FAQs
Find the answers to all your questions here... Well, maybe not ALL of them, but hopefully most of the celebrant-related ones!
What is a wedding celebrant and why should I choose one?
A celebrant will work with you to create and deliver a fun, personalised and memorable wedding ceremony which is ALL ABOUT YOU. No rules, no restrictions, no copycats - a truly unique script. You can do it anywhere, at any time, and in any way that you’d like. This is a non-legal ceremony which allows you to have complete creative freedom, resulting in the wedding ceremony of your DREAMS.
What's the difference between a celebrant and a registrar?
Firstly, a registrar can legally marry you whereas only some celebrants in Scotland can legally marry you, versus no celebrants in England and Wales. However, the MAIN difference is that a celebrant can produce a fully bespoke, personalised wedding ceremony, having got to know you for months in advance. A registrar wedding can still be beautiful, but you don’t get to meet them in advance of your wedding, and you have very little say in what is actually said on the day, making it rather impersonal and generic. A celebrant wedding can be ANYWHERE, whereas a registrar can only marry you in licensed venues. Also, there are rules and restrictions that need to be followed, so you have little to no creative freedom in terms of the wedding ceremony.
Why should we choose you to be our wedding celebrant?
I had a celebrant-led wedding myself in July 2023 so I know exactly what you’re going through, but now I have all the answers too! I have a huge heart and I love to spread joy and happiness. My background as a professional actor, singer, musician and voice actor means that I have all the skills to deliver a cracking performance on the day. I’m open-minded, friendly and enthusiastic, and I’ll do anything to help make your day as special as it should be. I can also offer some musical goodness as an extra: singing you down the aisle, mid-way through your ceremony or at the end.
Will the ceremony be legal? If not, how do we get legally married?
Unfortunately not. Celebrant weddings are not legal in England and Wales, and I am not yet qualified to legally marry in Scotland (although I hope to train soon so watch this space!) However, the legal aspect of a wedding is quite dull really, it’s just filling out some formal paperwork - simply signing a contract. If a non-legal celebrant ceremony enables you to have the wedding ceremony of your DREAMS, then you can easily organise to do the legal formalities at your local registry office on a separate date.
How do I book you? What is the process?
I would love to chat with you first to make sure that I’m the right celebrant for you. If you decide that I am (hurray!), you’ll fill out a booking form and send over a deposit. Next, we’ll meet up (whether it be virtually or in-person) to get to know each other and to make plans for the ceremony. Once everything’s finalised, I’ll write your script, you’ll check it over and we’ll do a virtual rehearsal the week or so before your wedding. Last but CERTAINLY not least, it’s your big day! I’ll rock up an hour or so early and then deliver your fabulous ceremony!
How much do you charge?
It depends on the package and where you’re getting married really (as in, the further afield you are, the more I’d need to charge for travel etc.) A standard wedding ceremony starts at £500. I know how expensive weddings are, so when considering these costs, please don’t forget how important the ceremony is in terms of your special day. If you’re happy to pay £800+ on flowers, then why not pay a decent amount for a celebrant who will deliver a personalised, meaningful and awesome ceremony to start your party off!?
Is there a booking fee for your services?
Yes, I would ask for a 25% non-refundable booking fee to secure your date.
Would you travel abroad for a wedding?
Sun, sea, sand? Or snow? Gorgeous mountains? Whatever, I’m up for it! What are you waiting for, book my ticket! (Yes, that sounds lovely, thanks so much).
Where are you based and how far will you travel?
I’m currently based in Dumfries & Galloway in South-West Scotland. I can also cover parts of Cumbria, Ayrshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Borders. I’ll go anywhere really for a fabulous couple!
Can I have my wedding anywhere?
If you’re having a celebrant wedding, hell to the YES! Literally anywhere (so long as you have permission from the landowner of course!) A theatre, a castle, a hill, a swimming pool, a restaurant... anything goes!
Is travel included in your price?
I include travel for an 80-mile round trip from my home. Anything further afield will incur an additional travel price (feel free to ask for more info).
Do you do same-sex weddings?
Do you love each other? Then YEAH, let’s do it! Love is love babyyyy and I’m totally here for it.
What other celebrations do you do?
Currently I’m just focusing on wedding ceremonies, but I hope to expand the business soon to vow renewals, baby naming ceremonies, adoption ceremonies and other family-based ceremonies. If there’s something you’d love me to organise for you, please get in touch!
What if you're sick and can't make it on the day?
Fingers crossed this shouldn't be an issue, but sh*t happens (hopefully not literally). I am building my network of Celebrancy friends, so I would try my utmost to find someone to cover your wedding. However, if that wasn’t possible, I would send over the script and you would need to find a brave volunteer from your friends or family to do it (it’s fun I promise… I bet they’ll love it!) I’ll refund you 50% of the cost for the inconvenience.
Can you help us with our vows? And do we really need to write our own?
Of course I can help! You don’t need to write your own vows (I’ll explain the other options too), but if you’d like to, I have plenty of resources to guide you through the process. If you’re considering writing your own vows, I’d highly recommend that you do: it’s so special and personal, and you’ll never get the opportunity again!
We're not really religious but our family is. Can we include religious elements to appease our family?
The beauty of an independent celebrant ceremony is that you can do ANYTHING YOU WANT! Having said that, as I am not religious myself, I wouldn’t feel comfortable leading a religious ritual or reading, so it would be preferable for you to arrange a friend or family member to help with that part of your ceremony. ALSO, think long and hard about whether or not it is actually something that YOU want. Remember, it is your day, so do things that are meaningful and important for you as a couple.
Can you help with other aspects of wedding planning?
Yes and No… Yes yes YES to sharing and developing ideas for your wedding (OMG I love wedding planning!) Having said that, I’m not a wedding planner or coordinator: my main responsibility is the ceremony. SO, I’m happy to kick ideas around with you, but in terms of dealing with suppliers, ordering items etc… that will have to be left to someone else I’m afraid.
Would you be happy to do themed weddings?
This sounds incredible… Sign me up! (But please give me some notice so I can find an epic outfit to match your theme!)
What are your qualifications?
Well, strictly speaking you don’t need any formal qualifications to be a celebrant. However, I have INCREDIBLE indirect training through my own celebrant when I got married, and I’ve read HUNDREDS of blogs and books, listened to COUNTLESS podcasts, watched THOUSANDS of videos… Trust me, I’ve got ya covered! I’m fully equipped with all the knowledge, skills and advice that you need to make your wedding ceremony fantastic! (I also have a Masters degree in Musical Theatre and another degree in Psychology if that interests you!)
We're looking for something really unconventional and creative. Does that sound like your thing?
Umm… Yes please, bring it on! The weirder and wackier, the better!