Choosing your Celebrant
More and more Australian couples are choosing to have a civil ceremony and that means choosing a celebrant.
The Attorney-General’s Department keeps a list of everyone authorized to be a Marriage Celebrant on their website (www.ag.gov.au) and this is a great place to check if you want to see how long your celebrant has been in business or check whether they’re actually a celebrant at all! But it’s not a great place to start looking for the person who’s going to marry you!
The Top Five Things to Consider When Choosing a Celebrant
Experience – Not all celebrants are equally trained or experienced. Celebrants have been allowed to conduct civil ceremonies since 1973 so although there’s some extremely experienced celebrants around, most celebrants have only been appointed in the last two or three years. Always make sure to ask to see testimonials and ask how many weddings the celebrant has performed.
Also check their qualifications, do they have a Certificate 4 in Celebrancy?
This is now a requirement for any newly appointed Celebrant.
Content – Not all celebrants do the same thing on the day. Clarify with the celebrant what their inclusive charges are and if they charge extra for tables, chairs, a rehearsal etc. Make sure your celebrant knows your expectations and will meet them. Ask how many weddings they book in a day and the time period they leave between weddings.
You may want to ask if they use a PA system as this can be a concern if they do not as your guests may not be able to hear your ceremony.
Price – Not all celebrants charge the same price. Here in South Australia most charge between $400 and $600 but some will go as low as $99! Think carefully, because cheapest isn’t necessarily the best way to go. This is the heart of your wedding day and a part you will remember for the rest of your lives so you want to make sure that the celebrant you choose is perfect for you, one who will listen to you and will allow you to have choices as to how you want your ceremony to be (Within the legal guidelines).
The Appearance –This is your special day and you’ve probably pictured it in your head for a while now so try and shortlist your celebrants from those that fit that mental image.
The Personality – Your celebrant needs to match you as a couple and to be open and flexible to embrace your ideas. It is important you all get on and feel you can approach your celebrant with your own vision of how you would like your ceremony.
You should be given lots of options on who you want to be apart of it, and what you want to say. Your wedding day is going to be one of the biggest days of your life and the right celebrant can help it all come together beautifully.
www.ceremoniesforlifeandlove.com.au
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