The City of Port Colborne offer couples a legal civil marriage ceremony presided by a legal Officiant.
Note: A marriage licence is required before a civil marriage ceremony can be performed.
Please email marriage@portcolborne.ca to book a civil marriage ceremony. We recommend booking the ceremony at least two weeks in advance. Include in your email:
Name of the applicants, email address and contact phone number.
Indicate if you have a marriage licence or need to apply for a licence.
The applicants will be contacted to arrange an appointment for the Civil Ceremony booking process.
Guideline on how to book your ceremony
Contact the Clerk’s Office at least two weeks in advance of your desired date to book and confirm your preferred date and time.
A valid Marriage Licence is required and can be obtained from a Municipality in Ontario. The licence is valid for three (3) months from the date of issue.
The City of Port Colborne issues Marriage Licences, Monday – Thursday 9 am-12 pm and 2–3 pm and on Friday 9 am – 12 pm.
Once you have secured your marriage licence from a Municipality, we can proceed to book your Civil Ceremony.
Complete your Civil Marriage Ceremony Questionnaire and submit at the time of your appointment.
The Deputy Clerk will contact the applicants approximately one week in advance of your scheduled ceremony, to discuss your vow selection and any details of the ceremony.
A $100.00 deposit (non-refundable) must be made in order to secure the date, time and location with one of our Officiants.
Any remaining balance for the ceremony must be paid at City Hall no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. If your ceremony is being held at the Roselawn Centre or Sugarloaf Marina Pavilion, payment must be made at City Hall. Provide your receipt of this payment to the Officiant.
The applicants are required to provide two (2) witnesses who will be present at the Civil Marriage Ceremony. The official witnesses must be fourteen (14) years of age or older.
The applicants are required to provide an interpreter/translator in the event they do not speak English and require language assistance.
The interpreter cannot be one of the witnesses.
The interpreter will be required to sign an affidavit. This form is subject to the Commissioner of Oath fee
Locations and Times
Civil Marriage Ceremonies in the City of Port Colborne are available to be scheduled from Monday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Each booking grants one hour of use at the chosen venue.
The ceremonies can be held at any of the following three locations:
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Council Chambers
Located on the third floor of City Hall, 66 Charlotte Street, Port Colborne
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Roselawn Centre
Located at 296 Fielden Avenue, Port Colborne (Available for an indoor or outdoor ceremony)
Note: Chairs are not provided for the outside ceremonies
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Sugarloaf Marina Pavilion
Located at 3 Marina Drive, Port Colborne (Seasonal from April to October)
Note: Chairs are not provided for the outside ceremonies
More details
As of January 1, 2026, the Civil Ceremony Fees are:
Council Chambers - $340.00
Roselawn Centre and Sugarloaf Marina Pavilion - $440.00
A non-refundable deposit of $100.00 must be paid prior to the ceremony to secure the date and time. The deposit is included in the fees.
The couple must apply for a Marriage Certificate as one is not issued to you automatically.
A Marriage Certificate is the legal record of the marriage. The certificate includes:
The date of marriage
Location of the marriage
The names of the people who were married.
Before you can apply for a Marriage Certificate, the marriage needs to be registered by the Province of Ontario.
The officiant who performed the marriage will send your completed and signed marriage licence, immediately after the marriage ceremony to Service Ontario so the marriage can be registered. Allow approximately 6 - 8 weeks for processing the licence, at which time you can order an official Marriage Certificate.
The Record of Solemnization is not an official Marriage Certificate.
Ordering a Marriage Certificate on-line from Service Ontario
Visit Service Ontario to access and complete the available forms.
Obtaining a Marriage Certificate is not required; however, individuals need this document to:
Provide legal proof that they are married
To apply for a change of last name
To apply for certain social benefits
Changing Your Last Name After Marriage
A Marriage Certificate will be required as proof of marriage to change your name on your government documents such as:
Yes. Your guests can attend your civil wedding ceremony.
Council Chambers - capacity is 100 persons
Roselawn Centre - Presidents Room capacity: 93 persons and the Outside Gardens: 500 persons
Sugarloaf Marina Pavilion capacity: 224 persons
Yes, small items such as a bouquet of flowers or corsage are acceptable decor during the ceremony. Items such as confetti, rice and bubbles are not permitted.
Yes, you can take pictures and videos throughout the ceremony.
No, you are required to provide your own witnesses. Two (2) witnesses are required. It is suggested that the witnesses be 14 years of age or older.
