The Celebrant Secret: Why Couples Are Saying Goodbye to Registrars
Your wedding is simply one of the most amazing days of your life, and choosing how you say “I do” sets the tone for everything.
If you’re engaged and wondering how to create a ceremony that’s truly unique and personal, booking a Wedding Celebrant (like me!) might just be the best decision you’ll make.
Here’s everything you need to know about how it all works and why a Wedding Celebrant offers a more meaningful and tailored experience compared to a Registrar.
Ok – but start at the beginning – what is a Wedding Celebrant?
A Wedding Celebrant is a professional who creates and delivers unique to you wedding ceremonies. Unlike Registrars, who are council employees conducting civil ceremonies, which are copy / paste and the same for all couples. A Celebrant like me will get to know you both as we put together your epic one of a kind wedding ceremony whereas the Registrar you get on the day will be ‘pot luck’ and very likely to be a stranger to you both.
What kind of couples choose a wedding celebrant?
All kinds! And more and more couples are catching on.
You‘ll probably want to make it as personal, fun and engaging as possible for yourselves and your guests.
You’ll probably also want an unforgettable ceremony to reflect you and your relationship setting the tone for an incredible wedding day and getting the day started with a bang.
Whatever your style and your story, we work together to make that happen. And if you’ve no idea what you want or where to start: don’t worry. I got you.
Why choose a Wedding Celebrant?
- Bags More Personality
- Celebrant: Complete creative freedom. You’re not restricted by standard scripts or formats. Every wedding ceremony script is written completely from scratch and only includes the things that are important to the two of you. PSA: If you want a grumpy wedding celebrant, don’t bother booking me – I’m all about the fun, love and laughter!
- Registrar: Often bound by legal wording and rigid time slots. No room for personalisation.
- Venue Flexibility
- Celebrant: Anywhere you want! There are absolutely no limitations so you can tie the knot wherever you please.
- Registrar: Must be at a licensed venue, narrowing your options.
- Time to Celebrate
- Celebrant: Your ceremony is as long or short as you like. We’ll focus on what matters most to you.
- Registrar: Typically rushed, with limited time due to back-to-back bookings.
- A Personal Connection
- Celebrant: We build a relationship. By the time your wedding arrives, I’ll know your story inside and out, and your ceremony will feel like it’s been written by a friend.
- Registrar: Often, you meet your Registrar for the first time on the day, and they’ll likely be a stranger reading generic words.
- Creative Ceremonies
- Celebrant: Your ceremony script is expertly written for you to be epically memorable, heartfelt and humorous. I have bags of ideas to make it uniquely yours and truly magical!
- Registrar: Limited to legal and procedural elements. Can include a very small and limited range of personalised options such as readings.
But what about the legal bit?
How does that all work?
Having a celebrant ceremony in England or Wales means that if you want to be considered legally married or in a civil partnership, you will have to do that process separately. Humanist ceremonies aren’t currently legally recognised here (whilst they are in Scotland and Northern Ireland – although it’s expected that will change to recognise Humanist UK Accredited Celebrants after a High Court ruling back in 2020, but when, only the Government Justice Minister can say!)
But for now, this means that to be married or civil partnered in the eyes of the law In England and Wales, you have to say the magic words (AKA boring legal declaratory statements) with a registrar (or a religious leader if you’re that way inclined).
You don’t have to exchange rings or make a big deal out of this process at all – unless you want to!
‘Sounds a bit weird… so which one is our ‘real’ wedding day?!’
When is our anniversary if we do the legal bit on a different day?’
Well, think of it as being like when a child is born: you celebrate the date of their birth, not the date when you go to the council office and fill in a form to register their birth. With your wedding, you can still celebrate the date and anniversary of your big day (the one where you get all dressed up and say gorgeous personal vows in front of all your friends and family) rather than the legal transaction with at the Town Hall / Civic Centre etc.
I can guarantee that it’s the celebrant ceremony which you will remember as the ‘real’ one.
What about the costs?
Budgeting for your wedding is all about finding value in what matters most – and your ceremony sets the tone for the rest of your day.
So how does the cost of a Celebrant compare to booking a Registrar?
My fee for 2025 and 2026 starts at £650 (full price list on next page)
When booking a Registrar to attend your venue, costs will vary depending on your location.
For example, Newcastle City Council’s fees for 2025 range from £630 to £730, depending on when and where your ceremony takes place.
So in summary…
…there you have it – the magic of a Wedding Celebrant and why more and more couples are saying goodbye to Registrars.
From crafting a ceremony as unique as your love story to ditching the cookie-cutter approach, a Celebrant-led wedding is all about celebrating what makes you two so special.
I know this is a lot to take in, and you probably have a shed load of other questions – like, “What’s this handfasting thing?”, “Can we include our pets?”, or “Do you think our love story is too quirky to share?”
Spoiler: It’s not, and I’m here for all of it!
Let’s have a chat and start turning your ideas into something unforgettable.
Whether it’s over a coffee, a Zoom call, or even a cheeky prosecco, I’d love to hear about what makes you you and help bring your dream ceremony to life.
Drop me a message, and let’s make the magic happen! ✨