Types of Weddings in Canada
/Canada is known for its diversity and multiculturalism, and this extends to the many types of weddings celebrated across the country. From traditional church weddings to intimate elopements, there are countless ways for couples to tie the knot in Canada. Here is an overview of some of the most popular wedding styles and traditions found in Canada.
Traditional Church Wedding
A traditional church wedding remains one of the most classic and popular options for couples in Canada. Steeped in custom and ritual, these ceremonies typically take place in a church with a religious official such as a priest or pastor presiding over the marriage rites.
The bride usually wears a formal white bridal gown and veil, while the groom dons a tuxedo or suit. The ceremony itself follows the usual order of procession, readings, exchange of vows, sharing of rings, and declaration of marriage by the officiant. Many couples will recite traditional vows, although some opt to write their own. Readings may come from religious scripture or poetry.
After the ceremony concludes, the new husband and wife recess down the aisle together, followed by their wedding party. A receiving line outside the church allows them to greet guests before heading off to take formal photos and then celebrate at the wedding reception.
Outdoor Weddings
Outdoor weddings have grown enormously in popularity across Canada in recent years. Also called garden weddings or destination weddings, these ceremonies take advantage of the beautiful Canadian landscape as a backdrop. Popular outdoor wedding locations include wineries, farms, private estates, parks, beaches, lakesides, mountain vistas, and more.
Casual or formal attire is perfectly suitable for outdoor nuptials. The setting lends itself well to a relaxed vibe, although black tie affairs can also be accommodated. The scenery adds plenty of visual interest, so decorations are typically minimal. The officiant stands beneath a flower-adorned arch or canopy as the couple exchanges vows in front of family and friends. Indoor backup plans are a must in case of rain.
The reception following an outdoor wedding tends to be similarly laid-back, with food stations, lawn games, and fireworks or lanterns adding to the pastoral ambiance. Having both the ceremony and reception at the same outdoor spot streamlines the experience for guests.
Elopements
Couples seeking an extremely private and pared-down wedding often choose to elope. An elopement is typically just the couple and perhaps a few witnesses, skipping over most of the trappings of a larger celebration.
In Canada, couples may elope in a small civil ceremony at city hall or a courthouse. The formalities are handled quickly, after which the newlyweds can host a celebratory lunch or dinner for close family and friends. Others use their elopement as an opportunity for adventure, jetting off to exchange vows in a remote wilderness area or while backpacking through the Canadian Rockies.
After the red tape is handled, the couple is free to take photos, share a romantic champagne toast, enjoy a decadent dessert for two, and savor their first moments of married life away from the limelight.
Destination Weddings
Canada's incredible natural beauty, from coast to coast to coast, makes it a sought-after location for destination weddings. Couples from Canada and abroad plan weddings in world-class settings across the country to create a remarkable experience for their guests.
Classic destinations include Vancouver Island, the Rocky Mountains, Quebec City, Niagara Falls, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton Island. The possibilities for scenic backdrops are endless. Destination weddings tend to have smaller guest lists, as attendees need to budget for travel and accommodation costs.
Resort areas with extensive event facilities are popular wedding destinations, where couples can work with on-site wedding planners to handle all the details. Guests usually stay on-site and enjoy group activities between the wedding events. The resort setting enables the couple and their guests to spend quality time together and make a whole vacation out of the experience.
Vow Renewals
Married couples in Canada also have the option of reaffirming their commitment through a vow renewal ceremony. These are often held to commemorate a milestone anniversary, such as 10, 25 or 50 years of marriage. Vow renewals resemble scaled-down weddings, but without the legal contract element.
The couple dresses up, exchanges revised vows, and has a photographer capture the occasion. They may include their children in the ceremony or have them help plan anniversary party details. Friends and other loved ones come together to act as witnesses and celebrate the couple's enduring marriage.
A vow renewal serves as a touching opportunity for spouses to explicitly re-promise their love for one another. Couples frequently cite their renewals as more meaningful than their original wedding day, since they are choosing to remarry their best friend fully aware of both the joys and challenges marriage entails.
Cultural Weddings
Canada is home to a mosaic of cultural traditions when it comes to weddings. Couples with ethnic roots across Asia, Africa, Europe, and elsewhere cherish the opportunity to honor their heritage through wedding customs. Blending cultures is also popular when two people from different backgrounds come together in marriage.
Chinese weddings, for example, are often lavish events spanning several days. They involve rituals like tea ceremonies, the exchange of lucky red envelopes, bridal games, and donning of intricately embroidered silk robes. South Asian weddings may highlight traditions like a Sangeet musical night, henna painting ceremonies, and wearing vibrant Saris.
There are also centuries-old Indigenous wedding practices that are seeing a resurgence, like blanket ceremonies, drumming, smudging rituals, dreamcatcher symbolism, and cradling ceremonies representing unity. Incorporating food, music, attire, and language into the festivities adds meaningful cultural flair.
Winter Weddings
Rug up in your warmest woolens and boots for a magical winter wedding celebration in Canada. When snow blankets the landscape, couples from across the country embrace the chilly weather as a romantic backdrop for their nuptials.
A classic winter wedding look centers around red, green, gold, and silver accents, evoking the holiday season. Bridesmaids shiver under faux fur wraps as they walk down the aisle in elegant gowns, while groomsmen sport dapper suits and long coats. The bride's gown stands out strikingly against frosted, snow-dusted surroundings.
Whether exchanging vows outdoors next to a frosted gazebo or inside a chalet with a glowing fireplace, winter weddings have an undeniable coziness factor. Sipping hot chocolate and mulled wine, snuggling under blankets, and warming up with hearty comfort foods are hallmarks of an intimate Canadian winter wedding. Even braving the cold to take photos amid snowflakes swirling down can create an iconic memory.
Backyard Weddings
For couples seeking a completely casual, budget-friendly wedding, hosting the celebration right in their own backyard can be a perfect fit. Inviting loved ones over to their home turf keeps things relaxed and convenient.
Yard games like croquet, bocce ball, and horseshoes help break the ice and let guests mingle during cocktail hour. Tenting the area or setting up a mix of bistro tables creates a comfortable flow for the reception space. Lanterns and twinkling lights hung from trees or fences set the mood.
A Tex-Mex style taco bar, BBQ buffet, or clambake complete the laid-back vibe. If desired, a friend could get ordained online to officiate the intimate backyard ceremony. This style allows total creativity and customization on a smaller scale.
Barn Weddings
Barns across rural Canada have been transformed into rustic-chic wedding venues, capitalizing on the country charm they embody. With exposed beams, string lights, and mason jar decor, a barn instantly infuses a down-home ambiance.
Brides pair lace or floral gowns with cowboy boots for barn weddings, while groomsmen rock jeans and suspenders with plaid accents. Mason jar centerpieces overflowing with wildflowers adorn the banquet tables. Signage painted on reclaimed wood adds personalized country flair.
Outdoor lawn games like cornhole, ladder ball, and washer tosses encourage casual fun before the reception. The ceremony itself may take place in the open barn doorway or on the lawn, allowing the venue to shine. Barn
Weddings in Banff and Jasper
The breathtaking mountain towns of Banff and Jasper in the Canadian Rockies are wildly popular wedding destinations. With stunning alpine vistas, crystal blue lakes, evergreen forests, and towering peaks, this extraordinary landscape creates a one-of-a-kind backdrop for weddings.
Outdoor mountain weddings allow couples to exchange vows nestled within nature's majesty. Popular spots include the shores of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, the Banff Gondola summit, the Columbia Icefields, and more. Guests gasp in awe at the scenery as they watch the bride walk down the evergreen carpeted aisle.
For indoor winter weddings, lodges and resorts in Banff and Jasper provide majestic floor-to-ceiling windows with mountain views. Rustic elegance mingles with luxury at venues like the Fairmont Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise. Guests enjoy fun activities like dog sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides between wedding events.
From elopements on a backcountry hiking trail to extravagant hotel ballroom bashes, the options in Banff and Jasper suit intimate to grand affairs. The towns’ abundance of activities, restaurants, and nightlife ensure guests make the most of the destination wedding experience. Newlyweds can even depart directly from the church or venue to embark on a quintessential Canadian honeymoon exploring the Rockies.
East Coast Weddings
Travel to Canada’s East Coast provinces opens up a world of breathtaking and variegated natural scenery ideal for weddings. The Atlantic Ocean, Cape Breton Highlands, Fundy Bay’s tides, and maritime forests and beaches provide no shortage of incredible backdrops.
Historic lighthouses like Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse in Nova Scotia are sought-after ceremony and photo locations, accompanied by lobster boat sightings and fresh seafood cuisine. Prince Edward Island entices couples with its Green Gables house and farms dotting the patchwork quilt countryside. Bold coastal views from timber chalets in Newfoundland and Labrador amaze attendees.
Incorporating tastes of the region through Nova Scotian wild blueberries, New Brunswick’s famous potato dishes, oysters from Prince Edward Island, or cod tongues from Newfoundland underscores the maritime flavor. Lively Acadian and Celtic fiddle music played during receptions adds to the area’s distinct vibe.
No matter which East Coast province couples select, the friendly people, slower pace, dazzling scenery and rugged natural charm shine through to create an unforgettable wedding infused with Canadiana.
Other Wedding Trends
Like all aspects of culture, weddings in Canada follow evolving trends and innovations. Here are some popular current wedding directions emerging:
Micro weddings - Intimate celebrations with under 50 guests, focusing on just the couple's nearest and dearest. Streamlined affairs with personalized touches.
Pop-up weddings - Completely planned and executed in a very short timeframe, from 48 hours to a few weeks. Excitement of spontaneity.
Adult flower girls - Mature "flower grannies" representing special women in the couple's lives.
Donut walls - Artistic donut displays replacing or complementing traditional wedding cakes.
CBD cocktails/edibles - Cannabis-infused wedding refreshments in legal areas.
Surprise flash mob dances - Choreographed dance routines by the guests unleashed during receptions.
Drone photography - Aerial shots of the ceremony, venue, landscape. Unique perspectives.
Pizza trucks - Late-night reception meal idea, bringing the pizzeria to the party.
Charcuterie catering - Grazing tables piled high with artisanal meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, jams, crackers.
Bridesmen/groomswomen - Mixed gender wedding parties, with men and women on both sides.
Woof weddings - Couples celebrating with beloved pets at their sides as "Bark of Honor" and more.
Wedding Attire Trends
Wedding fashion in Canada spotlights individuality and finding looks that genuinely suit the couple’s style, values, body type, and venue. Some popular current wedding attire trends include:
Brides:
Statement sleeves - Dramatic bell sleeves, off-the-shoulder, lace, ruffles
Bold colors - Drugstore gowns in blue, pink, green, gold, etc.
Short dresses - Knee-length, tea length, or cocktail dresses
Pantsuits - Elegant bridal jumpsuits, often with detachable skirts
Two-piece sets - Skirt and crop top, no train to manage
Vintage - Gently used gowns, heirloom retro looks
Grooms:
Patterned suits - Houndstooth, tweed, plaid, windowpane, and checkered
Colored suits - Ensembles in navy, grey, sage, plum, chestnut brown, etc.
Casual - Blazers, slacks, suspenders, white jeans
Kilts - Nod to Scottish heritage
Snazzy shoes - Velvet loafers, metallic oxfords, patterned sneakers
Unique accessories - Bold socks, jewelry, sunglasses, pocket squares
Wedding parties:
Mismatched - Different dresses/suits in coordinating colors
Unique styles - Have each person pick their own look
Handmade - Homemade ring bearer pillows, flower crowns, etc.
Themed - Roaring 20s, beach chic, rocker chic, etc.
Suits for all - Bridesmaids and groomsmen all in stylish pantsuits
Wedding Food Trends
Culinary creativity also takes center stage at Canadian weddings, as couples move beyond the traditional chicken, beef, or fish plated dinners. Unique catering approaches allow them to express their personalities while wowing guests’ palates. Popular current wedding food trends include:
Food stations - Small plates, tapas style, diverse cuisines
Local food - Highlighting in-season regional specialties
Family recipes - Dishes with sentimental ties, prepared by relatives
Brunch - Waffles, crepes, omelets, mimosas
Dessert bars - Donuts, pies, s’mores, crepes, milkshakes
Grazing tables - A spread of artisanal cheeses, meats, breads, fruits, sweets
Food trucks - Tacos, BBQ, lobster rolls, poutines, etc.
Interactive stations - Caribbean jerk, hand-rolled sushi, omelets
Midnight snacks - Pizzas, sliders, poutine, nachos, etc.
Signature cocktails - Custom drinks based on the couple’s history and preferences
Wedding cakes are evolving beyond basic designs as well. Couples may opt for an assortment of macarons, cupcakes, pies, or other miniature desserts in lieu of an expansive cake. Others embrace vivid colors, fresh flowers, geometric shapes, or cascade cakes inspired by nature. Mirror glazes, metallics, and gold leaf add modern flair.