Celebrant-led wedding ceremony vs registrar
It’s a common dilemma and I’ve put together some information to help answer some questions you might have when planning your big day….
Can you have a wedding without a ceremony?
It’s an interesting prospect. Maybe you are eloping, considering a second (or third, fourth etc) marriage or planning a very quick wedding under some very difficult circumstances?
Whatever the scenario, there is no reason you should deprive yourself of a wedding ceremony.
A major part of a wedding ceremony in a celebrant-led ceremony is the wedding script. A wedding script is completely personalised to you. A wedding celebrant, such as myself, can deliver heartfelt wedding scripts which capture the emotion, background story and circumstances unique to you and your other half. If it is a short, straight-to-the-point ceremony, you want, then go for it. Your ceremony-your away. Equally, maybe your story is a long one. Full of ups and downs and you want this to be recognised respectively on the day of your wedding ceremony. That’s a brief I love fulfilling for all my couples. You might have many children, step-children, grandchildren or nieces and nephews. They can be woven into the wedding script as you like. Each important family member, past or present, celebrated with love.
Whatever the situation, don’t deprive yourself of a ceremony.
Sure, getting married at a register office is a quick, low-key option. Whilst registrars aren’t known for delivering detailed, highly-personalised wedding scripts, they can still honour you with a brief wedding ceremony. What’s even better though, combining a wedding celebrant and a registrar. Yes, that’s right, you can do both.
You might not know this but registrars and celebrants can both be present at the same ceremony. Alternatively, organise your legal ceremony with a couple of witnesses beforehand and plan your dream celebrant-led ceremony with an independent wedding celebrant like myself. I’ve even known couples who have popped out during the wedding reception to legalise their marriage and then return to their guests to party the night away.
Who can be a wedding celebrant?
The truth is anyone. Yes, you can ask your best friend to officiate your special day. At the end of the day, you should do things your way, always! It’s not something any qualified wedding celebrant would encourage though.
Lot’s of wedding celebrants such as myself have trained to become a celebrant. Most are accredited and all should be fully insured. We are experts in our field.
What’s the relevance of this? Well, it means we have been vetted to ensure that we are capable of delivering well considered wedding scripts which honour you and your family. It means we are experienced with different types of symbolic ceremonies including those that you might not have heard of before. It means we can give you a gentle nudge in the right direction with your ceremony design if desired and we can advise on a reading that perfectly suits the style and feel of your ceremony. It means we can guide you through wedding vows, family politics and how you can ensure your children feel very much part of the day.
Can a celebrant legally marry you?
In England, the short answer is- no! As it stands at the moment, an Independent Wedding Celebrant in England and Wales isn’t able to officiate a legally binding marriage. We are hopeful this will change though.
In a recent Instagram Post, The Association of Independent Celebrants wrote: ‘‘The humanist wedding campaign is gathering momentum and it seems likely that England and Wales will follow suit with Scotland and Northern Ireland in legally recognising humanist marriage.
The Law Commission published it’s final report into wedding Law reform in England and Wales.
For up to date information on this, please visit Law Commission and The Association of Independent Celebrants.
What is a registrar wedding?
Registrars conduct legally-binding marriage and civil partnership ceremonies.
For a non-religious, legally binding marriage you will need to visit your local register office. Click here to find your local registry office.
You need to make an appointment to give notice and you must have lived in that registration district for the past 7 days at least.
You need to give notice separately to your partner if you live in different registration districts but you do not have to do this on the same day.
During the ceremony itself you will need 2 witnesses.
For full and up to date information, I suggest you visit the government website .
What is a celebrant wedding?
Unlike traditional, religious or civil ceremonies, celebrant weddings provide a more flexible and personalised approach to the ceremony, allowing couples to have a wedding that truly reflects their love story and values.
Are you looking for something different to your run-of-the-mill wedding? Do you dream of an outdoor festival themed wedding? Would you love the opportunity to have a ceremony in your parent’s garden? Is your style more quirky and you hate the traditional? Or do you simply want a heartfelt ceremony that your guests will be talking about for years to come? Do you and your other half have a story which needs celebrating? Independent celebrants, like myself, work closely with couples to understand their vision, crafting a ceremony that incorporates their chosen rituals, readings, and vows. You will have the freedom to officiate weddings in a variety of locations, including outdoor venues and non-traditional settings.
Celebrant weddings offer couples the opportunity to have a truly meaningful and customised ceremony that celebrates their love and individuality.
