There is more to Celebrants than meets the eye!
Tips on how to choose the perfect celebrant
You may not know this, but there is a huge difference between celebrants and there are so many options to choose from.
So, where do you start?
These days it doesn’t just come down to the celebrant performing the legal documentation. Rather, the celebrant becomes an integral part of setting the scene for your big day!
As Sydney wedding planners and stylists we have recently had the opportunity to chat with some of the best celebrant's in Sydney that have some useful advice that will (hopefully) make this decision less difficult to make.
Work on your brief
Sometimes it’s easier to make decisions based on what you don’t want rather than what you do want and then, think about what the style of ceremony you are going for. It is more fun, relaxed, traditional, party vibe, sentimental? You really need to be selecting that is going to suit your personalities and fit in with the overall vibe of your wedding.
Do your research & check availability
Ask your wedding planner, suppliers or venues for recommendations as they will have celebrants that they work with regularly. Do your own research of course and check out places such as The Celebrant A-List, The Celebrant Societyand other wedding directories such as WedShed, The Lane and One Fine Day. Ensure you read reviews and testimonials. From here you will get a pretty good idea of what is out there. Make a list of your top 5.
Now, its time to get in touch, email or call them to check availability as many celebrants can get booked up 12-18 months in advance. This is why your Celebrant should be one of the very early major decisions in your planning process.
First impressions matter!
You have seen their online presence, now see if it carries through in real life. You and your partner can divide and conquer or one of you take the initial chats.
Speak to a few different celebrants, share what you have planned for your day and get an idea of their approach.
You will get idea how each of them operate and whether you get on. At this point you should have narrowed down to your final 2 or 3.
Time to Meet
Makes sure you have questions prepared, its quite like an interview in many ways as they will want to get to know you but make sure you get to know them too. This is where you start to form a relationship and connection with the celebrant that will assist you in your final decision.
Some couples will only meet with one celebrant and others will meet a few celebrants before making a decision. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It’s an important decision, so go about it whichever way works for you.
Ultimately, you’ve just got to trust your gut.
Here’s what the experts have to say…..
Peter Bray says:
Now it's more about how it will all come together and you both get a real feel for who is the right celebrant for you. Couples that choose me as their celebrant love how I will make their day modern, fun and meaningful. They want their day to be a reflection of who they are. That their story gets told in a way that is a reflection of who they are as individuals and as a couple. That their guests are engaged and entertained and that the ceremony sets the tone of what is to come for such an amazing day for everyone!
Allegra of married by Allegra says:
Make sure you really like them (I know it sounds super obvious, but stick with me!). The vast majority of my couples end up inviting me to stay for drinks after the ceremony, and even for their reception. Their guests are surprised that I'm not a close friend of the couple, and that I don't stick around for the whole night! The reason for this is that I take the months in the lead up to a wedding getting to know my couples. Bonding with them about more than just their wedding. This is how you end up with a cracking ceremony - your Celebrant becomes more than just the person bringing the important paperwork - they are someone you look forward to seeing on the day, someone who calms your nerves and gees you up for the biggest moment in the biggest day of your lives to date.
Claire Belford says:
The most important thing is to choose a celebrant with whom you have a great rapport. That celebrant will be standing up in front of your loved ones, representing you as a couple and speaking on your behalf. Therefore you want someone who you trust, someone with experience, someone who has listened to your requests and helped to create a ceremony script that is tailored specifically to you. Someone who will make your day special & memorable.
A good celebrant will work collaboratively with a couple to create their ideal ceremony. Rather than be presented with a generic script, you should be given options i.e. the option to write your own vows, the option to include other people in your ceremony by way of readings or rituals, the option to personalise the script so that it truly represents you as a couple, or the option to make your ceremony short & sweet if that’s what you want- it’s about creating and delivering what YOU envisage.
Furthermore, your celebrant should be well presented, well spoken, organised & efficient.
If they are also really kind, authentic and genuinely care about making your marriage ceremony incredible, you’ve found your perfect celebrant!
It ultimately comes down to personality and connection, are they the right match for you both? They might be the perfect fit for one couple but just not the one for you, trust your instincts and go for it!
Good luck
If you are looking to create the perfect wedding, Honey Lane can help bring it to life with careful advice on the right suppliers for you to partner with. As Sydney wedding planners and stylists we are on hand to help.
