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How to Get Married in Toronto, ON

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 19, 2008
Post category:GLBT Issues Journal

Wil asked how we went about setting up our marriage in Toronto, and I realized I never really blogged about that in the rush of planning everything. It was a very simple process, in two parts — applying for the license and having the ceremony.

First you apply for the marriage license. You fill out a very simple form for that – it’s available online as a PDF download, but is also available in city hall on the first floor, where they process the applications. The cost of the license is $140 or so. They require ID – I believe we gave them our passports, but driver’s license works also. We went to city hall and turned in our application an hour or so before the ceremony was scheduled, and they gave our our license. The website to download the license application is here: http://tinyurl.com/hmyn7

Once you have the license, you have to have a ceremony to “solemnize” the marriage. We had ours done in the wedding chambers upstairs on the 3rd floor of city hall. You have to arrange the ceremony in advance by calling, and they book you into an appointment. You give them a deposit of $95 when you make the arrangements over the phone, and the rest ($130?) before the ceremony. There’s a website for booking ceremonies in the wedding chambers: http://www.marryus.org/

The most difficult part was finding witnesses because we had to find someone around city hall to ask, but it can’t be a city employee. But in the end, the office found them for us – they were the couple getting married just after us.

Back home again in Indiana

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 11, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

We spent the last couple of days in Toronto doing some low-key stuff. I was pretty tired after doing so much walking around every day all day. We did do some shopping in the Church-Wellsley area (the gayborhood) and we took the subway to Canadian Tire and such.

Stephanie loves the subway, but I really enjoyed the electric streetcar system – AKA the “Red Rocket.” (The Subway is known as “The Rocket.”) Put in place in 1920 – the streetcar system has been operating throughout Toronto’s downtown continuously since then.

Unlike many major cities including Indianapolis, Toronto didn’t abandon their electric streetcar system. They note that many of the cities that took them out at one time have put them back in recently to enhance their public transportation systems. (Good idea!)

So we made it home and spent yesterday hanging out with our pets, who were very happy to have us back. Yay!

Shoe Museum and Honest Eds

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 9, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

Saturday, Stephanie and I hopped on the Subway and went West on Bloor to see the Shoe Museum. Yes, a whole museum just dedicated to the history of footwear.

It was fun, but I wish there were some exhibits on modern styles of shoes, instead of how each culture’s footwear evolved. There were totally no Manolo’s or Jimmy Choo’s. We couldn’t go through and say “These shoes rock!” and “these shoes suck!” at all.

The museum was also hosting a exhibition on Portuguese dancing – nice because they gave us free ethnic food we otherwise would never have tried; bad because it was super crowded and hard to visit the galleries.

After that, we went a few stops further west and visited Honest Ed’s – a local bargain shopping institution in Toronto. Ed Mervish opened the 160,000 square foot bargain store in 1948 and put his experience as a theater producer to work on the branding and advertising on the store – big, gaudy filled-with-puns signs are displayed both outside and in.

The merchandise is pretty much like a gigantic Big Lots or Dollar Store – remaindered and highly-discounted cheap stuff. Fun for about 1/2 an hour while you photograph, but then it gets old.

We ate at an Italian restaurant nearby called Rocco’s Plum Tomatoes and then headed back to the city center to try to see Sex and the City, but the shows were all sold out. So we bought tickets for yesterday morning instead, and spent the morning seeing the movie and the afternoon walking around the Church-Wellesley area shopping and eating.

We’ve had a low-key last couple of days because I’m pretty tired after doing a lot more walking than I’m used to. Today we’re headed home in early afternoon, so I don’t know if we’ll get any more site-seeing in. I love Toronto, but we’re missing our pets.

Photo Set: Our Honeymoon Day 6 – Toronto, 2008

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Niagara Falls, China Town & Kensington Market

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 7, 2008
Post category:Travel

Thursday we drove to Niagara Falls to site-see, which was fun. I really had a much different picture in my head of what the falls were like, most from the show “Wonderfalls” which I want to see again now that I’ve been there. It was overcast on the drive there, but cleared up when we arrived so we have some nice sunny pictures of the falls.

Yesterday we hopped on a streetcar and rode down a couple of stops to shop in Chinatown and Kensington Market. Kensington has tons of vintage clothing shops and sidewalk cafes. It was a sunny day and 90 degrees. Crazy hot. We bought a few things here and there, and some gifts for friends. We should definitely get on of those Chinatowns for Indianapolis. Heh.

In the evening, we hopped on the subway north several stops and visited our friend Carolyn, who made dinner for us. And we had birthday cake. It was terrific.

Photo Set: Our Honeymoon, Day 4.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Photos from Wednesday in Toronto

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 6, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

See the whole photo set from Day 3 of our Honeymoon in Toronto.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Steve and Harold, our witnesses (and we were theirs, too!)

Us with our wedding certificate.

Surprise Moose Appearance!

Photos from Tuesday in Toronto

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 5, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

The photo set from Day 2 of our Honeymoon in Toronto.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 3

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 4, 2008
Post category:Travel

Today, we got married in City Hall, Toronto. Judy in the ceremonial chambers found witnesses for us – Harold and Steve from Houston were scheduled to get married just after us, so they were our witnesses, and we were theirs. They were an adorable gay couple from Houston, Texas — together 15 years, married for 10, making it legal today in Toronto. Steve is a consultant, Harold a flight attendant. Harold reminded us of David Guadagnoli – Dark haired and blue eyed; he didn’t look or sound exactly like him, but definitely had David’s smile and some of his mannerisms… it was sweet but a little surreal, and honestly, just a little bit heart-wrenching.

Our officiant was Basil — and in this ceremony, we got to say both “I do” and “I thee wed.” It was quite fun.

After we got married, we wandered west on Queen Street West, and saw the little bohemian neighborhood there. We were looking for the corner where Stephanie Street meets Phoebe Street so we could take pictures. I was awfully glad we did, because there are some really gorgeous Victorians along Stephanie Street and Beverly Street to photograph. And it was fun to take pictures under the street signs.

Then we wandered back up University to the hotel and went to our appointments at the spa. I’ve never had a massage before – it was heavenly. I could see spending lots of money on that.

And we wandered out in search of dinner — this time north of the hotel to the Church-Wellesley neighborhood; the “gayborhood” of Toronto. I took photos of Woody’s – the bar from Queer as Folk. And we had dinner at Fuzion; expensive, but one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I had the perfect trifecta – dirty vodka martinis, a romaine salad with anchovies, and quail with capers. Stephanie had the Fuzion salad and Sea Bass. Dessert was a chocolate tart with strawberry sorbet. All of it was also heavenly. A quite lovely, happy day.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 2

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 3, 2008
Post category:Travel

Today we took the subway to Union Station and took photos of the station, then visited the CN tower, where we hung out for half the day and had a leisurely lunch and shopped in the gift shop. The tower is worth a trip: tallest man-made structure in the world, with awesome views. There are two places to eat in the CN tower; a pricey restaurant that many people go to for romantic evenings, and a cafe. We ate lunch at the cafe; I had a truly delicious salmon dish. Also, definitely visit the “Skypod” level of the tower – the highest point you can go. Very cool.

We then took a tour of the Steam Whistle Brewery at the base of the tower. Steam Whistle is a relatively new microbrewery occupying the historic train roundhouse. It’s run by a very progressive group of young entrepreneurs and employs some young, hip and artsy folks. Lots of fun to visit and sample their tasty Pilsner.

After the tour, we headed back to the hotel and had dinner at the Peach Garden Vietnamese restaurant across from the hotel.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

Our Toronto Honeymoon – Day 1

Post author:HFM
Post published:June 3, 2008
Post category:My Photos Travel

We’re staying on Carleton Street near Yonge Street, which is in downtown Toronto. We got out today and did some walking on Yonge Street south of our hotel.

People seem much thinner here in Toronto than Indianapolis. In fact, I think I was the largest person I saw all day, which is not the case in Indiana. But it’s a much more pedestrian/cycling city, so that makes sense. It’s very easy to get around without a car right around where we’re staying; there’s a subway and lots of bike paths.

People are very stylish, which may also be about the part of town we’re in. The sartorialist would have a great time here in Toronto; there are tons of well-dressed, creatively-styled people to look at. I didn’t get too snap-happy with the camera because I didn’t want to be rude, but there were quite a few people rocking their look.

What we did today:

Ate breaksfast at Fran’s Diner – a great 1940’s diner on College Street.
Changed money at CIBC bank — do this in Indianapolis instead, and save a few dollars. We didn’t have the free time to do it home.
shopped at Winners – like a TJ Maxx, only better clothes and PACKED, with lines to get into fitting rooms. People seemed very serious about their shopping – possibly because they were on their lunch hour from work.
Sat in Barbara Ann Scott Park near skating rink.
Walked south down Yonge Street through Dundas Square, where there’s lots of shopping.
Visited a souvenir shop & bought a royal canadian mountie moose.
Shopped at American Apparel
Shopped at LaChateau
Saw Dundas Square, which is like Toronto’s version of Times Square.
Visited Eaton Center Mall – Shopped at Roots, Indigo Books
Too photos of The Church of the Holy Trinity, Trinity Square Park & the meditation labyrinth. This was a beautiful little square tucked in behind the mall. Toronto has lots of lovely public spaces.
Ate at the Elephant and Castle Pub for dinner. It’s a chain; we didn’t realize until we went in. But it was decent dinner.
Back to hotel & saw Baby Mama at the Cineplex Odeon near the hotel.

Photo Set: our first day in Toronto.

Photo Collection: Wedding and Honeymoon Photos

I love traveling with Stephanie; she’s so much fun to go on a trip with, because I love talking to her and sharing things with her. I realized a couple things after looking at photos from Day 1 – we need to get people to snap pictures of us together, and we need to do goofy things in photos, because we really are having a good time, but in a few of the pictures Stephanie looks so posed.