Pop-Up Elopement Days
What is an Elopement Day?
The Town of Fort Frances offers special Elopement Day services where couples who book ahead are issued their marriage licence and married in a simple ceremony all in one appointment.
This service is especially ideal for those who:
- Are having an out-of-country wedding
- Are looking for an affordable wedding
- Are opting for a low-key, intimate celebration
- Fort Frances holds personal significance for them
- Want to have a low-impact wedding for the environment
- Want an easy to plan wedding
- Want to do intimate vow renewals (at a discounted price of $347)
How do I book?
- Contact clerks@fortfrances.ca; or
- Use this form: https://www.fortfrances.ca/PopUps
Schedule
Below are our dates, locations, themes. If you are a local Fort Frances business willing to partner with the Town of Fort Frances in providing a location, please contact clerks@fortfrances.ca.
Please note, dates subject to rescheduling. We will always do everything in our power to avoid needing to reschedule your special day. For venue cancellations (ie. for inclement weather, business cancellations, etc.) we'll use the Council Chambers at the Civic Centre as a backup.
| Date | Location | Theme |
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| December 12, 2025 Booking now | Rainy Lake Square |
Snow (we hope), red, and lights. The Museum will be available to tour, warm up, and use the restroom. |
| January 30, 2026 Booking now | Council Chambers | Black and Gold |
| February 13, 2026 | TBD | Valentines |
| March 27, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| April 24, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| May 29, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| June 19, 2026 | Announcing soon! | Rainbow |
| July 31, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| August 28, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| November 27, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
| December 11, 2026 | TBD | TBD |
Who is the Officiant?
The Municipal Clerk and Deputy Clerk officiate these weddings.
What is included?
- Your Marriage Licence
- Your Marriage Ceremony performed by an Officiant
- Your completed licence mailed to the Ontario Registrar
- Pre-decorated
- When weddings take place in the Council Chambers, with advance notice, Microsoft Teams can be setup so your friends and family can stream (indoors only)
- When weddings take place in the Council Chambers, gallery seating for guests
- The Officiant will also stay behind upon request for up to 5 (five) minutes to take group photos with your camera or cellphone
What is the price?
All prices inclusive of HST. Payable by debit, cash, or cheque.
- Elopement with marriage licence - $500
- Elopement without marriage licence - $347 (if you already have a valid Ontario marriage licence)
- Vow renewal - $347
What do I need?
- 2 (two) government-issued, non-expired pieces of identification each. One needs to be a photo identification.
- If there's a prior marriage which ended in divorce or annulment, we require the original or court certified true copy of the paperwork.
- Two witnesses, recommended to both be over 16 (sixteen) years of age understanding what they're witnessing. Witnesses can be provided by the Town of Fort Frances for $25+HST per required witness.
How soon until I get my Marriage Certificate?
Your marriage licence is mailed to the Ontario Registrar within 24 working hours of the ceremony. The Registrar recommends waiting minimum 6-8 (six to eight) weeks for your Marriage Certificate, however if there are any errors on your marriage licence, this will extend the time it takes to receive your Marriage Certificate. Always check your Marriage Licence thoroughly with your Issuer.
Your Officiant is only able to provide when the Marriage Licence was mailed to the Registrar and is unable to request updates from the Province of Ontario on the status of your Marriage Certificate.
Who do I contact for more information?
The Office of the Clerk
clerks@fortfrances.ca
(807) 274-5323
What else to know:
- Pop-up Elopements are not for everyone. For instance if you are planning on having a large amount of guests, are unsure about the location, or want a more personalized ceremony, this may not be for you.
- Couples are to have a maximum of fifteen (15) guests. If booked venues will allow more or less, this will be announced.
- The Officiants are who determine the location. You cannot change your location for Pop-Up Elopements as only one location will be setup for all couples, and both Pop-Up Elopement officiants need to be onsite.
- The Ceremony takes less than ten (10) minutes, and couples have an additional ten (10) minutes to take photos. If the couple are interested in saying their own vows, the Officiants must be notified beforehand. These must not be more than 450 words, or approximately three (3) minutes in length, when spoken. This is to ensure that weddings do not go beyond another scheduled wedding time.
- If you are doing a vow renewal, please inform the Officiants. There is an alternate ceremony for vow renewals which does allow the exchanging of lengthier vows.
- The Council Chambers is always scheduled as a backup location. Should there be reasons for Location cancellation (ie. inclement weather for outdoor wedding), you will be contacted by the officiant and weddings will be moved here.
- Should there ever be reason to cancel the entire day from the Officiants (ie. in case of road closure due to significant snowstorm, tornado, etc.) the Officiant will reschedule your day with you and choose a location together, no additional charge. If the Officiants are on site at the Civic Centre and the wedding party can make it safely to the Civic Centre, the Council Chambers may be utilized.
- Pop-Up Elopements are non-refundable.
- Couples and guests must arrive on time. Those that arrive late may be at risk of losing their scheduled time. If a couple is able to be accommodated later that day, rescheduling that same day may be allowed. However, if the officiants are unable to accommodate this, a $125 reschedule fee must be paid and this ceremony will take place in the Council Chambers or on Civic Centre property.
- If couples do not show up with no notice but have paid, this will not be reimbursed. They may reschedule for an additional $125 reschedule fee and the ceremony will take place in the Council Chambers or on Civic Centre property. If couples have not paid and have not showed up, they will not be booked in for future Pop-Up Elopement Days without providing payment at time of booking.
- If couples do not show up but have provided notice of a minimum of ten (10) days and have paid, there will be no reschedule fee if they’d like to do so. If they have not paid, they may still book in for a future date.
- If couples cancel after ten (10) days and have paid, a $125 reschedule fee may be applied. If they have not paid, they will not be booked in for future Pop-Up Elopement Days without providing payment at time of booking.
- We welcome out-of-town couples! Payment can be made on the day of the wedding. If payment is done on the day of the wedding, a receipt must be brought to the Officiant at the location in order for the wedding to proceed.
- Décor is determined and set up by the Officiants, however if you have small, sentimental pieces you would like included that is permitted, provided that they are easily moveable, do not require assembly, and have been given to the officiant a minimum of two (2) days ahead of your ceremony. These must not displace décor setup by the Officiants.
In the News
Pop-Up Elopements have made it in the news! Check out articles on these days below:
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