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About

On WeddingWire since 2023

Last update: May 2023

An award-winning wedding officiant, Rev. Mary McCandless, delights in helping you create a memorable wedding ceremony that captures the true essence of your commitment to each other. Regardless of whether you want something "short and sweet", contemporary or traditional, personalized, sincere and meaningful wedding ceremonies, showcase the love and promises made by couples. Or, if you want to elope, she'll provide the setting and the witnesses.

She is on a preferred Vendor's list at Whispering Springs in Grafton, Meadowview Gardens in Roseneath, Bloomfield Gardens in Newcastle, The Mill in Cobourg and has recently take on the responsibility of Officiant/Celebrant for the new Micro Weddings at the Art Gallery of Northumberland in Cobourg.

An open and engaging personality, Mary McCandless exudes caring, warmth and a sense of calm, welcome at any wedding celebration and is perfectly comfortable performing all kinds of weddings, for all kinds of couples, including same sex, inter-faith or multi-cultural. "All you need is love."

Experience

Mary McCandless is a licensed wedding officiant in the Province of Ontario. Her life experience, as a professional musical theatre performer, sets her apart and ensures that she is comfortable and confident in any public situation or setting. Wedding ceremonies are as different as the couples celebrating. She listens and hears your unique wants and needs and strives to make every celebration perfect for those involved, regardless where it is held.

Services offered

Mary's officiant services may include the following:

  • Welcomes couples' own thoughts, readings, vows
  • Handfasting
  • Unity Ceremony
  • Tree Planting
  • Licensed
  • Premarital counseling

Other services

Among the other services she offers, you can find:

  • Baptisms
  • Naming Ceremonies
  • Celebrations of Life
  • Funerals (Non-religious and Religious)
  • Memorials
  • Spiritual Counseling
  • House Blessings & Clearings

Frequently asked questions

What types of weddings and events do you provide services for?

Civil union
Single religion
Interfaith ceremony
Non-religious
Vow renewal
Ceremony rehearsal

What services do you provide?

Licensed
Allow couple' own vows
Premarital counseling

What religious affiliations do you serve?

Agnostic
Baha'i faith
Buddhist
Anglican
Baptist
Catholic
Episcopalian
Lutheran
Methodist
Mormon
No denomination
Orthodox christian
Presbyterian
Quaker
Earth-based
Evangelical
Hindu
Islam
Jewish
Pagan
Unitarian
Sikhism

On average, how long are wedding ceremonies you officiate?

Less than 30 mins.

What is the starting price for your wedding services?

$350

Does starting price include the ceremony rehearsal?

No

What is the starting price for ceremony rehearsals?

$150

If you offer pre-marital counseling, what is the starting price for (per session)?

$100
illustration question

Any other questions?

Request pricing
5.0 out of 5 rating
WeddingWire Wedding Awards 2015 Winner
110 reviews
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
100% Recommended by couples
Mariya
Mariya Y. Sent on 02/07/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

Warm, Charismatic, and Magical Officiant!

Mary was so wonderful to work with! :)
From our initial Zoom interview as a couple in getting to know her, we knew she was the one!

She took the time to get to know us as a couple, and was able to accommodate the ceremony to our needs. She was flexible, accommodating, and inspiring!

We had a non-denominational service and still, Mary made our special moment feel divine and sacred.

Her warm presence and charismatic nature made her performance as an Officiant memorable and impactful.

My partner and I are grateful for her service and our guests were touched by the Ceremony.

I highly recommend choosing Mary for your wedding.
Cheers!
Tasha
Tasha Sent on 26/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

All around wonderful experience with Mary!!

Mary took the time to get to know us, the type of wedding we wanted and provided guidance when we needed it. She was always quick to respond to our emails and was flexible with our meeting times. She has a very calming presence yet was quick to laugh with us too! She even made sure her outfit matched our wedding colors!! A friend brought her mother as her guest, her mother said that even though she didn’t know my spouse and I that by the end of the ceremony she felt like she knew us 🥰
Shania
Shania A. Sent on 03/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Comforting and Helpful

Mary was the first and only officiant my husband and I spoke to when looking for one for our wedding. During our meeting with her so made us feel so comfortable and helped to ease our nerves. We felt like we'd known her forever. The only issue we had was during the ceremony she forgot to hand me the mic for one of my lines and it shows in the video. But all in all she is an amazing officiant and I would highly recommend her.
Shelagh
Shelagh S. Sent on 09/05/2023
5 out of 5 rating

If I could give 10000 stars I would!!!!

Reverend Mary McCandless was amazing! Not just for the service, she was there for us every step of the way!! There were snafooz but Mary kept everything going smoothly ( the entire venue had no internet so we lost music, which meant no wedding march) without missing a beat, Mary had the entire audience hum me down the aisle!!!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!! I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT MY DAY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS SPECIAL HAD MARY NOT BEEN THERE.
Maura
Maura Sent on 21/11/2022
5 out of 5 rating

I cannot recommend Mary enough!!

Mary was our officiant for our wedding on June 4th 2022. She was amazing throughout the entire process helping us cultivate the perfect wedding ceremony. We felt heard the entire time and relaxed because she had everything handled. My family still comments about how great she and the ceremony were. Post wedding she mailed us our vow books, a cute card, and even helped us when we had issues with Service Ontario sending us our wedding certificate (even though she didn’t have to!)
Book with Mary - you won’t regret it!
Shanyn
Shanyn K. Sent on 18/06/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Seamless and Flawless Wedding Ceremony

Mary was very professional from the moment we interviewed her straight through our ceremony and after. She made us feel at ease and we were able to ask her all the questions we wanted and she helped us make our ceremony exactly how we wanted it. She very helpfully provided us with a range of readings, poems and vows to fit all types of wedding ceremonies which gave us a chance to make the ceremony our own. During the ceremony itself, she guided us through each step so that we wouldn't feel awkward or worry about forgetting anything. We would totally recommend using Rev. Mary McCandless for your wedding.
Stephanie
Stephanie G. Sent on 28/10/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Our fairy god mother

Mary did an absolutely amazing job officiating our wedding!! Mary is professional, reliable, and truly amazing at what she does. Would recommend.
Christine
Christine J. Sent on 28/10/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Mary is an amazing person we definitely recommend to have her as your Officant

We highly recommend Mary she is so caring and makes you feel so comfortable and calming for your special day
Danielle
Danielle M. Sent on 08/01/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing experience !!

We had the pleasure of using Mary back in June for our small intimate wedding!
I was in a wedding a few years ago where Mary officiated and she was so well spoken ! When I came across her on our search for an officiant I knew we had to use her!
The whole experience was great, and my family still talks about how well spoken, and the great energy Mary brought to our wedding !
Darlene
Darlene S. Sent on 25/09/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Our very own Fairy Godmother

There are no words to express the perfect feeling of magic or the exquisite words of love Mary imbued upon our ceremony.

She genuinely cares about everyone included in the ceremony. From the Bride and Groom, to the shy lovely wedding guest in the back row.

Her melodic voice and words of wisdom, make all in attendance radiate with love and positivity.

All of our guests were absolutely taken with our enchanted officiant.

The care and detail she provides is second to none.

If you believe in love, Mary is the woman for you. She will make sure your love is represented and that everything is done to YOUR wants and needs.

Forever in our hearts,
The Shores
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Are you interested?

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Awards

110
WeddingWire Wedding Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Wedding Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Wedding Awards 2014 Winner

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Map

245 Elgin Street West, Ste. 102 K9A 5M1 Cobourg (Ontario)

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