Nova Scotians who want to marry outside the church should soon have no problem finding someone to help them say, "I do."

For the first time in about 10 years, the Department of Justice has put out a province-wide call for people who want to become justices of the peace to preside over civil weddings.

'Time for a refresh'

Peter James is a director of court services who is responsible for the administrative justice of the peace program with respect to civil weddings.

James says there are 103 justices of the peace to preside over about 2,500 civil weddings a year in the province.

"So there was a demand, and people were having difficulty tracking people down to do civil weddings, so we thought now is the time to do this," James said.

More than 175 Nova Scotians have applied so far, he said.

'Are you really a justice of the peace?'

Alia Saied may not be a justice of the peace just yet, but that didn't stop the 29-year-old from officiating her first wedding for a friend on the South Shore last summer.

"They really had me do the whole meal deal, save for the legal stuff. Afterwards a lot of people were like, 'Are you really a justice of the peace? Because you should be.'"

Saied says becoming a justice of the peace has always been something she's wanted to do, but she didn't know how until recently.

Waiting to hear back

She had looked online, made calls, but had no luck until she saw the notice for new justices of the peace in May. She applied in June, was interviewed several weeks later and is now waiting to hear back.

"I come from a family who has never been in the church, so it's always been a question of who do we get to marry us if we don't want to go this route of tradition."

Saied says she looks forward to helping people create their own wedding traditions if she's successful in her application.

Fewer church weddings

Jody Clarke, academic dean at the Atlantic School of Theology, says he's noticed a trend away from church weddings.

"Most clergy in the eighties had weddings almost every weekend in the summer, and you don't see that now," he said, estimating the number is now closer to two or three ceremonies during wedding season.