ABOUT
The Canadian School of Wedding Officiants
The Canadian School for Wedding Officiants (CSWO) was launched in 2025 to raise the standard of wedding officiating across Canada. We believe that every couple deserves a ceremony that is thoughtful, inclusive, well-executed, and meaningful—and that officiants deserve access to quality training and ongoing support to deliver just that.
CSWO offers practical, professional education for people who want to take their role seriously—whether you're just beginning your journey or looking to enhance your skills.
We’re here to help you become a confident, capable, and modern wedding officiant—someone who shows up prepared, communicates clearly, works well with couples, and brings warmth and presence to every ceremony.
OUR FOUNDER
The school was founded by Karen Trines, a wedding planner turned officiant and the owner of Grounded Ceremonies. After years of leading weddings across Ontario and Quebec—and mentoring new officiants along the way—Karen saw the need for a training hub built specifically for Canadian officiants. Today, CSWO supports aspiring and practicing officiants from coast to coast to coast.
Start Your Officiant Journey
At CSWO, we recognize that every officiant's path is different. Whether you're pursuing legal ordination, already authorized to perform weddings, officiating a loved one’s ceremony, or ready to grow your practice, we’re here to support you with professional, accessible training tailored to your needs.
Take a look at our COURSES page to check out the different pathways we offer.
“I kind of stumbled into this thinking it would be a side gig, but it’s honestly become one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done. The training gave me everything I needed to feel confident, and now I get to be part of these amazing, emotional, joyful moments. I’m so glad I found this path—it just fits.”
— Jamie-Lynn E., Wedding Officiant (Ontario)
