You will be pleased to know that you no longer have to fit into a rigid box of having either a civil or religious ceremony, there is another exciting option available to you. A celebrant is a fab alternative option to those who desire a non-religious ceremony with a personal touch. Your ceremony can be designed in a way that suits you, it can still contain traditional vows and rituals if that is what you prefer but there is also a door open to more unique ideas and rituals that speaks to you.
Celebrant Vs Registrar
Knowledge is power so its good to be aware of the differences between celebrants and registrars when deciding how to proceed with your ceremony. Registrars are still so important in your steps towards your wedding bliss... (albeit in their own very official way!) but its good to have all the information first as there is so much that we can offer that a Registrars are not able to.
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So here is a handy breakdown of the difference between the two.
Round 1 - The Officiant
Our role is to get to know you, your life and your love story. We build a foundation with you full of trust, honesty and friendship whether that be chatting through the new age of video calls or over a drink down the local pub. We want you to feel comfortable to open up to us as we understand how precious your worldly information is. The planning for a celebrant ceremony is a very wonderful process and will be a memory in itself, and by the time it comes to your big day, a bond will be formed between you and your celebrant leaving you feeling calm and in safe hands ready for your "I Dos".
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Whereas with a Registrar, this is a council run service and a Registrar is allocated to you on that day. You will meet the Registrar who will be leading your ceremony for the first time 30 minutes before your ceremony commences as they will want to introduce themselves and ask you both some legal questions (basically to make sure you are, who you say you are). You have no say on who will be arriving to you that day, meaning that you dont know if you are getting someone experienced, someone old, someone new, a loud mouth or a church mouse... it can be a bit of a lucky dip for a very important celebration. ​​​
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Credit: The Chamberlins
Round 2 - The Script
With a celebrant ceremony, your script is bespoke to you and designed around your ideas, your traditions and your rituals. No two ceremonies would ever be the same. Your ceremony can be open to your interpretation, it could have a traditional hand fasting ritual or it could have a Taylor Swift sing along, it could have vows but no ring exchange. I would say the options are endless but its not 'options', there is no tick box here! Your ceremony script can be whatever you want it to be.
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We are here to create this script with you and your partner at the very heart of it. We can offer guidance on readings that are relatable to you and bring cohesion to your script as a whole.
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When compared to a Registrar, the bulk of their script is the same for every wedding they officiate. And the areas that can be altered such as the vows and commitments are chosen by you from a drop down box of around 5 options. There are also strict rules around registrar led ceremonies as there cannot be any religious touches in the script, to the point that even a song or reading with a religious word/phrase would need to be removed. From a planning point of view, it is also tricky if you have alcoholic arrival drinks for your guests as these cannot be taken or drank in the registrar led ceremony. ​​​​
Credit: Nicola Dixon Photography
Round 3 - Location
A Celebrant led ceremony can be officiated in any beautiful location that is important to you, whether that be a more traditional wedding venue or something a bit quirky like on top of a cliff, or in your own back garden. There are no limits on where your vows can be pronounced.
Whereas a Registrar led ceremony are rather limited on the locations they can officiate in as these need to be a place/venue which is registered to perform civil ceremonies. A venue needs to apply for approval to be a registered premise before a civil ceremony can take place, which means the options available to you are limited to the more traditional wedding venue.
Credit: The Curries
Round 5 - Legal Standing
A Celebrant led Ceremony currently does not have any legal standing in England or Wales but there are heaps of debates on this and hopes of change for the future..... so watch this space!
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So to legally wed, there is still a need to have a registrar led ceremony to sign the marriage certificate, whether that be at your registered venue on your wedding day following your celebrant ceremony or at your local registry office ahead of your wedding day.
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With my wedding planning hat on, I would always suggest looking into your local Registry Office and signing the marriage register there in the week before your wedding. This starts your celebrations early and gets the excitement flowing. This could be an intimate ceremony with close family and friends followed by some celebratory drinks... (its also another excuse to buy a second white dress!). You could always add in a 'signing' during your celebrant ceremony too if you wanted to keep that tradition (and to keep certain relatives happy) as no one would know the difference.
Credit: Benjamin Wheeler Photography
Round 4 - The Price
Prices for a celebrant can fluctuate massively depending on which magnificent celebrant you choose, but prices can range from around £600-£1,500 based on experience and their location.
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I can only offer insight into my local registry office for comparison but for an offsite registrar to officiate at a registered venue, this is over £500... £500 for a standard script, limited personal touches and an unknown officiant until 30 minutes before your ceremony.
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The choice seems obvious doesn't it?
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And if you choose a celebrant ceremony on your wedding day and sign the marriage register at your local registry office in the run up to the wedding day, then the most basic legal wedding ceremony set by central government is £56 (2024).
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