Elope in Alberta legally

Jun 19

Alberta, Canada has become a popular elopement destination. It’s easy to understand why with its magnificent mountains, turquoise lakes, boreal forests, hoodoos in the desert, and so much more. But whether you’re from Alberta or a visitor, it can get overwhelming and confusing trying to find out how to elope legally.

This guide will help you know how to elope in Alberta legally and where to apply for legal documents.

To elope legally in Alberta you need these 4 things:

Marriage license
Marriage commissioner
2 witnesses
Ceremony permit (depending on elopement location)

Let’s go over these ones by one to fully understand why you need them and how to get them.

Marriage license

To legally get married anywhere you need a marriage license. It’s a document that shows you meet the legal requirements to get married. In Alberta, you can get a marriage license up to 3 months in advance and there is no waiting period which means you can get married the day the license is issued.

There are also no residency or citizenship requirements to get married in Alberta. That means no matter where in the world you live, you can have a legal ceremony in Alberta!

To apply for an Albertan marriage license or learn more about it visit the Government of Alberta website here.

Marriage commissioner

A marriage commissioner is someone who is appointed by the Alberta Government to perform civil ceremonies from the community and area they reside in.

However, as of 2020, it is now legal for a friend or family member to apply to be a temporary marriage commissioner - if they are a Canadian citizen.

You can find a marriage commissioner here.

You can find more information about how to become a temporary marriage commissioner here.

2 witnesses

Two witnesses must be present and sign your marriage license for your marriage to be legal. The basic requirements for your witnesses are:

18 years of age or older
Cannot be cognitively impaired
Fluent in the language the marriage is performed in (a translator can be used)
May not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol

Couples eloping without guests often ask their vendors to be their witnesses.

Photographer
Videographer
Hair & makeup artist
Florist
Helicopter pilot
Driver
Etc.

Ceremony permit

The most popular places to elope in Alberta are national and provincial parks. The majority of these parks require couples to purchase a ceremony permit. These permits can range from $100 to $500+ depending on the location. Not obtaining a ceremony permit can lead to large fines.

Reasons for this permit are:

Park revenue to put back into conservation efforts
Register how many guests will be in the park on a specific day in case of a forest fire or avalanche evacuations
Limit the number of people in the parks for conservation purposes
Ensure ceremonies don’t get too large and damage the ecosystem

Most vendors, such as photographers and videographers, are very passionate about keeping their local parks clean, safe, and protected, thus, will always ask that you abide by the law and obtain a ceremony permit. Many photographers who specialize in elopements will be able to tell you how to find out if your location requires a ceremony permit and how to apply for it.

Please note that a ceremony permit is not to be confused with a photography permit. A photography permit is often required in national and provincial parks as well. However, most photographers cover the cost of this permit themselves as it’s used year-round for multiple elopements and sessions. If you’re curious, ask your photographer and videographer if this is included in the elopement package you’ve purchased.

Luckily, Alberta is not only beautiful to elope to but easy as well. The documents and license/permit fees may seem overwhelming at first, but I assure you that they are straightforward and are still more affordable than hosting a traditional wedding.

If you want a bit more information about getting married legally in Alberta you can visit the Alberta Government website here.