FAQs

My telephone number is 416-967-9322. In the early stages of your planning, it’s very helpful to first speak via telephone so we can establish a great working relationship. You can email me at info@sarahbunnett-gibson.com to set up a convenient time for us to have a brief chat.

Yes, absolutely! I have two decades of proven experience in multicultural wedding services and I am considered an expert in the Toronto community. My goal is the sensitive creation of an original wedding ceremony that reflects your diversity. Click here to see the article featuring my multicultural expertise in Canada’s national wedding magazine, “Wedding Bells.”

“Love, having no geography, knows no boundaries.”

I am pleased to welcome any additions to your service! My goal is to create a wedding like no other. I strongly suggest that you personalize your wedding service. Your ceremony has the potential to be all about the blend of who you are as a couple: your values, your collective sense of humor, your cultures, and your personal spirituality. Let’s celebrate your love by including your favorite music and readings, or having friends and family featured in your service in a fun and interesting way. Your service will not be boring!

Yes, of course! This matters to me too. I always suggest a complimentary half hour appointment, conference call or Skype session. This way we have a chance to get to know each other and see if we’re a natural fit.

My services include two consultations: an initial complimentary half hour appointment and another one and a half hour session. You will be given an seven-page questionnaire to fill out, which will help us work together to customize your unique wedding experience. I will provide fourteen original vow templates for you to choose from, or my personal guidance in writing your own vows. Rehearsal notes will be provided at the second meeting.

Sure! I do it all the time. This is a good choice for destination weddings.

Essentially, the sooner the better! Saturdays, especially in spring, summer, and autumn are the most popular wedding dates. I suggest booking six to twelve months in advance if possible, as soon as you have booked your location. However, I am flexible, and have performed weddings with just a few days’ notice, and that has worked well too! Call me in any case to check my availability.

Most contemporary ceremonies take between 20 to 30 minutes total, from the opening procession to the ceremony itself to the closing recessional. If you want a shorter or longer ceremony, let’s talk about the possibilities

Very! I’ve been an Officiant in the GTA in over three thousand weddings. I have performed wedding ceremonies everywhere you can imagine! A hot air balloon floating over a musical concert, elegant art galleries, museums (AGO, ROM and the Gardiner), exclusive private clubs, country clubs, farms and country estates, Muskoka cottages, Niagara-on-the-Lake hotels, castles, chic restaurants and intimate bars, churches, theatres and Toronto hotels.

First of all, you can download an application from the Ontario.ca website. It is much easier to download than to fill in an application in person. This application can be also picked up at any local municipal office or City Hall in Ontario. Your application will explain in detail what ID and legal documents are needed to obtain your license. Ontario does not require a blood test. Regarding previous divorces outside of Canada, please note this requires additional paperwork. (See below)

A marriage license is valid for 90 days. However, you can get a license the day of your wedding – there is no waiting period in Ontario.

As an officiant of twenty-two years, I want you to know this can be stress-free if you research it accurately well ahead of time. I strongly recommend contacting Service Ontario first at 1-800-461-2156 about their precise rules and accepted documentation. There’s nothing romantic about this process, but play by their rules and everything will be just fine! Here are the rules: The Marriage Act requires that where a former marriage was dissolved or annulled in a jurisdiction other than Canada, an authorization must be obtained from the Ministry of Consumer and Business Services before a marriage license can be issued.
To obtain this authorization, the following documents must be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar General:
• A marriage license application fully completed and signed by both parties.
• An original or court-certified copy of the decree of divorce or annulment certified by the proper court officer in the jurisdiction the divorce/annulment was granted. If the decree is in a language other than English or French, a certified translation and a sworn affidavit must be provided.
• A statement of Sole Responsibility for each foreign divorce signed by both applicants.
• A legal opinion of an Ontario lawyer, addressed to both applicants, giving reasons why the divorce or annulment should be recognized in the Province of Ontario. For specific information regarding the content of the opinion letter, contact the Office of the Registrar General. I recommend you contact their office for a sample opinion letter.
The above documents must be forwarded (we suggest registered express post) to
OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR GENERAL: ATTN MARRIAGE OFFICE
P.O. BOX 4600
189 RED RIVER ROAD
THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO
P7B 6L8

Your first option and the easiest one: as a newly married couple, you have the right to assume your spouse’s last name immediately. No paperwork required! This can begin literally after you have been pronounced married. Either spouse may take the other’s last name! Isn’t that great?
Your second option, to deal with government organizations or private companies such as credit cards, most organizations will still want to see a copy of your wedding certificate. (this is the small, legal piece of paper provided by the Ontario government) I recommend you go ahead and apply for this here. This will be needed to get a new driver’s license, OHIP Card, credit card, immigration, bank accounts and more.
When you receive your marriage license, the city hall clerk will give you “The Marriage and The Change of Name Act.”