Have you considered a celebrant for your wedding? Do you even know what a celebrant is? For many of us, the answer to both these questions is a confused: No. For the less celebrant aware amongst us, let’s start with an explanation.
What is a celebrant?
A celebrant is someone who leads an important occasion, creating, and overseeing a special ceremony for those involved. A wedding celebrant will work with you to create a unique ceremony free of any legal or religious obligations. This ceremony won’t be legally binding and will need to be supported by a short official ceremony at your local registry office. A celebrant will give you the freedom to remove the legal from the personal and add extra intimacy to your wedding day. Celebrants may be civil, secular or humanist and a humanist ceremony won’t contain any religious or spiritual content.
You choose your dream location
In the UK, marriages are restricted to a variety of appropriate legal and civil venues. In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, weddings outside are not permitted unless they take place under a permanent structure. Whilst many beautiful venues hold a marriage licence, it may be that your dream location doesn’t. If you want to marry at your favourite beach, garden or in the place where you had your first kiss, it’s worth considering a celebrant led service. It’s important that your day unfolds somewhere that matters and a celebrant gives you the freedom to have the service in a place you love.
You decide what to say
Although a civil ceremony and some religious ceremonies allow you the freedom to add in your own vows, they also include large portions of required speaking. If you want to mix up your ceremony, write the whole thing yourself or create something a little more personal, a celebrant can help. If you choose a none humanist celebrant you can include spiritual and religious elements in your service, without prescribed rules. Your wedding ceremony becomes a blank canvas on which you design your promises in a way that matters to you. If you’re looking for a flexible service but aren’t sold on writing your own vows, a celebrant can support you in designing a bespoke day.
You can add personal touches
Many celebrants offer additional touches to make your service truly special. A popular extra is handfasting, where a couple’s hands are bound with ribbon or cord to signify their new life together. Thought to have evolved from traditional Celtic wedding ceremonies it adds rustic intimacy to your marriage service. Another sweet way to add meaning is to ask your guests to participate in a ring warming ceremony. This is where each guest briefly holds the rings and passes on a message of good luck and happiness. Your celebrant will be able to discuss with you the unique options for your ceremony. You can even create your own brand new tradition!
