Old City Hall and Civic Centre Wedding Chambers

A civil wedding in Toronto can take place inside one of the city's grandest landmarks, beneath the carved red sandstone of Old City Hall.

Built over ten years between 1889 and 1899 to a design by architect E.J. Lennox, Old City Hall is a Richardsonian Romanesque building in two tones of red sandstone, full of carvings of animals and faces and lit by a great stained-glass window. It served as City Hall until 1965 and became a National Historic Site in 1989.

The City offers civil ceremonies in the former Council Chamber on select Thursdays, by appointment and subject to availability. These are non-religious ceremonies, led by City staff appointed by the City Clerk.

The City also runs three wedding chambers that couples can book in 30-minute blocks: North York Civic Centre for up to 40 people, York Civic Centre for up to 25 and Scarborough Civic Centre for up to 22.

The chambers are rented as rooms only, so couples bring their own officiant, two witnesses and their marriage licence. A sound system is provided for their own music, and removable decorations are welcome.

For couples who picture a short, meaningful ceremony with their closest people around them, the City of Toronto offers a wedding that is simple, official and set in places with real civic history.