Debra Taylor Weddings
190 Wortley Rd N6C 4Y7 London, ON, Canada

Ontario announced new restrictions Friday on gatherings in the following regions: Ottawa, Toronto and Peel. Many of the restrictions apply from Saturday, October 10th, 2020 but there is some allowance for weddings this weekend.

We’ve received some clarification from Toronto Public Health on the guidelines for wedding ceremonies at home locations in Ontario. There is an exemption for backyard weddings that allows up to 100 people to attend the ceremony portion of the day, if it is outdoors. Indoor ceremonies are restricted to 30% of the capacity of the space being used. Any social gathering associated with the wedding i.e. reception/BBQ/party, however, is limited to 25 people outdoors and 10 people i...ndoors. Couples are responsible for ensuring that these guidelines are complied with and that proper social distancing is maintained. A lot of couples have already reduced their guest numbers to meet the 25 person outdoor/10 person indoor limit but any couples that wish to have more guests at the ceremony portion of the day itself, can do so under current provincial regulations. We recommend the officiant leave just after the ceremony has been completed and before it turns into the reception portion of the evening, in cases where the couple’s numbers may exceed the maximum allowed for social gatherings. The part of the regulation in question reads: Outdoor wedding, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony 4. (1) This section applies with respect to outdoor gatherings for the purposes of a wedding, a funeral or a religious service, rite or ceremony. (2) No person shall attend a gathering to which this section applies unless the following conditions are met: 1. No more than 100 people may be in attendance. 2. All persons attending the gathering must comply with public health guidance on physical distancing.

Today, the province of Ontario announced new restrictions on private gatherings in the following regions: Ottawa, Toronto and Peel. The restrictions come int...o effect tomorrow, Friday, Sept 18th, 2020. It will affect any weddings taking place somewhere other than a staffed venue e.g. a wedding in a couple’s home or backyard. For these locations, the following limits apply: Indoor gatherings: a maximum of 10 people. Outdoor gatherings: a maximum of 25 people. With the lack of notice, this is going to cause some upheaval for couples this weekend. For those taking place at staffed venues (banquet halls, restaurants etc.), the couple can continue to adhere to the 100 person outdoor/50 person indoor maximums. For weddings at unstaffed locations, like private residences, they are capped at a maximum of 10 (indoors) or 25 (outdoors) people. The province has also announced that they are introducing a fine of $10,000 for the organizers of ‘illegal events’. We expect that we will see couples postponing, reducing their guest numbers or moving their home weddings to venues. It is unclear if the religious ceremony exception for outdoor wedding ceremonies still stands after today. What is certain is that wedding receptions in backyards, and ceremonies inside a couple’s home come under these new guidelines. We are looking for clarification from the government. See more

Expiring licences "We have had an update on the Registrar General's approach to licences. Couples should contact the city hall that issued the licence to either extend or replace it, if it is about to expire. The Registrar General will process expired licences, if they receive them"

Virtual Weddings Many people are asking about virtual weddings. Please note that the officiant must be in the same location with both the couple and the witnesses while conducting the ceremony and signing the paperwork. There are no exceptions to this. There have been some recent media reports that suggested virtual weddings were possible in Ontario and we are receiving quite a few requests about the option. However, short of an emergency order by the province or a change to the law, we cannot conduct weddings other than in person.

Expiring marriage licenses. At this time the ministry has not made any decision on extending or refunding licenses that expire. You will need to purchase a new ...one if your marriage is postponed due to Covid19. All Seasons Weddings is in touch with the ministry and we will keep you up to date as new info is issued. We are hopeful they will put a policy in place. Our direction from the ministry was "DO NOT call city clerks - it we don't know they won't know. " See more