Choosing your wedding celebrant is about so much more than liking their Instagram feed.
Yes, you want someone whose style you love and whose ceremonies look beautiful in their photos, but there’s something even more important to consider.
Do you actually like them?
Your celebrant is going to be standing in front of all your favourite people, telling your story and setting the tone for one of the most important parts of your wedding day. They’ll probably spend quite a bit of time getting to know you before the wedding too.
So, how do you choose the right person for you?
1. Meet them before you book
This is probably my biggest piece of advice.
Arrange a face to face meeting if you can, or at least have a video call. You’re looking for that all important vibe check.
Do you feel comfortable with them? Do you click? Can you imagine chatting to them about your relationship, your families and all those little details that will make your ceremony personal?
A good wedding celebrant should make you feel relaxed, listened to and completely comfortable being yourselves.
And remember, you don’t have to choose the first person you speak to. Meet a few if you need to. You’ll soon get a feeling for who feels like the right fit.
2. Read the reviews
Don’t just look at the star rating. Actually read what previous couples have said.
Look for comments about how the celebrant made them feel, how personal the ceremony was, how they worked with the couple and how they handled the wedding day itself.
Reviews can tell you so much more than a beautiful Instagram feed ever can.
If couples repeatedly mention feeling comfortable, having a ceremony that was completely personal to them or guests laughing and crying in all the right places, that’s a very good sign.
3. Ask what their ceremonies are actually like
Not all celebrants work in the same way.
Some have a very traditional approach. Others are funny and informal. Some are romantic and poetic. Some incorporate rituals and symbolism, while others keep things very simple.
There isn’t a right or wrong style. The important thing is finding your style.
Think about what you want your ceremony to feel like.
Do you want your guests laughing? Crying? Feeling completely involved? Do you want to include your children, friends or pets? Would you like a handfasting, unity ceremony or another symbolic element?
Your wedding celebrant should be able to explain how they can bring your ideas to life rather than simply offering you a ceremony template.
4. Make sure you have a proper contract
This might not be the most exciting part of choosing your celebrant, but it is really important.
Before you book, make sure you receive a proper contract that clearly sets out what you’re paying for.
Check things such as:
• The services included
• The price and payment schedule
• What happens if you need to change your date
• Cancellation terms
• What happens if your celebrant becomes unavailable
• Any additional costs
• What you can expect from your celebrant before and on the wedding day
A professional should be happy to provide this information and answer any questions you have.
5. Don’t choose purely on price
Of course your wedding budget matters. We all have one!
But when you’re comparing celebrants, try not to look at the price alone.
You’re not simply paying someone to stand at the front of the room for 30 minutes and read some words.
You’re investing in the experience.
Your celebrant will spend time getting to know you, finding out what makes your relationship yours, writing your ceremony, helping you with ideas and usually liaising with other people involved in your wedding.
Then, on the day itself, they’ll be responsible for delivering one of the most important parts of your wedding.
The cheapest option isn’t necessarily the best value, and the most expensive isn’t automatically the best either.
Look at the whole package and, most importantly, ask yourself whether you feel you’re getting the right person for you.
6. Make sure they’re someone you actually want at your wedding
This one sounds obvious, but I think it’s incredibly important.
Your celebrant shouldn’t feel like a stranger you’ve hired because they happened to be available.
They’ll be involved in some pretty personal conversations with you. They’ll hear stories about how you met, the things you love about each other, your families, your friendships and sometimes the difficult bits of your relationship story too.
By the time your wedding day arrives, you should feel like you know them.
You should be happy to see them when they arrive.
And when they stand up to tell your story, you should feel confident that they get you.
The right celebrant should feel like the right fit
Ultimately, choosing a wedding celebrant is about finding someone whose personality, approach and style match yours.
Look beyond the pretty Instagram posts and ask yourself:
Do I like this person?
Do I trust them?
Do they understand what we want?
Can I imagine them telling our story?
Do I feel comfortable being completely ourselves around them?
Because the right person should feel like someone you’re genuinely happy to have as part of your wedding day, not just another supplier you’ve ticked off the list.
And when you find that person, you’ll probably know.
That feeling of “Yep, they’re our person” is exactly what you’re looking for.
If you’d like to arrange the all important vibe check with me, click here!