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Introduction to ‘How Much Does a Wedding Celebrant Cost?’.
When considering the question ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost? ‘, you also need to ask, ‘Are they good value for money?’. Contrary to popular belief, the job of a wedding celebrant is not just about turning up on the day and presenting a wedding ceremony. There is a whole lot more to it than that.
Whilst a wedding celebrant plays a crucial role in the day, they can fall fairly low in the pecking order of prioritisation in wedding planning. However, their role on your wedding day and their importance should never be overlooked.
Hopefully, in this helpful guide, I will deepen your understanding of the value of a wedding celebrant, rather than just focus on the cost.
So what IS involved and what do you get for your money?
Each wedding celebrant led ceremony is unique
If you are the type of person who really values your wedding ceremony and appreciates that the rest of the day is really a celebration of it, then you will agree that a wedding celebrant is absolutely worth prioritising and investing in.
Your ideal would be for your wedding ceremony to be the focal point of your day and for it to be memorable for its personalisation and remarkable for its sincerity and authenticity.
By using the services of a fully trained professional wedding celebrant, you will achieve a ceremony that is completely unique to you as a couple. Your wedding ceremony will fulfil that brief of personalisation and authenticity.
Choosing a wedding celebrant
When seeking the answer to your question, ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’, I want you to remember that all wedding celebrants are very good value for money. Budgeting for one, from your list of suppliers, needs to be high up there on your agenda if you want a truly unique, memorable wedding ceremony.
Naturally, for you to achieve the individuality of your wedding ceremony that you are striving for, you must choose a wedding celebrant who is the very best that you can afford. In addition to this, they need to be the perfect match for you both.
So, please note, this does not mean that the most expensive celebrant will be the best for you. Equally, nor will the cheapest. Please, do not choose your celebrant on cost alone. You are investing in an individual who will make your special day all the more magical; prioritise who they are and if you like them, over and above the price.
In other words, to truly understand ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’, you have to comprehend exactly what they do in the first place. This is the only way that you’ll see that the value they offer matches the price that they ask.
How to choose the Right Wedding Celebrant for You
It is important to remember that the relationship between a couple and their wedding celebrant is not short-lived like that of a Registrar. You do not meet for the first time on the day of your wedding. In other words, you will not be married by a stranger! You will work closely together during the months leading up to your wedding. So please, bear this in mind when comparing how much does a wedding celebrant cost, compared to a registrar.
The reason for these meetings and building a bond is to allow your celebrant to get to know you both. Then, they can create the personalised ceremony of your dreams.
You will meet many times. Why? Because you must trust them and feel relaxed and happy to share personal elements of your lives and amusing anecdotes with them.
Your wedding celebrant will use all the information they have gleaned from you at these meetings to craft your ceremony.
Of all your wedding suppliers, your wedding celebrant will definitely know you both best of all. On the day of your wedding, you will not be strangers. At the very least, you will be good acquaintances; at best, you may even count your celebrant as a new friend.
Wedding Celebrant research
Where to Start:
With this in mind, you must research and choose a wedding celebrant who specialises in the style of ceremony you are striving for. All wedding celebrants have their own individual style.
Equally as important is to find someone with whom you click and with whom you feel comfortable and confident. Make sure they have the personality, experience, and commitment to work with you to create and present the ceremony of your dreams.
Personal recommendation is, of course, the best source of finding any supplier, but alternatively, a great place to start is The Celebrant Directory. Here you should find celebrants in your area (although it is worth looking further afield sometimes, as many celebrants, myself included, will travel). This directory provides plenty of images, testimonials, videos, and a short resume to help you.
Wedding celebrant character:
When you search for your wedding celebrant, take notice of their photographs. Do they smile? Does their energy convey a genuine, heartfelt love of what they do? Do you like what they wear? Do they show confidence and charm?
When you first meet on the phone or face to face, take notice of whether or not the celebrant’s vibe is positive and helpful. How do they make you feel? Happy, valued, confident?
Do you like the sound of their voice? Do they speak clearly? Do you feel natural and comfortable, and know that you would be happy to discuss things openly and honestly with them?
Contact a few wedding celebrants if you are not sure. Why? Because, as I eluded to earlier, the most important question is not ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’, it is ‘How much value can this wedding celebrant bring to our special day?’
Pre-wedding preparations
Did you know, a professional wedding celebrant can invest up to 20 hours of work on each ceremony. A fair amount of that time is in preparation. So I want you to consider this when you are asking, ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’. A Registrar, by comparison, spends just the time it takes to arrive at your venue, set up, and conduct the ceremony, before often dashing off to their next one!
Wedding celebrants are personally invested in your wedding, and this work done in the background prior to your wedding is what will result in a fabulous wedding ceremony experience for you and your guests.
The following list is by no means definitive, but it describes some or most of the activities that a wedding celebrant carries out:
- Getting to know you and your partner through in-person meetings, telephone calls, and video chats
- Providing an in-depth questionnaire
- Planning, researching, and writing your ceremony
- Offering guidance and support on vows (yes, you can have personalised ones), readings, and music
- Offering wedding advice and solutions
- Coordinating and collaborating with other wedding suppliers on the day and in advance if necessary
- Liaising, where necessary, with the wedding venue
You will experience the results of all this preparation during the 40 minutes or so of your wedding ceremony!
As for your guests, they’ll notice just how relaxed and happy the couple is. How well crafted and super personal the ceremony is, reflecting their story, their relationships with friends and family, their personalities, and also plenty of laughter.
None of this can be achieved without investing considerable time in the preparation, which is why the cost of a professional wedding celebrant can sometimes be slightly more than that of a registrar.
So, How Much Does a Wedding Celebrant Cost?
To conclude, think carefully about your cost-to-value ratio before making your decisions.
Compare the experience of working with a professional wedding celebrant. They really can make the difference between an ordinary run-of-the-mill ceremony and an extraordinary personalised ceremony, compared to a similarly priced Registrar.
The registrar will attend the venue on the day, with a generic script, a short time slot, and will be the ‘on duty’ officiant, so very likely someone you have never met.
‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’ Even factoring in the price of getting the ‘legalities’ done prior to your special day, you will see that the cost of a wedding celebrant is a wise investment.
Finally, in answer to your searching question, ‘How much does a wedding celebrant cost?’ I’d say send me a message and let’s talk! I’m happy to travel, I have a wealth of experience, and I promise I will be fully invested in you both!
My thanks to the many wedding photographers I have worked with who captured these lovely images.
