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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
When Yellowknife couples choose to tie the knot, there are many things to consider when preparing for the big day.

Near the top of the list is the decision on what kind of ceremony the couple would like to have. Some choose to get married in a church, while others opt for a civil service before a justice of the peace.

"It only makes sense to be married in a church if you have a personal faith, I think," said Reverend Joey Royal, minister at Holy Trinity Anglican Church. "What happens in a church is that two people who have made commitments to God make commitments to each other before God."

No matter one's personal preference, each type of service has different sets of rules and regulations that should be considered before the ceremony. Below is a break-down of some options for couples.

Marriage licences

All couples entering into matrimony must obtain a marriage licence beforehand, to be signed at the ceremony in order to make the marriage legal.

"Without a marriage licence, you cannot get married. You need the licence beforehand," said Christa Wittlinger, a Yellowknife licence issuer.

The licences are good up to 90 days after the date of issue, so Wittlinger suggests couples apply ahead of time to ensure they have the proper documents needed to secure a marriage licence in Canada.

A valid birth certificate, or passport if one is born outside Canada, is required, as is a divorce certificate if one of the parties was previously married, or a death certificate if one of the parties has been widowed. In their meeting with the licence issuers, couples must declare they are not related by blood, or have any other legal impediments to their marriage as outlined by the Department of Health and Social Services' vital statistics office, which oversees the issuing of marriage licences in the territory.

While the meeting between a licence officer and a couple doesn't normally take very long, Wittlinger said many couples over the years have been unaware they require documentation. This can lead to stressful times if a licence is not secured in the days leading up to the wedding.

Justice of the peace

For those couples who don't want faith as part of their ceremony, being wed by a justice of the peace is an appealing option.

All territorial and Supreme Court judges have the power to perform marriages, said Anne Mould, director of court services with the Department of Justice.

There are also at least seven justices of the peace in Yellowknife who have acquired licences to perform wedding ceremonies, she added.

"I think it's personal choice more than anything," Mould said of a couple's decision to be married by a judge. "There are a number of people who choose this route because of their personal relationships with the justices."

There are no set fees for being married before a justice of the peace.

In 2012, there were 128 marriages in Yellowknife registered with the vital statistics office, said Mould. Of those, 32 were performed by a justice of the peace.

Yellowknife United Church

Unlike other religions, the United Church does not require couples be members of the church to be married there, Reverend Peter Chynoweth told Yellowknifer. Same-sex couples may also be married in the church, he added.

"I think it's a non-judgmental, open way to offer what we are as a Christian community for couples. If they've made the step to come to us to be married, there is obviously something to that. It's very easy to not be married in a church now," said Chynoweth on why his church has no faith or gender requirements for holding a wedding service. "We offer God's welcome when we are open ourselves."

All couples married in the Yk United Church must first undergo a series of marriage preparation sessions, which Chynoweth facilitates. During these sessions, Chynoweth asks the couple about aspects of their relationship to measure the strength of the union. Topics including financial planning, their sexual relationship, leisure planning, and family planning are discussed, he said.

The sessions offered by Chynoweth cost $50 per couple, although all couples have the option of completing similar sessions elsewhere, but Chynoweth adds few are available in Yellowknife.

Generally, these sessions take about a month to complete, though some couples choose to take more time, he added.

In terms of the wedding itself, the United Church is open to changing parts of the ceremony to suit the couple's needs, although there are some aspects of a Christian wedding that must remain, such as the question raised during the ceremony of whether there is any reason the couple should not be wed.

For members of the United Church, there is no formal fee for a wedding ceremony in the chapel or auditorium at Northern United Place, although most couples offer donations to the church for performing the ceremony, said Chynoweth. Non-members of the church are asked to pay $300 to the church for the ceremony. Any couples who would like the church to provide music must pay an extra $100.

Holy Family Lutheran Church

Getting married in the Holy Family Lutheran Church is in many ways similar to being married in the United Church, said Pastor Kirk Tastad. In fact, the Lutheran Church borrows space at Northern United Place to host its regular worship services, as well as for wedding ceremonies, he said.

Again, anyone can be married by the Lutheran Church, and there is no discrimination if one of the parties is divorced, said Tastad.

"It's completely open. When I do a wedding, I do a religious ceremony," he said. "And so ... we will talk about faith."

Tastad also walks the couple through three counselling sessions before their wedding day. These sessions are free of charge, he said.

The goal of these sessions is to ensure the couple has considered important topics, such as home finances, whether they want to have children and ensure that both parties' understanding of marriage is compatible.

Couples being married at NUP are charged $300 plus $100 for music if they wish. Tastad also officiates weddings in alternative venues, in which case the couple would be charged $100 for his time.

Central Arctic Baptist Church

While those who wish to get married at Yellowknife's Baptist church do not necessarily have to be members of the church, Pastor Frank Siemens said he has never been asked to officiate a wedding by a non-parishioner.

The only hard rules for getting married in the Central Arctic Baptist Church are that both parties accept the Lord as their savior. Also, the church will not bless same-sex unions, as the Baptist interpretation of the Bible forbids homosexuality, he said.

Again, before being married, a couple would undergo marriage counselling with Siemens. How much time this counselling may take varies, he said, but it would consist of many sessions where Siemens would offer biblical counsel to the couple.

"My concern is that the marriages I do, last," said Siemens, adding that the goal of the sessions is to ensure the couple knows what they are getting into.

There are no costs associated with being wed in the Baptist Church.

Holy Trinity Anglican Church

To be married in the Anglican Church, couples do not have to be members, although Reverend Joey Royal has never been asked to officiate a non-member's wedding.

The Holy Trinity Anglican Church is a liturgical church, meaning that their worship services are quite structured, said Royal. For couples, this means there is a set service for marriages, although Royal said he would consider altering parts of the service. However, he has never been asked to do this.

As the Anglican Church is a not-for-profit organization, there is no fee associated with being married in the church. However, couples are typically asked for a donation to help cover costs of holding the services. These donations vary, depending on what the couple can afford, said Royal.

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