With the ever-growing popularity of Celebrant-led ceremonies in England, I felt it was time that I wrote a blog about all of the amazing benefits that you will receive if you choose to book a Celebrant for your wedding ceremony. There are so many possibilities with a Celebrant. It is a much more personal and meaningful experience for not only you and your partner, but for all of those who attend one of the most important days of your life.
No timescales
Registrars will and most especially during peak times be extremely busy. This means that they will without doubt be officiating multiple ceremonies over the course of one day. These ceremonies will also be much shorter and less personal than a Celebrant-led ceremony. If you choose a Celebrant there are no restrictions on time. It is, without doubt, your ceremony, your way. The majority of Celebrants will also normally only officiate a maximum of one ceremony per day meaning that you will receive so much more time and effort from the person leading your ceremony.
No restrictions
For those couples who have used a Registrar for their ceremony, they will know that there are many limitations and many restrictions. You will be limited on the choices that you can make in terms of the content and the format. With a Celebrant-led ceremony, there are no rules and regulations, you will have total freedom and flexibility in terms of the choices that you make. Your Celebrant will tailor all your hopes and dreams into the perfect ceremony.
Any venue – anywhere
Registrars can currently only officiate ceremonies at a licensed venue, therefore reducing and limiting the options available to you in terms of your choice of venue. A Celebrant can on the other hand officiate at any venue of your choice, indoors or out, whatever the weather conditions!
You choose who officiates your ceremony
If you choose a Registrar then you will not be able to choose who officiates your wedding ceremony for you. This person will be allocated to you by your local Council and you will only get to meet this person 15-30 minutes before the ceremony begins. With a Celebrant-led ceremony YOU choose who conducts one of the most important ceremonies on one of the most important days of your lives. I make it an absolute point to get to know my couples well, meeting at least twice to ensure that we have got to know each other and that your ceremony content is perfect for you. Most importantly, I do not want to be a stranger standing in front of you on your wedding day.
No Religion or Spirituality
With a Registrar there can be no religion or spirituality in the music, readings, or content. Dependent on whether you choose an Independent Celebrant or a Humanist Celebrant, some Celebrants will be happy to include some religious or spiritual elements.
The legals
Registrars are legally allowed to marry couples in a licensed venue, but this does also come with many restrictions and a much less personal experience. You may choose to legalise your marriage before or after your Celebrant-led ceremony and you can also choose to do this with a basic register office service. The cost of this will be dependent on your area and your local council but it is in some regions circa £50.
If you then combine the cost of a Celebrant-led ceremony versus the cost of a longer registrar ceremony (these costings will vary dependent upon the day of the week and your area) you will be getting a far superior and a far more personal experience. Your Celebrant will without a doubt be totally invested in making sure your wedding ceremony is one of the most wonderful experiences of your life.
Registrar Celebrants
There are also now some authorities who are offering what they call a ‘Celebrant Registrar’. This person has been employed by the local authority to complete the legal registration of your marriage. They will not be able to offer you the same experience as an Independent or a Humanist Celebrant. Our goal within the Celebrant community is to ensure you get the best possible experience, that your ceremony will be remembered and talked about by you and your guests for many years to come. That is why a Celebrant-led ceremony is always the best and most personal experience.
