Congratulations! You're engaged! You've probably signed up on a wedding planning website, bought or put together a planning binder, and googled "where to start wedding planning".  That is a WHOLE lot of planning!  Well, we are here with some advice and tips about how to get a marriage licence in Alberta to help with this new, exciting, and at times, the overwhelming chapter of your life.

What is a Marriage Licence

The marriage licence shows the marriage officiant (the person performing your marriage ceremony) that you have met all the legal requirements to be married in Alberta.

It is a two-part document, one being the Registration of Marriage and the other being the Marriage Licence.

Where to get the Marriage Licence

You will apply for the marriage licence at a registry office.

What you Need to Bring

You will need to bring your identification and your fiance. You need to apply together, but exceptions apply, so check with the registry office.

You will also provide your personal information and the full names and birthplaces of your parents,  including maiden names if applicable.

Bonus Tip: Have the information about your parents already written out and organized so it is easy to provide to the registry agent.

How much it Costs

The marriage licence costs $40 and registry offices likely will charge an additional service fee.

What you Need to Know

An Alberta marriage licence is only valid for an Alberta marriage, the wedding must take place in Alberta.  The marriage licence is good for three months from the date it is issued, so don't get the licence too early.

Both of you must be eligible to apply for a marriage licence.

You don't have to be in Alberta a certain amount of time before you apply for the marriage licence.  There is no waiting time, so you can apply for a licence the same day as the wedding. So if you live out of province or country, this is good news for you. There are also no residency or citizenship requirements to get a licence.

Before the ceremony, you will give the licence to your marriage officiant. It must not be folded or damaged in any way.

You Cannot apply for a Marriage Licence if...

You are under the influence of a drug or alcohol.
You are related to each other as a grandparent, parent, child, sibling or grandchild, by whole blood, half blood or adoption.
You are currently married.
You must be widowed, legally divorced or never married.

• If divorced, proof of divorce is needed; the divorce document provided must be the final document (for example, Certificate of Divorce, Decree Absolute).

• If the previous marriage was annulled, a copy of the court ordered annulment must be provided. Religious and tribunal annulments are not accepted, only court-ordered annulments. This can become complicated and further clarification can be found on the Alberta website. Or by contacting a registry agent

What if there is an Error?

Review the document very closely for errors BEFORE you leave the registry agent office. Always have errors corrected immediately.

If you notice there is an error BEFORE the ceremony takes place, you can have it corrected by a registry agent.

If you notice there is an error AFTER the ceremony takes place, it must be corrected by an amendment. So, ensure that you and your intended spouse are eligible to apply for a marriage licence. Then gather the necessary documents and head to the registry office.  Then you can cross it off of your "to do" list!

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Get all the information at alberta.ca