Should you have a celebrant at your Wedding?
When you’re planning a wedding one of the biggest decisions you will make is how you actually want to get married! Not just the venue, not the styling but the ceremony itself! On this weeks episode of Totally Absolutely Engaged, we interviewed a professional wedding celebrant to better understand what celebrants do, how they differ from registrars or religious officiants, and why ore couples are considering this option!
As always, this isn’t about saying you should choose a celebrant. It’s about helping engaged coupes make informed choices!
What is a wedding celebrant?
In simple terms, a wedding celebrant conducts a personalised wedding ceremony. A celebrant ceremony focuses entirely on the experience, tone and story telling of your relationship, without the script restrictions that come with saturate ceremonies. Unlike a registrar (who performs legally binding ceremonies under local authority rules) celebrant led weddings are typically non-legally binding in the UK, meaning couples complete the legal paperwork separately.
That distinction is important!
For some couples, flexibility is incredibly appealing. For others, the simplicity of a legal ceremony in one place feels more practical. Neither approach is better, they simply offer different things.
Why would you consider a celebrant wedding?
During our podcast conversation a few key themes came up around why engaged couples explore celebrant led weddings:
They want a highly personalised ceremony
They’re getting married somewhere unlicensed
They want to include cultural or symbolic rituals
They don’t feel connected to religious or registry options
They want a ceremony that feels less formal or less scripted
Celebrants often spend significant time getting to know the couple beforehand, which allows the ceremony to reflect on their story more deeply. But that level of personalisation isn’t something every couples prioritises, and that’s okay.
The legal side: What you need to understand
One of the most useful parts of the episode was clarifying the legal process. In England and Wales, celebrant ceremonies are not legally binding on their own. Couples usually attend a registry office separate to complete the legal formalities. Or sign the official certificate in a side room separate from the official ceremony. For some, this is a small manageable extra step. for others, it feels like duplication.
Understanding this early, helps avoid confusion later in the planning process, especially when comparing costs and logistics
Is a celebrant wedding right for you?
Instead of asking this question, here’s what you should be asking:
How important is ceremony flexibility for us?
Some couples want full creative control, involvement of family or friends, and want to write their vows without restrictions. Others prefer a straightforward process, and value traditional or religious structure, and want everything completed in one setting! Neither approach is more meaningful than the other. The value lies in choosing intentionally.
Remember: Your Ceremony sets the tone for the entire day
Something we often hear from suppliers, is that the ceremony has a BIG impact on shaping the emotional tone of the day. If it feels personal and relaxed, that atmosphere often carries forward. If it feels formal and traditional, that can set a different tone entirely.
The key isn’t choosing the most emotional option, its choosing the one that reflects you!
If you’re engaged and planning a wedding, these questions may help you!
What do we want our ceremony to feel like?
How important is legal simplicity versus creative freedom?
Do we want structure or flexibility?
How much time do we want to invest in ceremony planning?
Clear answers to those questions will guide you more effectively than trends ever could!
Love from,
Totally Absolutely Engaged x