Do I Need a Wedding Celebrant?

So you’re getting married.

Congratulations!

Unless you’re organised enough to be outsourcing all of your wedding planning, you’ve got a lot of exciting decision making ahead of you. And one of those decisions is whether you’re going to need a wedding celebrant.

Deciding whether to have a celebrant-led wedding involves weighing up what matters most to you and your partner. And before you make that decision, it’s a good idea to get well informed on the topic.

That’s where this blog post comes in.

Read on as I share everything you need to know about what a wedding celebrant does, what your alternative options are, and whether a wedding celebrant is right for you and your celebration of love.

What is a Wedding Celebrant?

Let’s begin with the basics. What actually is a wedding celebrant?

A wedding celebrant is a professional who creates and delivers your wedding ceremony. They’re in charge of guiding you, your partner, and your guests through the proceedings, following a script that will have been written based on your ideas and preferences.

Your celebrant will typically stand with you and your partner during your wedding ceremony and lead you through the different elements you have chosen to include. This might involve sharing the story of your relationship, introducing readings or music, presiding over your vows, or helping you perform a ritual.

Every wedding celebrant is different. We all have different styles of delivering a ceremony, different approaches to certain rituals, and different backgrounds that influence the people we work with and what we can offer them. So choosing the right celebrant is a big deal, because someone who matches your vibe will be able to create your ideal ceremony.

What Are My Options?

This might not come as a surprise if you’re reading this article. But I’ll be upfront with you now – I think that a celebrant is the best choice for a wedding.

However, I also want you to make an informed decision. So I’ll explain what your other options are.

Most legal marriage ceremonies are done by a registrar. A registrar is someone employed by the local council to witness and officiate legal ceremonies, like weddings.

A registrar-led ceremony involves legally binding verbal vows and signing a marriage certificate. The legal part of getting married gets done, but…

• It’s usually quite a short ceremony, as the registrar has multiple appointments each day
• You’re limited in how you can personalise the ceremony
• A legal marriage ceremony has to take place in a licensed venue or registry office

You can read a whole article talking about the difference between a celebrant and a registrar if you’d like more information.

Another option for a legally binding wedding ceremony is to get married in a registered religious building. Christian, Jewish and Quaker weddings are currently recognised as legal marriages in the UK, when performed by a licensed member of the religious group.

If you and your partner are religious, this might be your preferred option. But if you’re not, be aware that a religious wedding ceremony is also quite rigidly scripted, without much room for adjustments or personalisation.

So in terms of a legal marriage, you can choose a registrar who marries you in a registry office or licensed venue, or a church wedding. Many churches also offer wedding blessings, which take place after a legal marriage to provide a religious ceremony.

If you choose a celebrant-led wedding but also want to get legally married, you can do this before or after your wedding day in a registry office.

Can a Celebrant Legally Marry You?

Sadly, a celebrant cannot currently legally marry you.

If you’re looking to get legally married, you’ll need a registrar to conduct a marriage ceremony. Whilst there is currently a campaign for the law to change and allow celebrants to perform legal marriage ceremonies, the date when this will actually happen is not clear.

As I explained earlier, a legal marriage ceremony can happen either in a register office, a church or a licensed venue, with a licensed individual leading the ceremony.

But what if you don’t want to get married in a church? What if you want to celebrate your union somewhere specific? And what if you’d rather have your wedding separate to all of the paperwork and legal bits?

It sounds like you need a wedding celebrant.

Why Choose a Wedding Celebrant?

Now that you know what your options are, we’re at the important part of this article.

Why do you need a wedding celebrant? Why should you choose one, instead of a registrar?

Here’s a quick and simple list of reasons:

• You’ll have a totally unique wedding ceremony, written for you and your partner
• Unlike a registrar, your celebrant will take time to get to know you before the big day
• You can personalise your wedding as much as you want, celebrating your love authentically
• There are no limits or restrictions on what you can include
• You can get married in whatever location you’d like (within reason)
• If you want to include some spiritual or religious elements, you can
• You can choose a celebrant who shares your values and lived experience

Sounds great, right?

I know that there will be instances where a wedding celebrant is not the right choice for a wedding. Some couples just want to get legally married without making a fuss, and in those cases, a registrar is the best choice.

But what makes me sad is the fact that plenty of couples end up with a wedding that didn’t feel like them because they didn’t know that a celebrant was an option. Or that couples don’t realise that you can have a wedding or celebration of love ceremony without having to get legally married at all, if that’s what feels right for you!

I think that you should choose a wedding celebrant if you want your wedding to feel fun, meaningful, and personalised. If you want to celebrate your love authentically, paying tribute to the things that matter most to you both. If you want a unique, carefully crafted ceremony that you can help to tailor to exactly what you’re looking for. And if you want a wedding ceremony that you’re going to remember and cherish for a long time.

I’d also love it if you’d consider choosing me as your wedding celebrant.

I love working with couples who want a creative, meaningful and unique wedding ceremony, and who don’t necessarily want to be led by traditions or trends. I work with folks from a wide range of backgrounds, and am particularly passionate about delivering ceremonies for LGBTQ+ people, and people who have alternative relationship styles.

Basically, if you’re like the idea of a celebrant who is heartfelt, colourful, 100% inclusive, a little bit nerdy, and up for anything… I’m your guy.

How to Find a Wedding Celebrant

Celebrant-led weddings are growing in popularity, which means that there are all kinds of celebrants out there. If you’re planning a wedding, you have so much choice and freedom in deciding who you would like to lead a ceremony that celebrates and affirms your love.

One of the easiest ways to find a wedding celebrant is to search for celebrants in your local area. You can do this on the internet or social media, as many celebrants advertise their services on places like Instagram.

Wedding directories are also a great place to search for a celebrant, especially if you’re looking for a particular kind of person to lead your ceremony. I’m a member of the Rebel Love Directory for example, which platforms LGBTQ+ wedding suppliers. Other examples of alternative wedding directories include The Alt Wedding Directory, The Eclectic Wedding Encyclopaedia, The Natural Wedding Company, and Unconventional Wedding.

You’ll often find celebrants at wedding fairs, which can be an ideal way to choose someone for your wedding. At a fair, you’ll get the chance to meet and talk to them in person, which can help you decide if they feel like a good fit.

My final suggestion for how to find a wedding celebrant is to ask the people you know for recommendations! Word-of-mouth plays a big part in marketing in this industry, and you might have friends and family who recommend a celebrant they used or have seen.