Dear Engaged Couple

Congratulations on your recent engagement! It is our prayerful wish that the Holy Spirit will bless and guide you during this important time of your life. Your decision to begin a lifetime commitment to each other is a graced moment. May the Lord bless your decision and bring your plans and desires to fulfillment.

In its sacramental ministry, the Catholic Church is at the service of the Lord's mission and of its members. You have decided to consecrate your love in the sacrament of matrimony. Our goal is to support you in that decision and to bring you, as a consecrated married couple, to participate in the life of your faith community. This is the reason why we, like you, take seriously the preparation of marriage. It is a sacrament which is a moment of grace for the members of the Church, both you who celebrate it as well as for the entire community who shares your joy.

Our Cathedral church is unique in that it is at the service of all the members of our diocesan parishes as well as the members of the Cathedral parish. As a result, you may celebrate your marriage here in the Cathedral if you are a member of the Cathedral parish or of one of the parishes of the Archdiocese of Ottawa.

In addition, we welcome visiting priests and deacons to bless marriages. If you intend to invite a priest or a deacon to bless your marriage, we would ask you to provide us with his full contact information (name, complete address and phone number... etc.).

Requirements

• You must be free to marry. If either of you has been previously married - religiously or civilly - you must receive a written authorization from our diocesan Chancery Office before a date can be set for your wedding at the Cathedral. If this situation applies to either of you, you should contact the Chancery Office [https://ottawacornwall.ca/chancery/] at (613) 738-5025 and receive this written authorization before proceeding further.

• To be married in the Catholic Church, at least one of you must be a baptized Catholic. It is strongly suggested that baptized Catholics also have been confirmed before their wedding. If you have not been baptized and/or confirmed, we'll be happy to discuss the possibility of a preparation for baptism and/or confirmation at the Cathedral.

• Completion of an authorized marriage preparation course is mandatory. Your marriage date is accepted on the condition that you will fulfill all requirements for marriage preparation including the completion of the preparation course before your marriage date. Please note that we do not offer marriage preparation courses at the Cathedral. 

Failure to complete all the requirements may lead to the cancellation of your marriage date.

The Celebration of Marriage

No weddings take place during Advent (the four weeks before Christmas) or Lent (the six and a half weeks that precede Easter.

Weddings normally take place on Saturdays, at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., or 3 p.m. Preferred Saturdays during the summer months and preferred times (1:00 p.m. and 3 p.m.) are often fully booked many months in advance. We only book weddings at least 6 months in advance and we stop taking reservations for the current calendar year on April 1st of the same year. For example, If you are intending to get married in October/November 2024, the last day to request a booking was April 1st 2024. 

Other days or times may be considered, but no weddings may take place on Solemnities, Sundays, Christmas Day or January 1. 
 

Application

To reserve a date for your marriage at the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, please contact the office at support@notredameottawa.com, or by phone at (613) 241-7496 (during office hours) or by fax at (613) 241-1627. During peak seasons (i.e. Lent and Summer), it is prefered that inquiries are made via e-mail. Please provide your full contact information (full name, address, phone and email address where available).