Choosing a celebrant is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your wedding. This guest post by prominent Brisbane/Byron Bay celebrant Rachel Green from Two Small Words helps demystify the process of what to look for when deciding on your perfect wedding celebrant.
“The celebrant you choose will have a personality that sparks with yours, a style that reflects who you are, and a unique way of telling your story so it doesn’t sound like a boring Wikipedia entry.”
Choosing a celebrant – Who knows where to position themselves!
There are some HOT celebrants out there with killer style and wardrobe choices. BUT it doesn’t matter how much effort or $$ we’ve put into our ensemble, we know you don’t want us in your money shot. You know, the one where you pash and the crowd goes wild. When it’s time for you to smooch, a savvy celebrant knows how to back away slowly so you can have this moment all to yourselves.
A first kiss for three….
An example where the celebrant hasn’t moved to an appropriate spot for the first kiss.
My strategy is to just tell the crowd that the next part of the ceremony is my favourite bit and the view is better from over here. I then move past the bridal party to stand on the side, tell the couple how happy I am for them and remind them of what they want for their future. Next, I announce they are married and can now kiss! The same goes for vows and ring exchange. Sometimes it is necessary to stand next to the couple. However, I always take a moment to step back out of shot so your photographer can capture the perfect moment making it look like I was never there!
Choosing a celebrant – Connection
Your celebrant stands between you and your partner on one of the most significant days of your life. And you don’t want that person to be a crazy cat lady (or maybe you do! There is a unique celebrant for every niche wedding). When I marry people, I want their guests to wonder how long we’ve been friends. That kind of chemistry simply can’t be created by choosing on price alone.
Instagram is an easy way to stalk any wedding supplier and this works for celebrants too. Have a look around and be really clear about the kind of person you are looking for. Send out a couple of enquiries, grab a drink with them or give them a quick call. The lead up to your wedding will be that more enjoyable when you know that the celebrant you have chosen shares your vision and can anticipate what you might want or need – during the planning stages and right up to the moment they leave you to party at your wedding reception.
Price
A common question a celebrant is asked is why A charges more/less than B. Price fixing in any industry is illegal in Australia and celebrants are not exempt from this rule. There are a lot of us out there charging all different amounts for all different reasons (mostly to do with how fabulous we are at our job!). Other reasons might include reputation/demand, who our target market is, the venue, travel fee, how long we’ve been a celebrant, how many weddings we’ve done, and even which state we live in!
Of course, budget is very important to couples planning a wedding but that doesn’t mean you should necessarily just get a bunch of quotes and go with the cheapest. The celebrant you choose will have a personality that sparks with yours, a style that reflects who you are, and a unique way of telling your story so it doesn’t sound like a boring Wikipedia entry.
Questions
Sometimes I meet a couple and they come armed with a bunch of questions taken straight from a bridal mag with no clear idea of what they genuinely want for their ceremony. It’s good to have an idea of what you want to find out but the right celebrant will ask you a bunch of (sometimes nosy) questions too! Questions about who you are as individuals andas a couple, and your story, all in an effort to get the juicy bits. And of course questions about what you want for your special day too. A great celebrant will be flexible and willing to experiment to ensure you get the ceremony that you want rather than just offering a prescribed script that is not adaptable to every couple.
Getting married in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast? Check out Rachel at: https://www.twosmallwords.com.au/
Getting married in Byron Bay or Northern NSW? Check out my preferred vendor list for my best recommendations.
