Wedding Celebrants in the UK – Celebrant hosted wedding, offers you more choice and customisation of your ceremony
If you are planning your wedding, its good to know that a modern wedding now doesn’t have to be the strictly traditional affair it used to be, things are changing. Couples now have a better choice of saying “I do” at a wider range of places and not just licensed venues. You can hold your ceremony at any time and on any day of the week with the help of a wedding celebrant. Wedding celebrants in the UK can help you to plan out your ceremony content and conduct the fully personalised ceremony.
Legal requirements for marriage in the UK
To be legally married in the UK you need to obtain a licence from your local council registry office. You will also need two witnesses to see the document signing too. To have an authorised person to carry out your marriage means couples must choose between: an approved religious ceremony, a registry office, or a civil ceremony at a licensed venue. But you can do it slightly differently now by working with a wedding celebrant, which will also let you save £££s in the process.
A Celebrant lead ceremony overcomes the current restrictions on the ceremony content
The ceremony is the most important part of the wedding day. Couples can now make both the ceremony and the reception as individual as they please. Some couples are perfectly happy to have that sense of occasion that comes with following the traditional vows and order of the ceremony set by someone else. The reality is that traditional ceremonies are likely to be very quick, and with restrictions on readings, music, vows and sometimes even photographs. If you opt for a civil ceremony you won’t be allowed to include any content that’s related to religion, such as hymns (even as quotes), Bible references, or even songs that indirectly refer to religion. In some cases, churches will not allow photos to be taken during the ceremony, or they restrict the photographer’s access. Working with a wedding celebrant can help you change all that.
Personalise your ceremony, your way
Now there is a way to have exactly the ceremony you want – by hiring a Wedding Celebrant. Many brides don’t know about wedding celebrants in the UK, but they have been around for over 40 years. In England, Scotland and Wales you must be legally married first at the registry office (this costs around £50 to obtain your marriage licence) You are then free to work with your celebrant to design the wedding ceremony of your dreams.
Using a Wedding Celebrant allows you all the flexibility you require. You will be able to have your wedding wherever you choose. It’s entirely up to you how the whole occasion reflects your personal beliefs and lifestyle. You will choose your own vows, readings, poems, music, decor and anything else you fancy, without restriction.
How to choose a wedding celebrant
- Find a celebrant who really resonates with you – it’s wonderful to have someone you really like performing your ceremony.
- Arrange an initial face-to-face meeting with the celebrant. This is a good chance to see the celebrant’s demeanour, speaking style, and whether they’re friendly yet professional. Ask all the questions you want. They should be able to advise on things you are unsure of, and make appropriate suggestions.
- The Fellowship of Independent Celebrants who provide a network of qualified celebrants throughout the UK and beyond. Their website www.foic.org.uk lists all their trained professional celebrant members, all of whom carry £5million Public Liability Insurance. Expect to pay upwards of £450.00 with possible travel expenses on top.
How to arrange a celebrant wedding
- Arrange for an official registration of your marriage at an applicable registry office. Here you will legally become a married couple. It costs a fraction of the price to just obtain your marriage licence. You can save a fortune by not having to hire a registrant to attend a licensed venue, or hiring a ceremony room at the registry office. There will be a basic fee for filing the marriage application, then another small fee for a basic ceremony on a scheduled date with two witnesses. You should check with your local authorities for applicable requirements.
- Meet with celebrant to set the date for your ceremony, define the overall structure and programme, how you want to enter the venue, the vows, other readings, speeches, music, flow and timings. You can even discuss releasing balloons, or a rose or sand ceremony, or involving your pets! Your celebrant will draft your vows for you and review and finalise the ‘order of service’.
- Schedule and hold a rehearsal with your celebrant.
- Get ready to say your ‘I do’s”!
