Who is a wedding celebrant?

This is the question I am asked most frequently by couples ready to tie the knot.

Here is what you need to know:

If a couple choose not to have a traditional church or religious wedding, but want something more than the legally necessary but often somewhat administrative choice of the local Register Office, who do they turn to for a magnificent, memorable wedding ceremony to share with family and friends?

A Celebrant is the person who helps the couple to design a beautiful, unique wedding, (or indeed, vow renewal) ceremony with love, care and expertise.

The ceremony can be performed at any licensed wedding venue, inside or outside! Their celebrant will help couples write their script for the entire ceremony, including personalised vows and will weave their Love Story to share with their loved ones on this most special of days.

The role of the wedding celebrant is part wedding planner, part writer, always an empath, and for me, that of the couple's wedding day fairy godmother!

With a good and eclectic library of sources and wealth of experience, the celebrant will help the couples choose or even write bespoke readings for the ceremony.

The same applies to the musical choices, a good celebrant can guide couples towards the music that is perfectly tailor-made for their unique wedding ceremony.

A wedding celebrant can perform traditional customs or rituals created to enhance and elevate the ceremony to something truly magical.

This could take the form of the heart-felt ring warming ceremony, whereby the rings, securely-tied to a charming cushion, are passed around the guests to infuse them with their thoughts of love.

The deep and meaningful hand-fasting ceremony is an extremely popular climax to the ceremony! This ritual of tying the knot is over one thousand years old and performed in most cultures across the globe in some shape or form.

There is the ancient and solemn Oath Stone custom; there are the rose or tree ceremonies for the horticulturally-minded; sand-blending ceremonies to include children or blended families; cocktail-making ceremonies for the party-lovers; chocolate ceremonies and so many more imaginative ways to add meaning, inclusion and pazazz to a wedding. We are only limited by our imaginations to craft something meaningful and exciting!

The wedding celebrant is a creative; the all-important safe pair of hands to ensure that the actual wedding ceremony is choreographed to be a truly fabulous, perfect, dream wedding to remember forever.