Welcome to Ottawa's Most Enjoyable Wedding Ceremonies

Congratulations on your forthcoming wedding being planned within the greater Ottawa area. As you start to make all sorts of plans, it is very easy to get caught up in the wedding industry vortex and you can lose sight of what is really most important for the two of you on your special day.

Having your wedding ceremony performed by a licensed Ontario wedding celebrant or officiant is the only element of the day that is legally required for a marriage to be completed. Everything else you choose to do for your wedding day is simply a discretionary option.

When you choose your wedding celebrant or officiant, you're not just buying a commodity service, you're investing in lasting memories for you, your families, and your guests. You have an opportunity to ensure that everyone experiences your wedding ceremony like no other than they have before. Unless you want a very average ceremony, you should seek an experienced and talented officiant or celebrant whose style incorporates and builds upon your personal vision of your wedding day.

So you now have a really important choice to make. Do you want your marriage ceremony and wedding script to be romantic and elegant, meaningful and fun; specifically designed for and about the two of you, customized and personalized to reflect who you are both as individuals and as a couple and treat your family and guests to a romantic, innovative, yet relaxed experience, something that really energizes them? Or, will you settle for having just another ordinary, ho-hum cookie-cutter marriage ceremony (you know, the kind where everyone just wants to get it over with so that they can then get a few drinks in them and start to party)? We really know how to make your party start within your ceremony so that the energy and momentum flow onto your reception while possibly even reducing your open bar tab.

If we could show and tell you how we could help you visualize and experience having the best wedding ceremony that you and your guests have ever been to in your lives, you would want at least to have a look, hear about it, and get a good feel for it, wouldn't you?

If this looks good, sounds great or gives you the feeling of control that you want for your wedding ceremony, then please contact us (613-831-7555 or Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com) so that we discuss and focus upon creating a unique, enjoyable ceremony that fits you like tailored made clothing.

All of the information on these 50+ pages will help you understand the range of officiant options available in the Ottawa area, making it easier to find the right one for you. There is a range of styles and approaches used today and a basic understanding of these styles will save you plenty of time when it comes to choosing the best and most appropriate wedding officiant or celebrant for you.

Anyone who has ever attended a wedding ceremony performed by either of us has experienced the difference between the usual types of ceremonies prevailing in the area and their unique contemporary ones. They really know the positive impact you can make by treating your guests, as well as yourselves, to one of our innovative wedding ceremonies.

As Ottawa's only full-time ceremony celebrants and marriage officiants, we have invested thousands of hours in researching and developing a range of approaches which inject life, energy, and originality into every ceremony we perform. Not only are we widely regarded as Ottawa's most innovative wedding officiants and ceremony celebrants, we also offer a much higher level of service providing the personal touch that ensures a peace of mind that other officiants can't even come close to matching. Moreover, we are two of the very few Ottawa officiants who have any significant experience in leading wedding rehearsal sessions, something for which we are renown. We likely perform more wedding rehearsals each year than all other Ottawa civil officiants combined!

Having been married for 35 years and having designed and performed over 1000 unique ceremonies, we have proven convincingly that weddings don't have to be too long, boring, impersonal, overly churchy, and lacking real emotion for everyone attending. As we experimented with new ceremony techniques, we heard back from the couples, families, and guests at the weddings they conducted that they were thrilled with the innovations and personalization that we introduced into the Ottawa area.

Our clientele primarily are very selective and imaginative couples who want the added personal touch and who value customized and personalized wedding ceremonies that exude creativity, humour, and originality blended with romantic tradition. Our clients are those who prefer to work with officiants who take the extra time to listen to them and their ideas and to work actively with them to achieve their wedding ceremony vision. Accordingly, most of the top wedding professionals in Ottawa refer to their clients to us at Exceptional Ceremonies as their first choice of officiants for ceremonies happening within the Ottawa area. And when it comes to their own weddings, more Ottawa wedding professionals (photographers, wedding planners, venue co-ordinators, caterers, florists, hotel management, etc.) having seen almost every other Ottawa officiant in action at one time or another, have then chosen us to perform their ceremonies or those for their family members, rather than any other officiant.

To get a brief glimpse of our ceremony style magic in action, check out this video filmed by the talented people at Bespoke Films on Kim and Prabhul's wedding day and listen to how during the ceremony, Lynne reveals the story of their relationship.

"Two thumbs up to Lynne Langille for putting Kim and Prabhul's story together so perfectly! Its a real treat every time we film a ceremony that Lynne is giving. We always look forward to the personal touch. We have a great respect for her ability to connect people through her storytelling skills and aspire to do the same with our films. I think we are a good match!" - Mark Ciancibello, Bespoke Films

If you believe that you and your guests deserve a superior, unique wedding ceremony; a spectacular event filled with joy, love and laughter, then we can help you raise the bar by which weddings are judged. We can make your wedding ceremony stand out in the experience and memories of you, your families, friends, and guests as the best wedding ceremony that you and they have ever attended in your lives. Read what our clients have written about our ceremonies here and then imagine you having a similar or even better experience up to and on your wedding day. And then there will be all those wonderful memories for many, many years to come!

Wedding Ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Nature Lantern Room - Photo by Andrew Geddes - Union Eleven Photography

This website strives to give you a sense of the range of types of ceremony that we perform and more importantly the creative style that makes us the most innovative marriage celebrants serving the Ottawa area and, perhaps, all of Ontario.

Unique in Ottawa, we offer all prospective marriage clients a complimentary one hour face-to-face consultation with both of us in the privacy of our own home (or by telephone conference call for those couples remote from Ottawa) prior to your making any deposit or booking. We do this so that you can meet us and judge first hand our chemistry and expertise to be effective with you in taking your wedding ceremony to a level far beyond anything you've ever experienced or imagined. In doing so you can determine that we have the right experience, look, sound, style, energy, and presence to preside with confidence and authority at your ceremony

Meet us over a pot of tea (or coffee) and find out why over 99% of the couples who have met with us, have then proceeded to book us, a record unmatched anywhere else in Canada. With our experience of having designed and performed over 1000 ceremonies in most Ottawa area venues, leverage our extensive expertise to work for you and feel the peace of mind that comes from being serviced by two of the very best professionals that you'll meet in all of your wedding planning.

Unlike most other Ottawa officiants, we limit the number of weddings we perform any afternoon to a maximum of two, both of which are usually spaced two or more hours apart. We do this so that we can provide you with the best possible service and to ensure you a stress free experience, especially if things run somewhat behind your schedule. Ever hear of a bride who arrived late or a ceremony that didn't start on time because the guests hadn't all arrived? Well, it happens and when it does, we are not the officiants who cut out part of the ceremony because we need to get to another too closely scheduled ceremony. We believe that your ceremony deserves our full attention and focus and twe ensure that our scheduling will not be the source of any stress during your wedding day.

Wedding Ceremony at the Canadian Museum of Nature Lantern Room - Photo by Andrew Geddes - Union Eleven Photography

Due to the consistently heavy demand on Saturdays for our services inside the immediate Ottawa-Gatineau area, we are only accepting Saturday bookings for venues outside of this zone for our ultra premium Platinum Ceremony Packages. On Sundays to Fridays, we will continue to be available for Platinum, Gold, and Silver Ceremony Packages held in more distant locations e.g. Brockville, Calabogie Peaks, Lac Ste. Marie, Montebello, etc.

2013 Wedding Ceremonies

For 2013, there is still a wide range of dates available throughout the year except for the July 5-7th weekend when our own daughter is getting married.

You are advised to contact us (Lynne or Keith) either by phone at (613) 831-7555 or alternatively inquire by e-mail at Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com to secure a reservation for your preferred ceremony date & time. We will hold your date and time for you, without any deposit required, until you are able to meet us face to face. Please go to this page, on our website, then copy the questionnaire into an email to Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com and complete it. We will will be back to you, usually within 24 hours.

Please contact us as early as possible, to determine our availability as our remaing summer and fall dates will be booking up soon.

We will be unavailable for ceremonies during the period of November 27th - December 15th, 2013 while we are on holidays.

2014 Wedding Ceremonies

Bookings for 2014 are now being accepted and are occurung at a faster rate than in previous years, most likely due to couples deferring their weddings to avoid having a 2013 date.

Presently, there are still lots of dates and times available during the year. Now is a good time to line up your officiant so as to avoid disappointment. So, please contact us as early as possible, to determine our availability as most couples are booking dates 8 to 18 months in advance and it is now that you will have the best selection of dates and times.

You are advised to contact us (Lynne or Keith) either by phone at (613) 831-7555 or alternatively inquire by e-mail at Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com to secure a reservation for your preferred ceremony date & time. Please go to this page, on our website, then copy the questionnaire into an email to Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com and complete it. We will will be back to you, usually within 24 hours.

We will be unavailable for ceremonies during the period of February 24th - April 2nd, 2014 while we are away on holidays celebrating our 35th anniversary.

We offer a premium service for our clients and due to the significantly higher level of service we offer, the extra number of hours we work on your behalf, and the limited number of engagements we accept, our fees for larger wedding ceremonies may be slightly higher (but not always) than those of most other Ottawa officiants.

Being a small, home-based boutique operation, we are not equipped to respond to a high volume of enquiries but rather a more limited number of serious enquiries from couples who really appreciate and want excellence and uniqueness for their ceremony.

Even though we offer the lowest priced Elopement ceremonies in the Ottawa area, if finding the lowest priced officiant available is more important to you than having you and your guests experiencing an exceptionally romantic and innovative wedding service, then there are so many other officiants in the Ottawa area available who may be a better fit for your ceremony expectations and priorities.

We openly publish our fees and the rationale for them. You don't have to make a deposit before you get to meet with us. The cost difference between the average, ho-hum ceremony available everywhere and an enjoyable, memorable ceremony spectacularly officiated is only about $25-$150. There is no other element of a wedding (dress, limo, ring, flowers, meal, venue, photos, decoration, etc.) where that $25-$150 investment can leverage such a positive impact upon your wedding day experience! Almost without exception, couples who do choose to have the complimentary and private, one hour meeting with us are very delighted to have done so. Of these, over 99% of the couples who meet with us, then proceed to book with us !

Our extensive sample client testimonials can be found here and convincingly document why engaging us is often the best decision you will make amongst all of your wedding services options. For couples who meet with us before they make the other major vendor decisions (especially the venue), we can usually give you advice that could save you thousands of dollars and provide superior results.

For those couples who demand an outstanding ceremony experience for yourselves and your guests, we are experts for a range of customized ceremonies. Our specialities include:

Civil Ceremonies * Spiritual Ceremonies * Eloping *  Bilingual & French Ceremonies
Second & Third Marriages * Same Sex & Gay Weddings * Surprise Weddings
  Western Quebec Ceremonies  * Backyard, Home & Cottage Ceremonies 
Renewal of Vows Ceremonies * Co-Officiated Ceremonies
Baptisms & Naming Ceremonies * Memorial Services
Non-Denominational or Inter-Faith Ceremonies
Ceremonies for Remotely Located Couples
Commitment Ceremonies
Ceremonies with Children
Ceremonies in a Church

You can contact us at Keith@ExceptionalCeremonies.com or 613 - 831 - 7555 in Ottawa. We're usually around most days and evenings.

We are Ottawa Wedding Officiants, Marriage Celebrants, non-denominational Ministers, Wedding Ministers, and Marriage Commissioners who function much like a Justice of the Peace. We perform ceremonies mainly in the greater Ottawa-Gatineau, National Capital Region, as well as surrounding locations in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. We do not perform ceremonies in the Toronto, GTA, southern Ontario, or Northern Ontario regions.