FAQs
A celebrant is an independent individual who is trained in providing you with a custom-made ceremony designed to celebrate any ‘rite of passage’ in a way which is personal to you, without legal obligation or government restriction. There are very few limitations as to what can be included in a celebrant ceremony.
A registrar is a government official, responsible for keeping legal records. A wedding ceremony performed by a registrar must take place in a venue licensed for marriage, using specified contractual wording to legalise the union. Religious / spiritual content is not allowed in a registrar wedding ceremony.
I can provide bespoke ceremonies for all occasions which are important and personal to you. As well as the more usual events, I offer celebrations for big birthdays, anniversaries, home-warming, ground-breaking, coming of age, retirement, divorce, company mergers or anything else which you wish to commemorate.
Yes, I trained with International College of Professional Celebrants and am fully insured.
No. The content of a celebrant ceremony is not restricted to any culture, faith or religion. However, if you wish to also incorporate any cultural or religious traditions into your ceremony, you can.
Yes. Indoors, outdoors, on a beach, at the park, by a lake, under a tree, in the forest, up a mountain, in your own garden, at the zoo, on a train… The options are endless though permission sometimes needs to be sought. It is always wise to have a back-up plan for wet weather.
Location permitting, I can perform your ceremony on any month, day*, and between the hours of 10.00am -10.00pm. (*Apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day.)
Yes! Celebrant ceremonies often involve a ‘Special Something’ such as hand-fasting, candle lighting, sand pouring, ring warming, water combining, memory box making, plant or tree planting…please have a look at my ‘Something Special’ page for a little more information.
As long as the venue allows it, yes.
No. You will need to register your marriage in a Register Office before or after your celebrant wedding ceremony in order to make your marriage legally binding.
You will need to give notice at your local register office and arrange to have a ‘Statutory Ceremony’ to legally register your marriage . This is the ‘admin’ part of the process, and does not need to be treated as a formal ceremony. You will just need two witnesses.
Not necessarily. Most couples do prefer to register their marriage before the celebrant wedding ceremony. However, if you would prefer to register your marriage afterwards, that’s fine, too. You can do this any day before or after your wedding day at any register office in the UK. You do not need to have a registrar attend your celebrant ceremony or be present at your venue. Often, it is cheaper to register your marriage at your local register office on a weekday, rather than at your venue.
Yes. If you wish to confirm your commitment to each other without legal ties, then that’s not a problem; it’s up to you. A celebrant wedding ceremony is not a legally binding ceremony; it is about celebrating your love and relationship in a way that is special to you.
Yes. I offer weddings for couples of any sexual preference or gender orientation.
Anywhere you wish! Your venue does not need to be a licensed wedding venue as your ceremony is not legally binding. Just be sure to have permission from the venue owner.
A typical ceremony will usually last anywhere between 20 – 40 minutes, depending on how many readings and songs you choose to include, and whether you wish to involve a symbolic ceremony.
Yes. I offer a wedding rehearsal with you either a few days before the wedding, or on the day itself. Depending on the ceremony location, this may come at an additional expense to cover travel.
