Rites and Rituals at UCM

Life’s milestones deserve to be honored in a way that reflects your values and beliefs. Our lay chaplains are here to help you create meaningful ceremonies, whether in person or online.

Weddings, Memorials, Celebrations of Life, Child Dedications, and Other Ceremonies

Everyone should have the opportunity to mark life’s important moments in a way that is meaningful to them. Whether you are connected to a religious tradition, several, or none, we will work with you to create a ceremony that suits your needs.

Our lay chaplains are available to officiate ceremonies, including:

+ Weddings

A wedding is a celebration of love and commitment. Our lay chaplains delight in officiating these joyous occasions and can incorporate multiple faiths, traditions, and cultural elements that are meaningful to you.

Each wedding is unique, with no set liturgy beyond the legal requirements. Your lay chaplain will work with you to craft a ceremony that reflects your relationship, values, and vision for the day.

We are proud to offer wedding ceremonies to mixed-faith couples, divorced individuals, same-sex couples, and transgender people. The first same-sex wedding in Canada was performed by a Unitarian Universalist minister in 1974, and we continue to honor and celebrate love in all its forms.


+ Funerals and Memorial Services

Funerals and memorial services provide an opportunity to honor a loved one’s life and offer comfort to those who are grieving. A lay chaplain will meet with family and friends to create a personalized ceremony that reflects the values and memories of the deceased.

We can officiate at ceremonies in funeral homes, at gravesides, in places where ashes are placed or scattered, in private homes, or in our church sanctuary.

Some individuals choose to meet with a lay chaplain while they are still living to plan their own service. This can be a deeply meaningful process, ensuring that the ceremony reflects their wishes.


+ Child Dedications

A child dedication or naming ceremony welcomes a child into the world and into your family. It celebrates their unique potential and identity. The service may include:

  • A pledge of love and care by parents and godparents
  • A welcome from the extended family or community
  • A blessing from one or more religious traditions

Older siblings can be included, and older children (whether joining your family through adoption, marriage, or another way) may help plan and participate in their ceremony.


+ Other Ceremonies and Significant Transitions

Life is full of transitions—gains, losses, departures, and arrivals. Many of these moments hold deep personal and spiritual significance. Our tradition honors the importance of these experiences, and we are here to help you mark them.

Whether you wish to mourn the death of a pet, celebrate an achievement, or claim a new name or gender identity, a lay chaplain will be happy to work with you to create a meaningful ceremony.


+ Hybrid Services

For those who wish to include distant loved ones, we offer hybrid ceremonies, allowing people to participate from anywhere in the world. Whether for a wedding, memorial, or another milestone, an online component can be a beautiful way to bring people together.

Our chaplains are legally empowered to perform weddings and are specially selected and trained for this role. They will meet with you to design a ceremony that reflects your values and spiritual principles. Ceremonies can be conducted in English, in French, or as a bilingual service.

We welcome interfaith families and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We are happy to officiate at ceremonies in a location of your choosing—whether in our church, a rented hall, a park, or another meaningful setting.

Our Lay Chaplains

Camellia Jahanshahi

(she/None)

A queer Iranian-American UU happy to make your ceremonial dreams come true! Camellia Jahanshahi has been a lay chaplain since spring of 2024 and is looking forward to working with you on your ceremonial needs. She is a multidisciplinary visual and performance artist, a religious professional, community worker, and lover of poetry. Camellia is happy to provide:

Bilingual (French or English) services

  • Multi/Inter-faith ceremonies

  • Alternative ceremonies inclusive to a variety of family dynamics

  • Solidarity pricing for families moving through immigration processes

  • Trans affirming services

Yvette Salinas

(she/her)

Yvette offers compassionate and thoughtful officiant services for rites of passage. With a deep commitment to creating ceremonies that are spiritually and personally meaningful, Yvette works closely with each individual or couple to craft rituals that honor their unique values, love, and journey.

Whether celebrating the birth of a child, proclaiming your love through marriage, or commemorating a life, Yvette provides gentle guidance, ensuring that each ceremony is reflective of the heart and spirit of those involved. Her approach is intentional and nurturing, creating a space where clients feel supported in designing a ceremony that resonates with authenticity, tenderness, and respect for their story.

Yvette Salinas is dedicated to helping people honor life's most significant moments with ceremonies that are as meaningful as they are memorable.

Contact Us

For more information on creating a unique and meaningful ceremony or rite of passage, please contact our Events & Rentals Coordinator at rentals@ucmtl.ca. They will connect you with a lay chaplain and assist in planning your event.

Fees vary depending on the ceremony, and we can provide details on available packages and pricing once we have connected.

Renting Our Space

Are you looking to rent our space for an event other than a rite or ritual? We offer several spaces for concerts, meetings, workshops, meditations, community events, meals, and more.

Contact us at rentals@ucmtl.ca for more information!