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Marriage or Elopement in Newfoundland

Archbishop Philip Bradley Confecting the Holy Eucharist at Mass - Mass is Usually Included At Catholic Weddings But May Be Omitted or Replaced With a Non-denominational Service at Interfaith Weddings.

Marriage or elopement in Newfoundland and Labrador is a pretty easy three-step process. You get your license, you have a ceremony (during which you fill out the license), then your officiant mails it in and you file it with Vital Statistics once they’ve received it.

Apply for a Marriage License:

You must apply for a license in person with a marriage license issuer. Ideally, you want to give yourself at least 4 days before your desired wedding date so that the issuer or yourself has time to get the license to your officiant. The license costs $100. You can find a list of marriage license issuers here.

Have a Ceremony:

You must find and book a marriage commissioner, or find a religious representative (clergy marriage commissioner) to perform your ceremony. The commissioner is a different person than the licensee. The fees for ceremonies vary from person to person, and you should let your commissioner know of your plans when you book them to make sure they are okay to go on an adventure, if that is part of your plans!

You will need two legal witnesses to your wedding ceremony. You are safest to bring some friends with you, whether they travel with you or meet up with you.

File the paperwork:

Once your ceremony is complete, the forms must be submitted to Vital Statistics. Your marriage license issuer or commissioner will often walk you through this process.

And that’s it! Voila, once you’ve found a licensee and officiant, you’re ready to get married.

Marriage or Elopement in Newfoundland - Other Considerations

Of Course there are other considerations to plan around every wedding:

Timing

Time of Year:

While you can technically marry/elope in Newfoundland any time of the year, June through October is the time of year when you are ‘guaranteed’ the best weather and the most activity options. Winter in the most easterly city in North America and elsewhere in Newfoundland, often has wet, windy winters with unpredictable storms that can knock the city, or the entire, out for days on end.

Time of Week:

The best time of the week to marry/elope is Monday to Thursday, as the trails and venues around the cities will be less busy, and you’ll have an easier time finding accommodations. Of course most weddings and elopements take place on the weekends as that is when most people, including the couple themselves, are free from work.

Time of Day:

Sunset in Newfoundland is magical! If you can, plan your elopement to hit around sunset. Early in the summer this is around 9pm; later in the season, around 6pm. Planning for sunset also means that there are fewer people around, as most folks tend to do their hikes earlier in the day. If you’re planning on a big reception this time will have to be adjusted to fit scheduling needs.

Weather

Newfoundland often has nice but somewhat cool weather. In the summer, average daytime temps range from 16-25 degrees Celsius. It rains often, and is almost always a bit windy! It’s always smart to plan for rain, wind, and chilly weather when traveling to Newfoundland and Labrador no matter the season.

Ceremony and Photography Venues

Almost anywhere in Newfoundland has great places for weddings and photography but St. John’s, with half the population of the province living in or near the city, has the most weddings.

St. John’s has so many options. If you want to stay in the downtown core, you’ll find everything you need without having to rent a car. You can walk around historic Duckworth Street, eat great food, and take in the scenery on Signal Hill.

If you’re mobile, your options get a little wilder. You can visit Cape Spear, Torbay, or any of the east coast trails surrounding St. John’s. Favourite trails include Sugarloaf, Father Troy, and Blackhead. If you want to go even farther, within an hours’ drive of St. John’s you can visit Bell Island (check the ferry schedule), Ferryland, or Conception Bay North or scoot along the Irish Loop.

Regardless of you being in the St. John’s area or elsewhere, we recommend planning your wedding/elopement by picking an area in which you can explore. For example, downtown St. John’s, Signal Hill, and Quidi Vidi are close enough that you can go to all three in an afternoon. Likewise for Cape Spear, Petty Harbour, and Blackhead.

One of the best parts of getting married or eloping is that you can choose your venue. From traditional church weddings to one stop ceremony and reception settings to a park or beach or simply your own back yard. Make it about your choices and your budget!

Accommodations, Florist and Food

The same goes for booking a florist (unless it’s part of a package deal). Choose someone you like and can afford.

Don't forget about the food! From potluck in your backyard, to the ladies auxiliary at the church of your choice, to caterers or, again a complete package, your main concern will be keeping it in the budget and having it work with your theme or setting.

If you want clergy from St. Brigit’s Community Catholic Church to be your clergy marriage commissioners please use our contact page or the phone number on that page. (Or have your wedding planner/venue do so.) We’ll be very happy to field your questions and officiate at your ceremony.

Many general questions regarding our requirements and options for marriage ceremonies are already answered on our website page: https://www.stbrigits.ca/CatholicHolyMatrimony.html

We look forward to hearing from you.

Marriage or Elopement in Newfoundland

Marriage or Elopement in Newfoundland - Other Considerations

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