What Is a Wedding Celebrant? What They Do, How Much They Cost, and Why You Might want to Choose One

You’ve recently got engaged (congrats, my love!) and suddenly you’re deep in Google tabs like:

‘What actually IS a wedding celebrant?’

‘Do we need a registrar as well?’

‘How long does a wedding ceremony even last?’

You’re not alone. This time of year is full of couples trying to figure out how this whole wedding ceremony thing works and what their options are. The good news is that you don’t need to have it all figured out yet, but I am going to give you the guidance to get started with confidence.

Your wedding ceremony is where the meaning, emotion and magic live, and choosing the right person to lead it will shape the entire vibe of your day.

That’s where I come in! As a fun and modern wedding celebrant, I create one-of-a-kind ceremonies that are engaging, meaningful, and full of personality. The kind your guests talk about afterwards, laughing, crying and saying: ‘That was so them!’

If you want to explore whether a celebrant-led ceremony is right for you, you can download my brochure straight to your inbox. And if you’re already feeling the excitement, you can check my availability and book a quick vibe check call so we can see if we’re a perfect match 💜✨

Wedding celebrant marrying couple at Shortmead House, Bedfordshire

💜✨ WHAT IS A WEDDING CELEBRANT?

A wedding celebrant is someone who creates and delivers a personalised and meaningful wedding ceremony, without a generic template that’s used time and time again. One designed around you - your story, personalities and vibe.

Unlike a registrar, I’m not bound by legal wording, timing or set scripts.

Think of a celebrant like the storyteller, mood-setter and guide of your ceremony. We make the whole experience feel:

✨ personal
✨ modern
✨ relaxed
✨ emotional
✨ meaningful
✨ fun
✨ and undeniably you

Your ceremony becomes a highlight of the day, not something guests sit through before the bar opens or the party starts.

Fun Celebrant Wedding Ceremony in Berkshire with Celebrant smiling and bride and groom laughing.

WHAT DOES A WEDDING CELEBRANT ACTUALLY DO?

A LOT more than people realise. Here’s what working with me actually looks like:

1️⃣ Make Your Ceremony About You

(Not a Script that Anyone Could Have)

A celebrant isn’t just someone who “says the words”. My job is to get to know you properly - your quirks, your humour, how you met, why you fell in love, and all the brilliant and heartfelt little moments that make your story yours. The funny bits, the heartfelt bits, the unexpected twists — it all becomes part of your ceremony magic.

Then I craft a ceremony that feels undeniably YOU. If you met in a theatre, bonded over video games, or fell in love during a slightly chaotic first date — I’ll weave it in.

For example:
Did you bond over musicals? We can sneak in a lyric your guests will recognise.

Meet at a pub quiz? Let’s add a fun little quiz that gets everyone involved.

Obsessed with travel, board games or your dog? Those details become part of your ceremony story.

This isn’t a template. It’s your story, told in a way that reflects you as a couple.

Worried about it feeling cringey? Don’t be, because finding the balance between heartfelt and fun is my speciality.

2️⃣ Planning Your Ceremony Is Fun, Not Stressful

Most couples tell me they don’t know where to start. That’s exactly where I come in.

✨ You get a toolkit guide to get you thinking of ideas without the overwhelm (because you don’t know what you
don’t know)
✨ You get to do a fun couple’s quiz either alone or as a date night, whatever will help you reminisce best
✨ We have a relaxed ‘Plan & Play’ session where we have a giggle as I get to know you and tease out the things that
make your relationship unique
✨ I ask the right questions to uncover your real story (not just surface level generic stuff)
✨ Your bespoke ceremony script will be written from scratch
✨ You have full control with total support and as many re-writes as you like
✨ Worried about vows? I help you write them in a way that feels natural, not cheesy.

Wedding celebrant has plan and play planning meeting with engaged couple

3️⃣ You Get Total Creative Freedom

With a celebrant, there are no rules. You can:

💜 Choose any location
✨ Include cultures, traditions or blended families
💜 Add rituals (hand fasting, unity shots, ring warming, etc.)
✨ Make your guests feel involved and immersed
💜 Include pets
✨Add humour

Anything goes, as long as it feels like you!

Bride and Groom include religious elements in ceremony

4️⃣ collaborate with your suppliers so Everything Runs Smoothly on the Day

A ceremony is like a West End show - seamless on the outside because someone is juggling 100 details backstage.

On the day, I:

✨ Arrive early
✨ Check the full set-up
✨ Coordinate with venue staff + musicians + photographer
✨ Prep your readers
✨ Confirm seating + signage + rings + music
✨ Keep everyone calm
✨ Deliver your ceremony with warmth + energy

Wedding celebrant liaising with wedding supplier before wedding ceremony at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire

Things you may have worried about on the day:

❌ What if the music doesn’t start at the right time?

❌ What if they haven’t left enough seats at the front for my Dad and bridesmaids?

❌ What if the best man forgets to get the rings from the groom?

❌ What if my partner forgets to print their vows ?

❌ What if it rains during my outdoor ceremony?

Not on my watch. I handle all of it so you get to stay present with your guests.

I’ll coordinate with your other suppliers, get your wedding party prepped, and make sure everything flows perfectly, so you don’t have to think about a thing.

Quick Recap: What a Celebrant Actually Does for You

If you’re skim-reading or thinking “okay, but what does this actually mean for us?”, here’s the quick version:

💜 Gets to know you and writes a bespoke ceremony that tells YOUR story
💜 Makes planning fun and stress-free
💜 Gives you total creative freedom (no boring scripts here!)
💜 Ensures everything runs seamlessly on the day
💜 Creates an experience that’s fun, emotional and unforgettable for you and your guests

Bride and groom smiling at wedding celebrant during fun wedding ceremony at Stratton Court Barn, Oxfordshire

HOW MUCH DOES A WEDDING CELEBRANT COST?

Costs vary per celebrant, but here’s what often influences pricing:

✨ Experience and professionalism you’ll benefit from to avoid the common mistakes
✨ Time spent getting to know you, so it feels like you’re being married by a friend
✨ Writing your bespoke one-of-a-kind ceremony script
✨ Meeting & planning sessions to ensure you have everything you want and everything runs smoothly
✨ Rehearsals (if needed)
✨ Travel & early arrival to liaise with suppliers and make sure the ceremony is set
✨ Professional guidance throughout with vows, readings, rituals and anything else you need for the ceremony
✨ Ceremony delivery on the day so you can rest assured a professional that cares about you runs the show.
✨ Printed materials so you don’t have to worry about forgetting your readings & vows!

A celebrant isn’t just 20 minutes on the day. It’s a whole creative and emotional process designed to give you the ceremony of your dreams, with someone who truly cares about you having the day of your dreams.

Printed vow booklets to read from during wedding ceremony

CELEBRANT VS REGISTRAR - WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

This is one of the biggest wedding searches every year, so let’s break it down simply and easily.

Registrar

✔ Works for the council as an employee (you can’t choose who’ll turn up)
✔ Handles the legal part of marriage
✔ Must follow a set script (mostly the same for everyone so your guests may have heard it many times)
✔ Limited personalisation
✔ Short, generic ceremonies
✔ Only available at licensed venues or registry offices

Celebrant

✨ Works for you (you choose and get to know them)
✨ Guides you on your options and what might work best from experience
✨ Gets to know you so script can be completely bespoke and personal
✨ No restrictions on wording, length or content
✨ Can take place anywhere - barns, gardens, forests, theatres, pubs, rooftops, even your living room
✨ Includes your guests in an immersive wedding ceremony that is then memorable and engaging.

Most couples choose both:
→ Do the quick legal signing separately (often £60–£100)
→ Have your dream personalised ceremony with your celebrant in front of your loved ones

It’s the best of both worlds.

Group of guests at a wedding laughing and having fun

IS A CELEBRANT-LED CEREMONY LEGALLY BINDING?

In England and Wales, celebrant ceremonies are not legal yet. It’s simply a beautiful, personal ceremony and you do the legal signing at another time.

This is in line with other big life moments like births (we sign the paperwork on a differnet day to the birth, but celebrate the birthday).

Here’s why couples actually love separating the legal bit:

✔ You can keep the legal appointment short, simple & fuss-free or opt for having a second day to celebrate
✔ Your real ceremony becomes the one that reflects you as a couple
✔ You get full flexibility with wording, readings, rituals and location
✔ You’re not bound by legal formalities during the emotional, romantic part, so it takes the pressure off.

Most couples say they barely even remember the legal signing, but the celebrant ceremony? They (and their guests) remember forever.

So, IS A CELEBRANT RIGHT FOR YOU?

You’ll love a celebrant wedding ceremony if you want:

💜 Something personal
✨ Space for storytelling
💜 Flexibility & creativity
✨ A fun planning process
💜 A modern, meaningful ceremony
✨ Guests saying “That was SO them”

If you want your ceremony to feel like the heart of your day rather than a formality, a celebrant is a perfect fit.

If you're engaged and exploring your ceremony options, I’d love to help you discover what’s possible.

Let’s create a ceremony that feels fun, heartfelt and undeniably you!