Hi Judy, At the definition level an Affidavit is a sworn statement where a Marriage Certificate is a legal proof of a marriage contract. Depending on the exact context, it could be that the Affidavit Form was a sworn statement that a marriage existed and so a contract should be deemed to exist. I do notice, however, in my dictionary, that one definition is "affidavit to give surety" and since it was the custom in Nova Scotia for a bond to be posted as compensation if a promised marriage did not take place. In the context of a "vital" record however I would have thought the first option most likely as the marriage bond was simply a legal agreement and had nothing material to do with the marriage itself. Malcolm Archive CD Books Canada Inc. President: Malcolm Moody PO Box 11 Manotick Ontario, K4M 1A2 Canada. (613) 692-2667 WEB SITE: http://www.ArchiveCDBooks.ca > Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 23:39:27 -0300 > From: "Doug @ Judy" <djlancaster@rogers.com> > Subject: [NS-L] Fw: Affidavit/Marriage > To: <NOVA-SCOTIA-L@rootsweb.com> > Message-ID: <001701c79dac$c023b5d0$5cd46a4a@judy> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Doug @ Judy > To: NOVA-SCOTIA-L @rootsweb.com > Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 11:03 PM > Subject: Affidavit/Marriage > > > Can anyone tell me what the difference is in an Affidavit Form and a > Marriage Certificate. I am seeing this in the Vital Statistics. > Thank you > Judy