Question 1

What is a wedding celebrant?

Accepted Answer

A wedding celebrant is a person who officiates wedding ceremonies. We create a bespoke script for each couple and perform this completely personalised ceremony on the wedding day.

Question 2

What are the main differences between a wedding celebrant and a registrar?

Accepted Answer

Choice of Person
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Celebrant: You can choose your wedding celebrant based on personality, style, and vibe during the ceremony delivery! I will work with you months in advance to design your bespoke ceremony perfectly, and I will even consult you about what you would like me to wear on your big day to make sure I match your colour theme.
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Registrar: You do not get to choose your registrar and will only meet them a few minutes before the wedding ceremony starts.​

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Ceremony Personalisation

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Celebrant: I will write your ceremony script completely from scratch. It will feature your love story, choice of music, readings and songs and feature handwritten personal vows and promises. Symbolic rituals, cultural elements or religious ceremonies can be incorporated, and your loved ones can be involved too. It can be light-hearted, fun and joyful, to deeply sentimental and emotional, depending on your preference.

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Registrar: They will follow a set script and the ceremony will have a formal and structured tone.

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Venue Flexibility

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Celebrant: I can marry you ANYWHERE. From beaches to woods, from art galleries to theatres, from a field to your family home. There are no restrictions on where you can have your ceremony.
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Registrar: They can only conduct weddings in venues licensed for legal ceremonies. This includes registry offices, approved indoor venues and outdoors within specific boundaries.

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Legal Authority 
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Celebrant: I do not have the legal authority to marry you. You must go to your local registry office before or after your wedding day to sign the legal marriage paperwork (if you want to make it legal, that is). It costs around £50.00 to do this. Think of it as when you go to have a birth registered before having a celebration such as a naming ceremony or a christening.
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Registrar: A registrar is an official appointed by the government to oversee marriages. They must ensure that all legal requirements are met during the ceremony, such as signing the marriage register and saying specific legally required wording.
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IDEA: Why not combine both by signing the legal paperwork at a registry office with a registrar and then have a celebrant-led ceremony before or after? You can save the exchange of rings, vows and promises until your wedding day.

IDEA: Or you could even have a registrar attend on the day. We could do your wedding ceremony first, and then you can go off briefly to sign the paperwork with the registrar and have photographs whilst your guests enjoy a drink and canapés.
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Costs
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Celebrant: Our fees can be very similar to a registrar, but with a celebrant, you are getting a completely personal script and ceremony, with your entire input into everything. You are getting my undivided attention for months on end, meetings in person and on video call, communication through WhatsApp or email, assistance with your promises and vows (should you want to write them yourself) and elements added that are not prohibited in registrar-led ceremonies. Not to mention that I can meet you at your wedding venue for a rehearsal or over a video call, I only attend one ceremony a day; I can do any time or day, whatever length you like, and I can conduct our ceremonies anywhere (some locations may need permission). You will only meet your registrar for the first time minutes before your ceremony. Whereas we will work together for months before your big day.
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Registrar: Often a shorter ceremony with little to no contact before the big day and the ceremonies can feel rather formal with no personalisation. For as little as approximately £50.00, you can do your legal paperwork at the registry office and then have a celebrant-led ceremony on your wedding day.
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Time Constraints

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Celebrant: I have a completely flexible schedule. I can conduct your ceremony on a weekday, a weekend, sunrise, sunset, morning, noon or night. I will only perform one ceremony daily so you have me for as long as you need. This is particularly handy if you are running over schedule. I will make sure your ceremony feels relaxed and unhurried. 
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Registrar: They have tight schedules, often performing multiple ceremonies a day. If you're running late, they may not be able to wait for you as they may have to rush onto their next appointment.

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Religious or Symbolic Elements

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Celebrant: I can incorporate religious, spiritual, cultural or symbolic elements into your ceremony. Whether it's handfasting, a unity candle, a sand ceremony, a wine box time capsule, planting a tree, ring warming, a rose exchange ceremony or singing your favourite song together, I will make sure your ceremony is completely personal to you and a reflection of your values and beliefs.
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Registrar: Religious or spiritual references such as readings, prayers, hymns and rituals cannot be included.

Question 3

Why should we choose you as our celebrant?

Accepted Answer

I absolutely love hearing couples’ love stories and sharing them with their friends and family in a way that’s both joyful and deeply heartfelt. Starting with a blank canvas, we work together to design a completely unique wedding ceremony filled with all your favourite moments - a celebration that’s not only memorable for your guests but that also sets the perfect tone for the rest of your special day.

As a wedding celebrant, it’s an incredible honour to guide my couples on a magical journey to create their dream ceremony. Every detail is thoughtfully crafted to be deeply personal and a true reflection of your one-of-a-kind love story.

Question 4

Can we personalise our ceremony?

Accepted Answer

100%! That's what a celebrant-led ceremony is all about!

You get to choose your wedding celebrant based on our personality, style and vibe of the ceremony delivery! We will work together for months in advance to design your very own bespoke ceremony, and we will even consult you with what you would like us to wear on your big day and make sure we match your colour theme.

I will write your ceremony script completely from scratch. It will feature your love story, choices of music, readings (if you'd like them), songs and feature handwritten personal vows and promises. Symbolic rituals, cultural elements or religious ceremonies can be incorporated and your loved ones can be involved too. It can be lighthearted, fun and joyful, to deeply sentimental and emotional, depending on your preference.

There are no limitations on where you can hold your ceremony so it can be in your garden, in a field, on a beach or in the woods.

I will liaise with your venue/location coordinator, photographer and musicians to make sure everything works without a hitch.

Question 5

Is a celebrant-led ceremony legal?

Accepted Answer

No, I do not have the legal authority to marry you. You must go to your local registry office before or after your wedding day to sign the legal marriage paperwork (if you want to make it legal).

You should first make an appointment of your intention to marry at your local registry office. You can keep it small and ask two people to be witnesses to your marriage, they must be over 16 years old and be able to understand the ceremony. You will sign the marriage registrar, along with your two witnesses, there is no need to exchange vows, promises or rings. You can save that until your wedding ceremony with me. It costs around £50.00 to do this, depending on where you live. Alternatively, you could invite up to 10 guests to witness you sign the marriage paperwork and make a day of it. Dress up and go out for lunch with your nearest and dearest afterwards! This costs around £200.00 depending on what your local registry office charges.

Think of it as when you go to have a birth registered before having a celebration such as a naming ceremony or a christening.

Please contact your local registry office as soon as possible to book your appointment as they can get very booked up.

Question 6

Can we have a religious ceremony?

Accepted Answer

Yes, by all means! Registrar-led ceremonies do not allow any religious or cultural elements such as hymns or religious readings, however here are NO RULES with a celebrant-led ceremony so you can have whatever you'd like.

Question 7

Are you available for a rehearsal?

Accepted Answer

Yes absolutely, and this is part of my fee. We can either have a rehearsal in person at your location/venue or over a video call. I absolutely recommend having a rehearsal at the venue, if possible, to go through all of the directions and unity ceremonies.

Question 8

When are you available to perform ceremonies?

Accepted Answer

Anytime! Yes really!

Weekdays, weekends, sunrise to sunset. As long as I am available on your date, I will be there.

Question 9

Do you specialise in any particular type of ceremony?

Accepted Answer

I would love to incorporate any religious, non-religious, cultural, spiritual or themed elements into your wedding ceremony.

I like to bring a light-hearted, joyful vibe to my ceremonies, but I am also more than happy to bring a more traditional tone to my script and performance of your ceremony.

Question 10

How many weddings do you officiate on the same day?

Accepted Answer

I only perform one ceremony a day. This means I can give you all of my time and attention on your special day, especially if your timeline is overrun.

I will arrive at your venue/location 90 - 120 minutes before the ceremony to set up, liaise with your suppliers and help with any last-minute jitters from you or your readers.

CLAIRE AUSTIN

Wedding Celebrant
Devon

Frequently Asked Questions