The City of Winnipeg offers civil marriage ceremonies at City Hall, 510 Main St.
Fees
The fee for a Civil Marriage Ceremony is $570 + GST, payable in cash (Canadian funds only), debit or by credit card (Visa or Mastercard).
Within 48 hours of booking the ceremony, a $100 non-refundable deposit is required to confirm the date and time.
The remaining balance must be paid in full at least ten days prior to your ceremony appointment.
The Civil Marriage Ceremony fee is subject to increase annually, beginning in January of the new year.
Cancellation
In the event of a cancellation, remaining fees paid are refundable up to seven days prior to the scheduled ceremony, and non-refundable within seven days or less.
Book a ceremony
Ceremony appointments are available on Friday afternoons between noon and 4 p.m., excludingholidays, and must be booked at least 14 days in advance. Timeslots are 1 hour in length.
Once a request is received, the ceremony timeslot is held for 48 hours. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to the online application and payment form, which must be completed within 48 hours.
If the application form and $100 deposit are not submitted within 48 hours, the timeslot will be released.
Purchase a marriage licence
In order to get married in Manitoba, couples must apply for a marriage licence at least 24 hours prior to the ceremony. The cost of a marriage licence is $100.
Marriage licences may be purchased in person at the City Clerk's Department between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and are valid for three months.
Identification requirements
Both parties must be present to purchase a marriage licence and are required to provide valid identification (photocopies are not acceptable). Acceptable documents for identification can include:
- Birth Certificate (please bring an additional piece of government issued photo ID)
- Passport or US Passport Card
- Citizenship Certificate (Canadian or United States)
- Canada Immigration documents
- Canadian Armed Forces Identification Card
- Government of Canada Indian Status Card
- Driver's Licence (photo ID)with one of the following:
Divorced
Divorced persons are required to show either a Divorce Certificate or a Decree Absolute.
Widowed
Persons whose spouse is deceased must show one of the following:
- Death Certificate
- Funeral Home Statement of Death
- Obituary clipping from the newspaper
Death and Divorce Certificates cannot be obtained at City Hall.
Ceremony details
Officiant
An officiant will be provided for all marriage ceremonies at City Hall Ceremonies are available in both French and English, are non-denominational in nature, and adhere to all legal requirements.
Ceremonies last approximately 5-10 minutes depending which of the three available scripts the couple selects. The booking includes use of the selected space for up to 1 hour (15 minutes prior to the ceremony time, and 45 minutes afterwards).
Applicants may choose to personalize certain parts of the script, including the vows. All customizations must be submitted in writing to the City Clerk’s Department. The couple may choose from one of the following three scripts available in either English or French:
- Script 1
- Script 2
- Script 3
Personalized music is permitted and may be played off of an iPod, iPhone, USB or laptop.
Locations
The couple may select one of the following locations for a civil marriage ceremony at City Hall:
- Foyer in the Susan A. Thompson building (Main floor)
- Outside on City Hall Courtyard
- Mayor’s Foyer (2nd Floor, Council Building)
Not all locations may be available at the requested date and time.
Receptions and post-ceremony festivitiescannotbe accommodated at City Hall.
Decorations
Small flower arrangements are permitted, but must be removed by the couple at the conclusion of the ceremony.
As the ceremony is held in a public space, candles, confetti, rice, incense, bubbles, or similar are all prohibited.
Interpreters
If the couple does not understand English or French, they must arrange for their own interpreter. The interpreter may also act as one of the witnesses.
Day of the ceremony
All participants must arrive at City Hall at least 5 minutes in advance of the scheduled start time.
Documents
Both persons getting married must bring photo identification along with the valid marriage licence. These will be reviewed by the marriage officiant prior to the start of the ceremony.
Witnesses
Both persons must bring one witness who must be present at the ceremony. The City of Winnipeg does not provide witnesses.
Marriage ineligibility
City staff will not perform the marriage of any person they have reasonable grounds to believe lacks the capacity to marry. Circ*mstances rendering 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
- 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 substances and incapable of understanding the nature of the marriage contract and the duties, obligations and responsibilities that result from marriage.
If the officiant has any doubts as to the mental capacity of one or both of the parties, they may refuse to perform the ceremony.
Additional questions?
For more information about marriage ceremonies, please contact the Office of the City Clerk byemailorcontact 311.
The Province of Manitoba’s Vital Statistics Agency is responsible for registering marriages and change of name. For further information on marriage licence requirements, getting married in Manitoba, changing a surname after marriage, and obtaining a marriage certificate after a ceremony, visit theProvince of Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency websiteor call 204-945-3701 or 1-866-949-9296.
Privacy statement
Your personal information is being collected under the authority of s.36(1)(b) ofThe Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This information will be used to administer the civil marriage ceremony program and will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes, except as authorized by law. If you have any questions about the collection of this information, contact the Corporate FIPPA Coordinator by mail to City Clerk’s Department, Susan A. Thompson Building, 510 Main Street, Winnipeg MB, R3B 1B9, or by telephone at 311.
