As a wedding officiant to many Toronto couples, I’ve helped co-create over 1,700 custom wedding ceremonies. We’ll work together to create a personalized, meaningful wedding ceremony that perfectly reflects who you are as a couple – whether traditional, contemporary, or unique.
My goal is to help you create a ceremony that is memorable and meaningful to you, reflects your values and relationship and is in the location of your choice in Toronto or beyond.
In Ontario, you have considerable freedom in developing your wedding ceremony and vows.
Aside from required legal elements of the wedding ceremony, our focus will be to collaboratively develop a ceremony in which you feel comfortable, that speaks to you as a couple and expresses your unique relationship narrative.
I’ll provide you with a wedding planning guide with many samples of wording for each part of your wedding ceremony. You’re free to use any of the samples I provide or create something totally unique. Many couples customize their wedding vows by blending their wording with something that already exists.
No two wedding ceremonies are the same. Aside from the four legal elements that all wedding ceremonies must include, every other element is optional. Legal requirements are in italics.
Sample wedding ceremonies:
As a Humanist wedding officiant, I specialize in creating personalized, non-religious ceremonies that reflect the unique backgrounds, values, and love stories of each couple. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with couples to thoughtfully incorporate their cultural and family traditions—including Filipino, South Asian, Jewish, Persian, and Scottish elements.
While I describe myself as a Humanist officiant, what matters most is that your ceremony feels authentic, inclusive, and deeply meaningful for you.
A wedding is a meaningful milestone in a couple’s life. While it is an exciting time, the planning process can also feel overwhelming. Here are some questions I’ve received from couples as we’ve prepared their ceremonies together.
Martin Frith is registered with the Office of the Registrar General. You can confirm my registration by visiting the Ontario Registered Marriage Officiant Data Catalogue and scrolling down until you come to the Data Visualizer, and then searching for “Martin Frith” in the search bar. You can also view a copy of my Registration.
My goal is to make the process easy and stress-free. I see myself as a guide, here to support you every step of the way.
Start by reaching out to check if I’m available on your wedding date. From there, we’ll book a free initial consultation—by phone or Zoom--so I can hear about your vision and answer any questions you may have. There’s no pressure to decide anything at this stage, including whether I’ll be your officiant.
Once you choose to move forward, I’ll send you a simple agreement, a few quick forms, and details for a deposit (payable by e-transfer or credit card) to reserve your date.
Together, we’ll then shape your ceremony, finalizing the details by Zoom or in person—whatever works best for you. About two to four weeks before the big day, we’ll reconnect to walk through everything so you feel confident and ready.
If you'd like me to attend your rehearsal, I’d be happy to do so for an additional fee.
My bespoke wedding ceremonies start at $725. After we’ve spoken about your vision for your wedding day, I’ll provide you with a detailed quote.
I’ve performed ceremonies in top venues in and around Toronto , including the Windsor Arms, Graydon Hall*, GEORGE Restaurant*, Palais Royale, Royal Canadian Yacht Club, The Drake, The Gladstone, The Symes, Evergreen Brickworks, Steam Whistle Brewery, Gardiner Museum, Boehmer, Casa Loma, Stratus, Canoe, Auberge du Pomier, Hart House, Shangri-La, The Four Seasons, The McMichael Gallery* and Langdon Hall.
*Preferred Vendor
The following are inclusive vendors with whom I love working.
Wedding photographers
Wedding planners
DJs
Musicians
A Humanist Officiant has undergone training and credentialing by Humanist Canada to perform “Rites of Passage” for anyone desiring humanist or secular ceremonies.
In Ontario, Humanist Officiants are licensed by the Province to solemnize marriages under the Marriage Act.
If you are getting married in Ontario, you can have a civil ceremony performed by a judge or a justice of the peace or a religious ceremony by clergy including Humanist Officiants.
During the ceremony, when the legal requirements are met including the signing of the Marriage Licence the marriage is then “solemnized” and you are legally married.
Couples must obtain a marriage license, and bring it with you to your wedding ceremony. On the day of your wedding, I’ll handle all the paperwork and signing, and I’m required to submit your marriage license to the Registrar General to be registered.
You can purchase a Marriage Licence in Ontario no more than three months prior to your wedding date.
A Marriage Licence can be obtained from the clerk of most cities, townships, towns or villages and is valid anywhere in Ontario – check your municipal blue pages or one can be downloaded from the Ontario Government Website.
One or both of the persons being married must apply in person to the Marriage Licence Issuer to obtain a licence. You will need to bring identification, such as a birth certificate (along with any change of name certificates), current passport, Record of Immigrant Landing or Canadian citizenship card, along with photo identification, for each person.
There is a set fee for purchasing a Marriage Licence. Contact your municipal office for the current fee.
No. All municipalities in Ontario issue Marriage licences. You can apply in your local municipality however one or both of the persons being married must make the application in person.
If one or both of you are divorced, documentation relating to each divorce will be required. If you were divorced in Canada, you must bring the original or court-certified copy of the final decree, final judgment or certificate of divorce to your local municipal office when you are purchasing the marriage licence.
If you were divorced outside of Canada (considered a foreign divorce), you may be required to submit documents to the Provincial Government prior to applying for a licence. Contact your local municipal office for further information or check the Ontario Government Website for additional requirements on Getting Remarried in Ontario after a Divorce.
No. To have proof that the Province of Ontario has registered your marriage, you must purchase a marriage certificate.
I encourage every couple to purchase a Marriage Certificate. A marriage certificate is the legal record of your marriage. It lists the date and place of the marriage, and names of the people who were married.
At your marriage ceremony, you will be given the Record of Solemnization of Marriage from the Officiant. It is not a legal document. The officiant who performed your marriage is required to forward the Marriage Licence you signed on your wedding day to the Office of the Registrar General for registration.
Although it is not required, I encourage every couple to purchase a Marriage Certificate. A marriage certificate is the legal record of your marriage.
You can order your marriage certificate about 8 weeks from the date of your marriage. You will have two options; you may purchase a “file size” (which includes basic information such as name, date and place of marriage) or “Long Form” (which is a certified copy of the marriage licence signed on your wedding day).
You can purchase your Marriage Certificate online.
Couples frequently assume that getting married changes a bride’s name. Getting married does not legally change a name. Although either partner may legally assume their spouse’s surname, this does not constitute a legal change of name.
You must elect to legally change your surname (family name) as a result of marriage or a common-law relationship. You may change your surname to the surname your partner had immediately before the union or to a surname combining both your surnames in either order. If you change your name within 90 days after your marriage, there is no fee.
For more information regarding changing your name, go to the Ontario Government Website or contact the Office of the Registrar General at 1-800-461-2156, or (416) 325-8305 in the Toronto area.
I would be happy to answer your questions. Please contact me today by visiting my Contact page.
