Want to elope in Nova Scotia, but don’t know how? We understand that figuring out how to get married can sometimes feel like a daunting task. In order to make things (legally) official there are a few things that you need to do before you say “I do”. It’s actually super easy and all you need to do is pick a date, find a Justice of the Peace and get a marriage license.
So, who can legally marry us?
A Justice of the Peace (aka a JP or JOP) will need to marry you outside of the church or courthouse in Nova Scotia. There are SO many amazing JP’s available to perform these ceremonies within the province and that would be thrilled to marry you and help you create a beautiful and unique ceremony. You can find a full list of Justices of the Peace in Nova Scotia Here. We think it’s very important to find the right JP for you, this is the person who it officiating your ceremony, and making this thing OFFICIAL, after all.
Most JP’s charge a flat fee of $200 (plus any applicable travel) to perform a ceremony & to file the paperwork. The only time you should ever be paying more than that price is when you use a JP who offer full service planning packages such as East Coast Pop Up Weddings (the owner Sarah is AMAZING by the way, and you can ABSOLUTELY have us photograph your pop-up wedding with her, tell her we sent you)!
How & Where do we get a Marriage License?
To legally get married in Nova Scotia you need to obtain a marriage license prior to your wedding. That marriage license must be given to your JP the day of the wedding so that they can perform the ceremony for you. You can pick up a license from a Vital Statistics Deputy Issuer. Both of you don’t have to go in and apply in order to get a certificate but you will need original copies of your Proof of Age and Photo ID. Once you receive your license, you will have 90 days to use it.
For all you spontaneous couples and those of you Not from Nova Scotia but looking to get married here, there is no waiting period for when you can use it! For all of the information you need to know about applying for your license, click here.
Should we hire a Photographer?
YES! Yes you absolutely should hire a photographer! We’re not saying that just so that you’ll hire us, but we think it is sooo important to hire a professional wedding photographer for your special day. This will be one of the most important moments of your life and you absolutely want beautiful images to share with your family and friends.
We have a special love for elopements because we eloped ourselves, and we absolutely love the simplicity and the intimacy of them. The best thing about elopements is that it’s all about you and your love. You get to celebrate your way and you don’t have to worry about pleasing anyone but yourselves. A wedding is all about the marriage, the vows and your love and with elopements, you can make it just that.
If you’re thinking of eloping we would love to hear from you! We can help you with anything from recommending vendors for things like your hair, makeup and bouquet, to helping with locations and brainstorming fun ideas authentic to you guys as a couple. And hey, we can even be your witnesses ;)! Contact Us and lets start planning your special day.
There you go! A guide on exactly what you need to do in order to elope in Nova Scotia, now don’t be shy! Let’s start planning your perfect day!
