Civil Wedding Ceremonies in Nova Scotia

Information about civil ceremonies
Here in Nova Scotia, civil wedding ceremonies can be performed by a Judge of the Family or Provincial Courts, or by a Justice of the Supreme Court. Now, civil ceremonies can also be performed by a Justice of the Peace, giving you more choices when planning your wedding.

To be able to perform a wedding ceremony, Justices of the Peace (or J.P.'s as they are more commonly known) must complete a training course authorized by the N.S. Department of Justice. They must also be registered with the Department of Business and Consumer Services. A list of those authorized to perform wedding ceremonies is available at any Justice Centre or with any issuer of marriage licences.

Weddings in courthouses
If you want your ceremony to be performed in a courthouse, just contact one of the Justice Centres. Usually, weddings are performed only at certain times at the court house, and you can discuss details with the staff person on hand at the Justice Centre. There is a designated marriage scheduler at each Justice Centre who will assist you. There is also a fact sheet available on weddings in court houses that will help you plan your ceremony.

Weddings in other locations
If you want your ceremony to be held in your home, a garden, or some other location that is special to you, you may contact the Justice Centre to ascertain if there is a member of the Judiciary willing to perform the ceremony, or you can contact an authorized J.P. directly. J.P.'s are listed by county, and are authorized to perform ceremonies in any county in the province.

Although members of the Judiciary and J.P.'s will try to accommodate individual preferences to ensure that your important day is a memorable one, civil ceremonies must be performed with dignity and with the appropriate decorum. Discuss your specific wishes and preferences for your special day with the person who will be performing the ceremony beforehand.

Costs for civil ceremonies
The cost of a wedding held at a courthouse will be $75 plus $11.25 HST for a total of $86.25. If you choose a location outside the courthouse, you must discuss and agree upon the appropriate fee with the person performing the ceremony.

Marriage licences
You must obtain your own marriage licence prior to the wedding. Marriage licences will not be issued from the courts. You will need to contact the issuer of marriage licences to purchase one. The cost of a licence is $106.50. You will need to take the licence to the ceremony, so the person performing the wedding can sign it, and your marriage can be registered.

A list of where marriage licences can be obtained is available at Justice Centres throughout the province.