Photo Credit: Edward Lloyd Owen Photography
Table of Contents
Introduction to Registrars and Celebrants
Registrars and Celebrants are not the same. Both are professionals in their respective fields. Both play equally important roles in getting married but despite the shared interest, the service offered differs greatly.
The key difference is that the Registrar’s involvement is all about marriage and the law. Celebrants are all about the writing and presenting of celebration ceremonies. Let me explain the myths and truth about Registrars and Celebrants.
What does a registrar do?
The Registrar conducts legally binding marriages and civil partnership ceremonies. They are employed by the local authority. They offer two types of marriage ceremony. The statutory 2+2 legal ceremony held in registry offices (the cheapest option), or a full ceremony at any building or venue that is licensed for civil weddings. These can also now be held outside.
Being a Registrar is a multi faceted role. They also record the details of all births and deaths. This means that a Registrar, understandably, is unable to devote dedicated time and attention to each individual couple, or indeed the script, of the ceremony itself. This is a big difference between Registrars and Celebrants. The results mean that Registrar-led ceremonies keep to a template, with generic wording that is heard time and time again.
Photo credit: Memories and Milestones Photography
Why do you need a registrar?
Registrars and Celebrants differ on a key issue. You will need a Registrar for the legal part of your marriage because at this moment in time, Celebrants cannot legally marry you. Therefore, a Registrar ceremony would include your legal wording. In addition to this are the vows, and if it is not a simple ceremony, exchanging of the rings and limited readings/music if desired. However there are some restrictions on the ceremony content. For example, no religious or spiritual content is permitted and the length and timings of ceremonies is often limited, due to the Registrar’s busy schedules. It also should be remembered that it is unlikely that couples would meet their Registrar before the wedding day.
What does a wedding Celebrant do?
Wedding Celebrants are self employed and have been trained to write and officiate bespoke, personalised celebration ceremonies. As I explained, until the law is changed, they are unable to perform legally binding marriages. Some Celebrants also do funerals and naming ceremonies. I am purely a wedding celebrant.
As Celebrant led ceremonies are not legally binding there is no official paperwork to file. This is where you will see the difference between Registrars and Celebrants. A Celebrant’s focus is exclusively on working with a couple to create a ceremony that reflects their wishes accurately. To do this they will spend time with the couple before their wedding day to get to know them and to listen to what their expectations are for their ceremony. They then write a unique script and deliver it professionally with energy and assurance on the wedding day.
There are many many Celebrants to choose from with differing styles. Whatever style is right for them, couples can always be assured that their Celebrant will be fully invested in them and their specific ceremony from the moment of their appointment to when they utter the immortal words “you may kiss the bride (or groom)”. Most Celebrants only do one wedding ceremony a day.
You might be wondering at this point how you get legally married if you have a Celebrant led wedding? Well, you combine Registrars and Celebrants. You have a simple, legal marriage with a Registrar, the 2 + 2 legal ceremony I mentioned earlier (it costs on average less than £60). Then you have the personalised wedding ceremony of your dreams, led by a Celebrant, on your wedding day.
Photo credit: Michael Wells Photography
Why should you have a celebrant?
There’s another significant difference between Registrars and Celebrants. When working with a Celebrant, couples don’t feel a part of a system. It is a very personal and individual service and rightly so. A wedding is an important milestone event in your lives.
Registrars and Celebrants will conduct your wedding ceremony in a very different fashion. Unlike a Registrar, there are no restrictions for a Celebrant to follow. You can have the vows, music and readings you want. There are no limitations on content at all. Spiritual or religious. You can have your ceremony when you want it. Your ceremony can be as long as you want it. You can have your ceremony where you want it, at the time you want it. Is the mist clearing?
A Celebrant will want to know all about the couple. From this information they will be able to write a script that reflects that individual couple. It allows the couple to express who they are, what they care about and to tell their story.
Cliché perhaps, but a wedding Celebrant allows you to have your wedding ceremony, your way. It enables you to take control, creatively and practically. A celebrant allows you to properly invest in your ceremony.
Photo credit: DHW Photography
Registrar Celebrants or Celebrant Registrars
A new Myth busted! Some people believe that Registrars and Celebrants are the same. Much of this confusion is coming from new terminology being used by some councils. A ‘Celebrant Registrar’ or ‘Registrar Celebrant’. My opinion, is that the councils are beginning to see the rise in popularity of Celebrant led, personalised ceremonies, and have therefore introduced this term and additional service. However, whilst it does however provide couples with yet another choice, despite the name changes, they are not the same as Celebrants. Why? Because, it will still have the same limitations:
Two Registrars are required to be present at all marriage ceremonies but in the case of Registrar Celebrants it seems that one takes the role of conducting the ceremony and the other the legal element. This may seem like the perfect solution. Please take heed. This ceremony will not be personalised. The content will remain the same as each and every other ceremony. This is because the Registrars are present, and by law, the same restrictions will apply. I would suggest that by introducing the word ‘Celebrant’ it is misleading to couples. I may sound cynical but, yes, it’s also another nice little income stream for the councils.
Can you combine Registrars and Celebrants at a wedding?
Yes of course you can combine the two. The Registrar can carry out the legal aspect of your ceremony which can be followed by the personalised Celebrant led celebration or the other way round. This is a much more expensive option as obviously you have 2 professionals attending. But, if you can afford it , it does solve the problem for some couples who feel it important for the legal marriage to be contracted on the same day as their wedding ceremony.
Photo credit: Kathryn Anne Photography
So…. which sounds best to you – Ceremonies led by Registrars or Celebrants?
This blog came about because so often, prior to the ceremony, I am mistaken for a Registrar. I find myself always feeling rather affronted. But, sadly, guests just assume that only Registrars can officiate at weddings. The service that Celebrants provide is still little known and in some cases misunderstood outside the wedding industry. However, as you have read, the differences between Registrars and Celebrants are significant.
I hope you will agree that there are enormous benefits to having a Celebrant involved in your wedding ceremony. Flexibility is one of the key reasons. Freed from the legal restrictions, essentially, you can do what you want as outlined above. No two celebrant-led ceremonies are the same. So, I urge you, if you don’t want the wording of your ceremony to be the same as every other Registrar-led ceremony, get yourself a brilliant Celebrant. Why not consider me? I will incorporate all the things that matter to your special day, and your ceremony will be a true reflection of you as a couple.
