceremonies. Every couple who marry in British Columbia will receive a marriage certificate in the mail once the Vital Statistics Office registers their marriage. On average, couples receive their marriage certificate three weeks after marriage. To learn more about what a justice of the peace is and where they can marry you, click here! This goes hand in hand with the marriage certificate as the most important for getting married in British Columbia. Your officiant can be a pastor or religious leader or a marriage commissioner if you are not religious! Either way, they need to be registered with Vital Statistics, so if you`re using someone other than a marriage commissioner, make sure that`s the case. You can see the details for wedding commissioners here and search for one here. Many people wonder, can I marry a boyfriend? This is a common question because couples often want someone who knows them to make such an important event in their lives possible.
If they are not registered, the simple answer is no. However, there is a workaround! I have had couples who have asked a friend to do the ceremonial part of their wedding, and either have the legal part done at another time (it can be that day or another), or have the commissioner present during the ceremony and sign the papers immediately after. What a win-win situation! Whatever you prefer, there`s a way to do it! There are also companies that specialize in refereeing and personal ceremonies, like Young, Hip and Married that I`ve worked with, and they`re awesome! Overall, I recommend choosing a celebrant you get along with, because after all, this will be a great time for both of you! If you plan to marry abroad, the country where you are getting married may ask you to prove that you can marry freely. If someone believes that there is a reason why two people should not get married, they can try to stop the procedure. This is done by submitting a document called reserve to an iseur of the marriage license. In this case, a marriage certificate will not be issued until: No ceremony is the same, each one is unique and reflects your values, beliefs and history that brought you to this moment of marriage with the person you love. The celebrants put a lot of work into getting to know each other and creating your unique ceremony. Marriage couples receive a marriage certificate. It is signed by the couple, two witnesses and the official who marries them and proves that they are legally married. There is also a marriage registration form that provides a record of this event and creates a permanent legal public registration of the marriage.
Not all religious leaders are allowed under the Marriage Act. If you wish, you can first get married civilly. Then you can have a religious ceremony. If you do, it doesn`t matter if the religious leader has a license to perform marriages, because you are already legally married. To get married legally in British Columbia, your ceremony must be performed by a marriage commissioner or marriage agent. Some religious leaders are also allowed as wedding officials, but not all. The public servant or commissioner must be authorized to solemnize marriages in British Columbia.