Why choose an independent wedding celebrant?

Your wedding day should be about you as a couple and reflect your uniqueness. An independent celebrant, like me, can help you personalise your day starting with the very ceremony that sets it all in motion.

What is an independent celebrant?

An independent celebrant is someone who can lead a ceremony that has all the elements you want and none you don't. If you'd like some religious aspects, but don't fancy a church, you want an independent celebrant. If you don't identify with any one belief system, then an independent celebrant can help!

What about registrars?

In the UK, registrars are authorised to legally register marriages. Since the registrar works on behalf of the local authority and it is a civil service, the actual words used in the ceremony are restricted. As well as this, registrars often have more than one ceremony on your special day, so time is also restricted with ceremonies averaging 10-15 minutes with little flexibility. Usually, you would not meet your registrar until the day of your wedding, nor would you get to choose who it is, and therefore they know very little about you and it can feel quite impersonal.

If you want a wedding ceremony with someone who is invested in your story, then an independent celebrant is for you!

You can get married ANYWHERE

Registrars can only marry people in premises approved by the local authority, this sometimes being a single room or space within a venue. In contrast, independent celebrants will conduct your ceremony anywhere from a fabulous outdoor setting like a forest, to a chic nightclub or even the tiny balcony in your flat! There are literally no rules, so you can get married in a special place that means something to you.

Get creative with vows and rituals

You chose your partner because you love them as a person, so why not reflect the person they are and who you are in your vows to each other? Even if you choose not to write your own vows, there might be a ritual you had in mind. Handfasting has become very popular and is a beautiful way of representing your union and even involving more people in your ceremony. There are many other rituals that can add an interesting visual, auditory or even gustatory element to your ceremony!

A wedding ceremony where the couple do shots to symbolise their love? Or create art with their nearest and dearest there and then? Or bring the noise with sound baths? A unique ceremony with a ritual no one has ever thought of can only be done with an independent celebrant!

What about the legal bit?

So you do need a registrar to register your marriage legally, which couples usually choose to do a week or so before the wedding day. This can be done with just two witnesses without too much fuss. You don't need to exchange rings and only need to repeat a standard set of vows. So lovely rituals, like saying your own personalised vows and exchanging rings can be saved for your ceremony later on.

Seems like a no-brainer huh? Independent celebrant it is.

And since you're here... I'd love to say it right for you!