Can you have a Catholic wedding outside a church in Ontario?

Usually not. When two Catholics marry, or a Catholic marries a baptized Christian of another church, canon law says the wedding is to be celebrated in a parish church, and parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto describe exceptions as rare. A garden or banquet hall is not normally possible for the ceremony itself, but it can be the perfect setting for everything that follows.

Here is what the Church and the Province of Ontario each require, and how couples plan around them.

Where does the Catholic Church say a wedding must take place?

The Code of Canon Law (canon 1118) sets the default:

• Two Catholics, or a Catholic and a baptized Christian of another church. The wedding is to be celebrated in a parish church. It can take place in another church or chapel with permission from the pastor or the bishop. The bishop can permit another suitable place.
• A Catholic and a person who is not baptized. The wedding can be celebrated in a church or in another suitable place.

In practice, the parish church is where nearly every Catholic wedding in the GTA takes place. One Archdiocese of Toronto parish puts it plainly: the parish church is “the ordinary place” for a marriage involving two Catholics, and exceptions are made only in grave and urgent cases such as illness or danger of death (St. Mary’s, Archdiocese of Toronto).

Why does the Church prefer a church?

For Catholics, marriage is a sacrament, celebrated before God and the parish community. The church building is where the community gathers to worship, which is why the Church asks couples to marry there rather than at a venue chosen for the reception.

What does the Archdiocese of Toronto require?

Requirements are set by the archdiocese and applied by each parish, so details vary a little. Parish pages across the archdiocese describe a similar pattern:

• Notice. Contact your parish at least a year before your preferred date. Do this before you book a reception hall.
• Marriage preparation. The archdiocese requires couples to complete an approved marriage preparation course. Popular courses fill quickly.
• Meetings with your priest. A series of interviews and paperwork with your pastor.
• Documents. Catholics usually need a recent baptismal certificate, often issued within six months of the wedding. Your parish will tell you what else it needs.
• Previous marriages. If either partner was married before, speak to your priest first, since additional steps apply.
• A non-Catholic partner. They do not need to become Catholic. Your priest will arrange any permission or dispensation needed.

Do you need an Ontario marriage licence?

Yes, in most cases. Catholic priests serving in Ontario parishes are usually registered to solemnize marriages, so the church wedding can also be your legal marriage, but only with a valid licence. The Archdiocese of Toronto marries by licence rather than by banns.

According to the Province of Ontario:

• Both partners apply for the licence, through ServiceOntario online in some municipalities or through your local municipal office.
• The licence is valid for three months from the date it is issued, so time your application with your wedding date.
• The couple, two witnesses and the officiant sign immediately after the ceremony.

Your parish will tell you when to bring the licence in, usually at one of your meetings before the wedding.

Can we have a civil ceremony in a garden and a church wedding too?

Some couples ask about holding a civil ceremony in a garden and a church ceremony as well. Speak to your priest before planning this. The Catholic Church does not recognize a civil wedding as valid when one or both partners are Catholic, unless a dispensation has been granted. Only one ceremony can be your legal marriage in Ontario, and the order of events affects both the Church and the paperwork.

In mixed marriages, where serious difficulties stand in the way, a bishop can grant a dispensation from the usual form (canon 1127). This is decided case by case and is not a route to a venue wedding.

What most couples do instead:

• Church ceremony first. Marry in your parish church, with your licence, so the sacrament and the legal marriage happen together.
• Garden portraits afterwards. Head to a garden, conservatory or estate for portraits between the ceremony and the reception.
• Bring the garden indoors. Design the reception with greenery, florals and lighting that give you the feeling of an outdoor wedding.
• An outdoor cocktail hour. Some GTA venues have terraces or gardens for drinks before dinner.

Planning the day around the church

The church ceremony sets the rhythm of the day. A few things to plan early:

• Check the parish’s rules on photography, flowers, music and decor.
• Allow travel time between the church, the portrait location and the reception venue.
• If many guests are not Catholic, ask your priest whether a ceremony outside of Mass would suit your families better.
• Many families keep their own traditions at the reception, from sugared almonds to the late-night sweet table.

See how we plan Western-style weddings, from the church timeline to the reception.