FEATURE BLOG POST // OFFICIANT CATHY DAVIS TALKS ABOUT VIRTUAL WEDDINGS
Today we’re chatting with Cathy of Cathy Davis & Co., a wealth of knowledge when it comes to preparing the perfecting wedding ceremony, and the low-down on the idea of hosting a wedding during a pandemic.
Officiant: Cathy Davis and Co
The day is approaching for your wedding and you are trying to decide what to do with Covid-19 restrictions, dozens of our couples have had to make the decision to full-out cancel or postpone their weddings. It’s hard to know as no one has a crystal ball as to when and how these bans may lift.
There has been a lot of chatter about virtual weddings lately with articles and pictures of people doing them but are they legal or a great idea?
In the Province of Ontario there legally have to be 5 people present at a wedding-clergy or an Officiant or licenced governing Official, the couple, two witnesses. They have to be physically at the same place at the same time. Vows must be said in each other’s presence, the declaration must be said, and a licence must be signed. Without those things, the marriage is not legal at all. Currently, as of Tuesday, April 27, you can not purchase a licence in Niagara as City Halls remain closed. Each municipality may be different.
As far as virtual weddings go, you can’t have the Licenced Official in one location, the couple in another and the witnesses in a third, they must be at the same location as you are signing legal documents. The two witnesses, however, could be a videographer and photographer and you could live stream the entire ceremony for your friends and families to see!
My thoughts? I think that if you already have your licence purchased and it can be legal it’s great! If not - you might as well wait.
My thoughts all along may be different or conflict with other wedding professionals as I believe that for two people in love that have decided to get married the ceremony is the most important thing! We are in fact the only vendor you actually have to have - the rest is just a party to celebrate that. Your guests will be understanding, we are in a global pandemic! It’s not like there’s anyone on earth that wouldn’t understand why you had to move your date.
Will there still be restrictions in the late summer for numbers of people gathering? Perhaps, but would you rather have 40 of the most important people there or wait a year and have 200? You might actually save a few bucks and enjoy the smaller number!
It all comes down to what you are most comfortable with of course. Just maybe think outside the box a little, it would be terrible if all that work you have put into selecting your dream team fell apart.
Vendor Credits:
Photography: Gemini Photography