What exactly is an independent celebrant?
An independent celebrant is a person who works with couples and families to design and perform ceremonies for weddings, baby namings, vow renewals, funerals, memorials and other meaningful family moments.
Each ceremony created by a celebrant is unique in terms of content, style, wording and structure. A good celebrant will work closely with a couple or family to ensure their ceremony reflects their values and personalities.
Couples and families can choose a celebrant they would like to work with – it’s important that you click with each other and that you feel you can trust your celebrant to listen, understand and bring your vision for your celebration to life.
Where can a celebrant led ceremony be held?
A celebrant led wedding or family ceremony can take place anywhere – from your back garden, to a beautiful hotel. It doesn’t have to be at a venue that is licensed for weddings. And it’s worth mentioning that vicars/priests can only marry people in church buildings.
A celebrant led funeral or memorial can also take place anywhere, which many people don’t realise, including at a crematorium or green burial site, but equally your back garden or even a beautiful hotel too. Feel free to ask me about this if you’d like to know more.
What’s the difference between a registrar and a celebrant? (Re Wedding Ceremonies)
Back in the day, the choice for getting married was between a church and a register office (religious or non-religious). And both can be done brilliantly of course if that suits you.
A registrar is employed by the local authority and can only offer a limited number of choices for your wedding ceremony including location, time frame, format and content. Registrars usually have three scripts to choose from, so they have much less of ‘you’ in them. No religious or spiritual content may be included. You are unlikely to meet your registrar before your wedding day, when you will meet them half an hour before your ceremony.
An independent wedding celebrant is self-employed and will take time to get to know you and work with you to create a ceremony that truly reflects your values and personalities. Independent celebrants are not humanists, so you are free to include any religious or spiritual content. And if you have different beliefs or cultural backgrounds they can be blended together.
Can a celebrant legally marry a couple?
The short answer is no. You will need to do the legal bit at a register office, which can be done at any time prior to your ceremony (proper wedding!). This is often called the ‘2 and 2’, officially a statutory wedding, with the couple and 2 witnesses. The ceremony is short and inexpensive (about £46 plus £11 for a certificate). Sometimes couples do this with their parents or their best mates…
By separating the legal bit from your ceremony, your wedding day can be all about love and not more wedmin.
So, if an independent celebrant sounds like a good fit for you, then I’d be really happy to hear from you.
Contact Bex: 07455 793 493