If you've never been to a celebrant-led ceremony, the word itself can be a little vague. Is a celebrant like a registrar? Do they marry you? What do they actually do on the day?
I'm a celebrant as well as a photographer, so here's a plain explanation of what I do, how it differs from a legal marriage and what you can expect from the first message to the last word of your ceremony.
A Celebrant Writes and Leads Your Ceremony
At its simplest, a celebrant is the person who creates your ceremony and leads it. That means writing the words, shaping the order of the day and standing beside you while you say them. I write every ceremony script from scratch and by hand. There's no copy and paste, and no two scripts are the same.
A typical ceremony with me opens with an opening speech that tells a little of your love story. Then come any readings and your commitments to each other, followed by the exchange of rings and your vows. A closing speech then leads into your first kiss, which is always my favourite part to stand back from.
Before the Day: Where the Words Come From
The ceremony starts long before you're standing in front of me. In the weeks beforehand we talk about how you met, what you love about each other, what you'd like included and what you'd like left out. Those conversations become the opening speech and the shape of everything else.
You can write the script with me, a bit like building it together over a few chats, or you can leave it to me and keep it secret until the ceremony so you hear it for the first time on the day. Both work beautifully, and I'll go with whichever suits you.
How It Differs From a Registrar
A register office ceremony follows a set script, which is the same words for every couple. It's quick and it does exactly what the law requires. A celebrant ceremony is the opposite: slower, more personal and made around you. You choose where it happens, which words are used and which moments matter, whether that's a lakeside, a clifftop or a garden.
Is a Celebrant Ceremony Legally Binding?
This is the question I'm asked most. In England and Wales, a celebrant-led ceremony on its own isn't legally binding, because the legal part of a marriage has to be conducted by a registrar, a religious minister or another authorised person, in a place that's allowed to hold marriages. You'll need to give notice at your local register office at least 29 days before your legal ceremony, and GOV.UK explains how to give notice of marriage in full.
Most of the couples I work with do the legal part separately, often a short ceremony at a register office with two witnesses, and then have the celebrant ceremony as the one they remember. My Elope post on whether eloping is legal in Wales explains the process step by step. The law may change in future, and I've written about what is being proposed in the weddings law reform, but for now the legal and personal parts are two separate things. I'm not a legal adviser, so please check the details with your register office.
Readings, Music and Little Touches
Your ceremony can hold more than speeches. Some couples choose a poem or reading, a piece of music or a few words from someone who matters to them. If either of you grew up speaking another language, Welsh included, a line or two in that language can be the most moving moment of the ceremony. I'll help you place each piece where it sits best, so it adds to the ceremony and doesn't interrupt it.
On the Day: One Person Guiding It All
When I'm your celebrant and your photographer, you won't need to worry about who's doing what. I guide you through the ceremony, tell you when to move or pause, hand you the ceremony folder when it's your turn to speak and pick up my camera for the moments that matter. If it rains, we adapt, because the ceremony was written around you and it can bend with the day.
More Than One Kind of Ceremony
A celebrant isn't only for weddings. I lead guided proposals, where I read your love letter aloud just before you ask the question. I lead elopements and I lead vow renewals and milestone anniversaries at sunset. Each is a ceremony written around the people in it, and each ties into your one album. You can see how they fit together on the storytelling experiences page.
Choosing the Right Celebrant for You
Look for someone whose style matches yours, who listens properly and who can explain clearly what you'll get. I've put together some questions to ask before booking a celebrant and photographer that work for anyone you're considering. If you'd like to know more about how I work, why I do this and what makes my approach different are on my About page, and you can see why couples choose me too.
When you're ready, plan your experience and tell me what you have in mind. A celebrant's job is simple to describe: to take your story and put it into words that sound like you.