The celebration of a civil marriage consists of a short ceremony in a solemn location, in which the officiating notary receives the consent of the spouses and, as a public officer, declares them married to each other.

Prerequisites:

Individuals who wish to marry must satisfy, among other conditions, the following requirements:

• The spouses can be of different sexes or the same sex;
• They must not be close relatives (father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter);
• They must be free from any previous marriage or civil union;
• They must publicly give their consent in the presence of a person designated by law, such as a notary, and in the presence of two witnesses;
• They must obtain the signature of a witness on the marriage publication document and display this document 20 days before the scheduled date of the marriage ceremony;
• At the time of the ceremony, the spouses, the officiant, and the witnesses must sign a marriage declaration. This declaration is then submitted to the Director of Civil Status who prepares the marriage certificate;
• The law does not require the prospective spouses to be residents of Quebec in order to marry.

First meeting with the notary:

The notary verifies the identity and marital status of the prospective spouses and ensures that the consent of the parents or guardian has been obtained if one or both of the prospective spouses are under 18 years old. The notary also checks for any blood relations between them and whether they are free from any previous marital ties. The notary also informs the prospective spouses of the importance of undergoing a medical examination before getting married.

At the time of the meeting, the prospective spouses must provide their birth certificate. For individuals born in Quebec, a copy of the birth certificate or the birth certificate issued by the Director of Civil Status, as well as the baptismal record or certificate issued by the church or the registration certificate issued by a municipality before January 1, 1994, are required. If the prospective spouses are unable to provide a birth certificate, they can submit a sworn declaration, a passport and a photo ID, a Canadian citizenship card, and immigration documents.

Divorced individuals must also present a divorce certificate or a certified copy of the final divorce judgment signed by an authorized officer. Those who have obtained an annulment of marriage must provide a certified copy of the judgment annulling their marriage.

Widowed individuals must also submit a death certificate of their deceased spouse in the form of a copy of the certificate, a certificate, or an attestation. Proof of death can also be confirmed by a civil status record, a letter issued by a consulate, a sworn declaration, etc.

Procedure of the ceremony:

The officiating notary first welcomes the prospective spouses, their respective witnesses, and the guests. They briefly explain the purpose of the gathering and the procedure of the ceremony.

The procedure of the ceremony can take various forms. The requirements of the law for the celebration of a civil marriage are simple.

The officiating notary must first read the five articles of the Civil Code of Quebec that describe the relationship between the spouses and the rights and obligations that marriage creates between them.

They then solicit the exchange of consent from each of the spouses and, following this exchange of consent, declare the spouses united in marriage.

The spouses and the witnesses then sign the marriage declaration form, which will be sent to the Director of Civil Status.

When these requirements are met, the newlyweds are officially married and the officiating notary has fulfilled their role as a public officer.

For some couples, a wedding celebration that meets these legal requirements may be sufficient, as they may have planned a party, a reception, etc. for later.

Other couples may wish to "personalize" their civil wedding celebration. While remaining in a framework that is both legal and non-denominational, they may want to add selected readings, poems, more personal vows, musical pieces, brief interventions from loved ones, an exchange of rings, in order for the celebration of their marriage to reflect their own vision of this important moment in their lives. Those who wish to add such elements to their wedding celebration are invited to discuss them with the officiating notary in order to harmonize legal requirements and personal wishes as best as possible.

For all couples, whether they opt for a simple or more elaborate celebration, the officiating notary remains a public officer aware of the importance and solemnity of the moment. As such, their primary wish is for the celebration of your marriage to be a unique, personalized celebration.

The location of the wedding can be the office of the officiating notary. It can also be any other location that corresponds to the dignity that should surround the celebration of a marriage. It is possible to celebrate a civil marriage at home, in a reception hall, in an inn, etc. In all cases, Notaire-Direct will respect the aforementioned legal requirements and will be attentive to your requests to personalize the celebration of your marriage.

Required documents

* The original of your birth certificate. If you were born in Quebec, the document must be issued by the Director of Civil Status.

* An official piece of identification with a photo and an unexpired signature:
              - driver's license;
              - health insurance card;
              - passport.

* If applicable:
              - irreversible divorce judgment;
              - the original death certificate of the previous spouse.