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WEDDING CELEBRANT OR REGISTRAR?
As a wedding celebrant this is a question that I get asked an awful lot as you can imagine.
In a way there is no simple yes or no answer. Not what you want to hear probably so hang onto your hats and let’s delve a bit deeper into this thorny question of wedding celebrant or registrar.
WEDDING PLANNING
You are knee deep in your wedding plans. You’ve chosen your date, you’ve booked your venue, you know your colour scheme and are looking for your dress. Now you start wondering about the legal stuff - and top of the list of questions is ‘do I need a registrar?’
Let’s start by defining the roles of registrar and wedding celebrant.
WHAT IS A REGISTRAR?
Put simply, they are the people who makes your marriage legal. They can be based in a registry office so you go to them, or they will come out to your venue. They are the licensed people who are able to say the legal wording that we all know.
The registrar will spend about 10-15 minutes with you. They’ll find out a little bit about you, check all the details of names and proof of ID etc and then perform the ceremony. It will be a simple run of the mill ceremony that everyone has when they use a registrar.
WHAT IS A CELEBRANT?
A celebrant is the person who makes your ceremony absolutely fabulous! Who puts the fun back into wedding ceremonies. Who is there to hold your hands from beginning to end. Who is there to sit and listen to your stories so they can create that personalised ceremony that helps make your day special.
BUT - and it can be a big but - a celebrant cannot legally marry you.
HOWEVER - all this can be got round with a little bit of thinking outside the box.
THIS IS HOW WE GET ROUND THIS PROBLEM
Let’s start thinking of a two part process - Legal + Celebrant Ceremony. There are several ways of doing this:
1. Legal Ceremony at the Registry Office.
You book a date and pop along to the registry office. You do the legal part with 2 witnesses present. Sign the paperwork, say your vows and boom, you’re legally married. Time - 10 minutes. Cost can be as low as £60.
2. Celebrant Led Ceremony at a venue of your choice
This is the fun part, especially if I’m your celebrant. Your ceremony, about 30-40 minutes long, will be all about you two. You can include a symbolic ritual such as handfasting, or a unity candle ritual. You can have your ceremony in a woodland, on the beach or a wedding venue. I will be there for nearly the whole day to ensure that there are no glitches. It’s your day, your way.
3. Celebrant Led Ceremony and Registrar at a licensed venue
This where you have both ceremonies on the same day and the venue has to be licensed. Not to be advised as you will pay, not only my fee, but also a very high fee for the registrar to come out on the same day. However, if money is no object then you can do both on the same day.
By separating the legal and celebratory aspects of your wedding, you get the best of both worlds. A smooth, hassle free legal marriage and a personal, unforgettable ceremony that truly represents you as a couple.
Now, I’m not into tick box exercises, so if you want something more - something that tells your love story, not just recites the usual ‘I dos’ then you definitely need a celebrant led ceremony with several perks.
- personalisation - story, vows, readings, family involvement, rituals.
- no venue restrictions - celebrants do not need licensed venues.
- timing flexibility - registrars get booked up quickly - so can celebrants, but you have more flexibility in the timings on the day.
- incorporate what matters to you - family, pets, acknowledging a loved one who’s died.
- a truly unique and unforgettable experience especially for you.
DECISIONS DECISIONS
Now that I have identified the differences and whether you need a registrar, here are a few things to keep in mind.
No matter what kind of ceremony you go for you will need a registrar for the legal side. You can go to them before or after your celebrant led ceremony.
Decide on your venue. If you desperately want that woodland venue, then a celebrant it is.
But what is important to you? Do you want a personalised, one of a kind ceremony? Are you keen to get married in a non-traditional location? If so, a celebrant is the way to go. But if you’re after a straightforward civil ceremony, then a registrar might be more your style.
CONCLUSION
To sum it up: if you want a legally recognised marriage, then yes, you do need a registrar (or an authorised religious officiant) at some point. However, when it comes to the actual ceremony—the celebration, the joy, the personal touch—you absolutely don’t need a registrar. You can have a stunning celebrant-led ceremony that reflects who you are, where you want, and how you want.
In the end, the choice comes down to what feels right for you. Whether you opt for a quick legal bit at the registry office followed by a celebrant-led ceremony Or go the traditional route with a registrar at your venue, your wedding should be about celebrating your love in the way that feels most meaningful to you.
And if you decide a celebrant is the way to go, well, I know just the person who can help with that.