How much does a wedding celebrant cost?

Aug 1, 2020 | Blog, Weddings

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.

A wedding celebrant plays a crucial role in the day but can fall fairly low in the pecking order of prioritisation in wedding planning.  Their role in your wedding day and their importance should never be overlooked.

Hopefully in this blog I will deepen your understanding of the value of a wedding celebrant.

So what IS involved and what do you get for your money?

how much does a celebrant cost

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 and will fulfil that brief of personalisation and authenticity.

Choose a wedding celebrant the best you can afford

In the scheme of the cost of wedding suppliers all wedding celebrants are very good value for money.

However for you to achieve the individuality of your wedding ceremony you are striving for you must choose a wedding celebrant who is the very best that you can afford and who is the perfect match for you.

This does not mean that the most expensive celebrant will be the best for you.  Equally nor will the cheapest.  Do not choose your celebrant on cost alone.

To truly understand the cost of a wedding celebrant you have to understand 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 much does a wedding celebrant cost?

The importance of choosing the right wedding celebrant

It is important to remember that the relationship between a couple and their wedding celebrant is not short lived like that of a Registrar ie just meeting on the day of your wedding.     You will work closely together during the months leading up to your wedding.

The reason being is that for them to create the personalised ceremony of your dreams they need to get to know you both well.

You will  meet many times.  You must trust them and feel relaxed and happy to share personal elements of your lives and amusing anecdotes.

Your wedding celebrant will use all the information they have have gleaned from you at these meetings  to craft your ceremony.

Of all your wedding suppliers it will be your wedding celebrant who will definitely know you best of all.  On the day of your wedding you will not be strangers.

Wedding Celebrant research

You must therefore research and choose a wedding celebrant that specialises in the style of ceremony you are striving for.   All wedding celebrants have their own style.

Equally as important is to find someone who you click with and with whom you feel comfortable with and confident and 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 where you should be find celebrants in your area.  This directory provides plenty of images, testimonials, videos and a short resume to help you. 

How much does a wedding celebrant cost?

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 person take notice 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? 

Pre wedding preparations 

A professional wedding celebrant can invest up to 20 hours work on a ceremony and a fair amount of that time is in preparation.

They 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 list of work that follows is by no means definitive but describes some or most of 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, research and writing your ceremony
  • Offering guidance and support on vow, readings and music
  • Offering wedding advice and solutions
  • Co-ordinating and collaborating with other wedding suppliers on the day and in advance if necessary
  • Liaison where necessary with the wedding venue

The results of all this preparation are all too clear during the 40 minutes or so of your wedding ceremony.

As a guest you’ll notice how relaxed and happy the couple are.  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.

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, who really can make the difference between an ordinary ceremony and an extraordinary ceremony, to say a similarly priced Registrar.

The registrar will attend the venue on the day, with a generic script, short time slot and will be the ‘on duty’ officiant.

Even factoring in the cost of getting the ‘legals’  done you will see that the cost of a wedding celebrant is a wise investment.

My thanks to the many wedding photographers who I have worked with and who captured these lovely images.

Thomas Frost Photography

Luna Weddings

Lucy James Photography

Paige Grace Photography

Want to know more about how a celebrant can help you

Or sign up to my mailing list to get updates on future blogs and news

More posts

Celebration of Love

Modern & personalised

if you are looking for a fun loving, charismatic celebrant that radiates style with a smile, I’d love to hear from you.
Yours is a story I can’t wait to tell
× How can I help you?