When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I’m a celebrant. I can see this look wash over there face before they say something like….oh, that must be really… rewarding. Yeah, they haven’t got a clue what I do for a living.
The short answer, is a celebrant is a person who leads a ceremony..
Celebrants can lead all kinds of ceremonies, from the standard weddings and funerals, right through to coming out, gender reassignment and even graduation ceremonies. I’m personally a couples and naming celebrant, which means I lead weddings, civil partnerships, renewal of vows, commitment and naming ceremonies. If you’re planning a celebration of any kind, a celebrant is hired to learn the story of the people involved, and put this all together in a bespoke script that acts as the focal point for all your guests, and they usually put in the structure and formality in the event, so it doesn’t just become a very informal ‘please can everyone listen whilst I say a few words, everyone, can you hear me at the back etc…
Is a celebrant different to a registrar?
Yes. Very different in fact. A registrar can officiate a legal wedding or civil partnership in either the register office, an official building usually in the centre of the town or city, or they can travel to a venue to officiate a wedding or civil partnership. What they do is legally binding so you get everything done on one day. However, a legal ceremony with a registrar is very structured, and generic as they have lots of rules on what they have to say to make it legal. You generally won’t get to meet this person before the ceremony day, so they don’t know you or your story at all.
Can a celebrant legally marry you?
A celebrant can’t legally sign contracts with you. This doesn’t have to be as restrictive as you think though. With the legality of a ceremony led by a registrar comes a host of restrictions that stop your ceremony from being unique. So your decision to hire a celebrant for your ceremony is more about how you want your ceremony to be.
A celebrant gets to know you before the ceremony, your story, your lives, and then they spend months leading up to the ceremony writing a script and planning the event with you so it’s completely unique and all about you. They can include religion you want that (registrars can’t), and these ceremonies, being non-legal, can literally happen anywhere.
To get legally married, you will have to go to a register office to do the paperwork. This can be cheap and quick. A 2 plus 2 ceremony can cost as little as £80 and doesn't have to include the rings, your family, personalised vows or any other touches that aren't legally required. This is your legal marriage sorted, but your wedding is the day with all your family and friends, with the rings, the confetti, the vows, the kiss, the first dance, the last dance isn't it? That's how all your guests will see it, and that's what you'll remember about your day.
What is a naming celebrant?
A celebrant leading a naming ceremony will get to know you as the parent/s, and meet your child before hand. It’s then their job to write a script that talks all about your journey as a couple, and aspirations you have for the child’s future. The ceremony is completely different to a religious ceremony which mainly focuses on the child’s relationship with god, these ceremonies focus on the child’s relationship with their parents, and what their future might look like. It can involve loads of the guests too, they can be really lovely ceremonies.
Summary
So to sum things up, most couples will think of getting married in a church, or a venue, or a register office. A celebrant offers a 4th option which is far more personalised and unique, and can happen anywhere. Part of the celebrants time is spent leading ceremonies, but a big chunk of their time is spent getting to know the people who the ceremony is for, and that personal touch is why you might consider hiring a celebrant over all the other options out there.
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