If you’ve ever wanted to know more about what a wedding celebrant does, what they love about their job or things they think are important to include in a ceremony, this article is for you! I decided to chat with my beautiful friend Rach from ‘Love Language’ to get all the good stuff from her about how to choose your celebrant.
Rach is a wedding celebrant based in Dubbo NSW; she’s also a trained journalist so she’s always been fascinated by peoples’ stories, especially a couple’s story – how they met, what makes their relationship unique, how they got engaged and all of the loveliness!
“Becoming a celebrant has allowed me to combine my passion for storytelling with creative writing and the theatre of presenting. It’s such a rush to be right up there with a couple helping them take this milestone step in their relationship.” Keep reading for my chat with Rach!
WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A MORE PERSONALISED WEDDING CEREMONY RATHER THAN A STOCK STANDARD ONE?
A personalised ceremony brings with it all the feels! A couple is more present in the ceremony when it’s their own memories, anecdotes, and quirks being retold. And the guests (family and friends) will feel more engaged and involved – lifting the energy of the day.
WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING OUT YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY?
In Western wedding ceremonies there are a lot of traditions that are wrapped up in loveliness but I encourage couples to really consider if they are including a particular tradition because they love it or just for the sake of it. If the answer is the latter, it may be worth considering other ways to do things that make more sense to you and your partner.
For example, I’ve seen;
– Grooms walk down the aisle with their own special entrance
– Couples surprise guests by already being at the top of the aisle waiting for them to arrive
– Tequila shots mid ceremony
– The cake cutting as part of the ceremony so that deliciousness doesn’t go to waste later in the night
Look at the ceremony as an opportunity to be as creative as you want to be. Ask your celebrant. They have been to tonnes of weddings and would have some great ideas to share.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY AS A CELEBRANT SO FAR?
I was officiating a wedding of two close friends, and at the time of their ceremony it was pouring rain. We tried to wait it out but there was no chance it was going to clear. They had really wanted to marry under this particular tree on the Groom’s family property. I was so worried they wouldn’t get the moment they wanted.
We ended up putting the option to the crowd of family and friends, who rallied and incredibly braved the weather for the couple. We all stood out absolutely drenched through but when the bride arrived the crowd erupted into applause and cheered her on the whole way down the aisle. The energy was electric! I will never forget it.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF BOOKING A CELEBRANT?
When booking a celebrant, I would recommend doing your research – check out their website, socials and any videos of them in action. And then it’s really about whether their style and personality align with your vibe. Reach out to them with your date and venue to first check if they’re available. Try and get in nice and early, as celebrants tend to book years in advance.
Once your booking is secured you’ll have a catch-up to fill out the legal paperwork and start planning the big day!
PRO TIP: Always give your celebrant more details than necessary. The more you can give them about your story the more personalised and iconic your ceremony will be. You want your celebrant to sound like your best friend who has known you both for years when they present your love story.
THING YOUR CELEBRANT WILL LIKELY ASK:
– Your wet weather plan
– Your Covid safe plan
– Both parties’ birth certificates
– Both parties’ IDs (i.e. driver’s licence or passport)
– Answers to a couple’s questionnaire, to get to know you both better
– A signed Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM), which can be found here or your celebrant can provide it
THINGS TO ASK YOUR CELEBRANT:
– What’s their refund policy?
– WHat’s their Covid refund policy?
– What will they wear to your wedding?
– Can you review the ceremony script?
– Can they assist with workshopping your vows?
– Do they offer rehearsals as part of their package?
– How long do they expect the ceremony will go for?
– MOST IMPORTANTLY will they step to the side for the kiss?!
Instagram: love.language._
Website: lovelanguage.com.au
Email: rachel@lovelanguage.com.au
