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What is a wedding celebrant?
A wedding celebrant is a person who creates and presents personalised wedding ceremonies. That’s it, in a nutshell, but I promise there’s a lot more to it than that, so I am going to give you some detailed answers to the most common questions.
What are the differences between a Wedding Celebrant and a Registrar?
What is a wedding celebrant (learn about me by following this link) compared to a registrar? Is there a difference? Yes, the main difference is the legalities. A registrar is authorised to conduct legally binding marriages in licensed venues. A wedding celebrant is professionally trained to provide personal and insightful wedding celebrations and has a unique passion for their job.
The relationship between the wedding celebrant and a couple is trusted, privileged, and special. Working together, they create non-legally binding ceremonies celebrating your love, your relationship, and your story.
How will the ceremonies differ?
A wedding celebrant-led ceremony is flexible, personalised, and completely focused on the love and story of you as a couple. The tailor-made ceremony puts you at the heart of it. It will reflect your vision of your day without any rules and regulations. So, what is a wedding celebrant? They are your personal champion, on your wedding day!
You will work very closely together to create a bespoke ceremony that reflects your values and beliefs with no scripts and no templated words. Each wedding ceremony is unique, just as your relationship is unique. A celebrant-led ceremony can be held anywhere because no license is required.
A registrar-led ceremony can only be held in a Registry office or a licensed venue. They are legally binding. You are unlikely to meet your Registrar beforehand and are rarely permitted to stray from the statutory wording. Furthermore, no wording or music may contain any religious or spiritual references. (Unlike a celebrant-led wedding, where these can be interwoven into your day)
But will my ceremony be real?
So, what is a wedding celebrant wedding ceremony? Is it even real? Celebrants will tell you, ‘Of course, it’s real. ‘ Isn’t your ceremony about much more than just the legal formalities? Your ceremony is about you both making your promises to one another and exchanging rings. The ceremonial part of your day is the real bit. Not the signing of a piece of paper, your legal document. (Keep reading, I’ll tell you how the legal side of your marriage is achieved).
Still unsure? consider these questions.
Do you have a ceremony when you register a baby’s birth?
No. You have a christening or baby naming ceremony at a later date.
Do you have a ceremony when you register a death?
No. Funerals are not legal ceremonies.
Absolutely, the same applies to wedding ceremonies. The real part of the ceremony is the exchanging of promises and rings with your friends and family as witnesses.
When and how do we complete the legal formalities?
It’s very straightforward. First, you have to give notice at your local registry office. Then, most couples normally, on a day in the week before their wedding, head back to the registry office to complete the legalities. It is a very simple affair requiring yourselves and two witnesses.
When should I book my wedding celebrant?
Having answered your question, ‘What is a wedding celebrant? ‘ This is the next important question. This is an important decision and can make the difference between having a ceremony restricted by regulations or an absolutely personalised one. It is therefore essential that you find a wedding celebrant who fits in with your vision and with whom you have a connection. So don’t delay, speak to a few and research their credentials and experience.
Using wedding celebrants is becoming more and more popular, especially now that couples are realising that there are alternatives to the fairly standard registrar ceremony. So, discussing availability and booking your wedding celebrant should be right up there with securing all your other suppliers.
Which wedding celebrant is best for me?
This is a very personal decision. Your wedding celebrant plays an incredibly important role in your day. They will be the person standing alongside you and guiding you through your wedding ceremony. It’s intimate, a little bit scary, and exciting. So you need to choose someone whom you can relate to.
You should choose a wedding celebrant who specialises in the type and tone of ceremony you are dreaming of. During the process of creating your ceremony, you will be sharing personal information about your lives. Therefore, you must have a connection with your celebrant and feel comfortable with them.
Which brings me back to the original question, ‘What is a wedding celebrant?’ As you are discovering, a wedding celebrant must be many things, but above all, your perfect wedding celebrant must be a great communicator. A storyteller with an eloquent voice and the ability to set the right ambience for your ceremony, whilst also helping to keep you both calm. They should be a reassuring and friendly presence.
Not only will they be supporting and celebrating with you, but they will also need to be highly organised, confident, and knowledgeable. There are lots of boxes to tick, so do your research. You will know when you have found the right person.
Where do I find a wedding celebrant
It’s amazing, isn’t it, how the questions keep coming once the initial question, ‘What is a wedding celebrant?’ is answered! Like all things, nothing beats a personal recommendation, so ask amongst your friends. If they have never used one, look for great testimonials on a wedding celebrant’s website. (You can read mine here if you follow this link)
Ask your venue or the wedding planner you have already booked for their recommendations. It is likely that they will have worked alongside different celebrants and will be able to give you an honest recommendation. If the same name keeps cropping up, the chances are you are on to a winner.
Celebrants often exhibit at wedding fairs, which will give you the chance to meet them face to face. And lastly, from the comfort of your home, and just a Google search click away, head over to a well-established online directory such as The Celebrant Directory, and there he or she might be waiting for you.
What is a wedding celebrant?: Conclusion
What is a wedding celebrant? You can answer this one now, I hope? A wedding celebrant is the person who will put you both first during the most important part of your wedding day, the ceremony. A great celebrant is a storyteller with excellent organisational and communication skills. Don’t be put off just because a wedding celebrant may be the lesser-known alternative to a registrar. Be a trailblazer amongst your friends. Own your ceremony. Book a wedding celebrant and you will discover the incredibly significant and precious role they play in your wedding journey.
My final word, a wedding celebrant will always have your back!
