Weddings
How do I choose the right wedding Celebrant?
Go with your gut instinct. You will be trusting your Celebrant to deliver one of the most important occasions of your life. You will spend time together and talk about the person you love and why you want to marry them, so whoever you choose as a Celebrant, they should feel worthy of your trust, able to fulfill the wishes you have for your celebration, understand where you’re coming from and above all, feel comfortable, safe and relaxed to be with.
Celebrant or Registrar for our wedding?
A registrar is allowed by law to conduct a civil ceremony. The ceremony will have no religious overtones whatsoever. They are in charge of approving and processing the marriage license. The wedding ceremony is just a formality after the legal side is completed. A Celebrant, on the other hand, will personalise your wedding, making it a snapshot of your lives and love story, adding symbolic elements that are important to you and your loved ones.
Is a Celebrant ceremony legally binding?
No, a Celebrant can’t legally register a marriage. However, they can officiate a bespoke wedding ceremony and include a document signing.
How and when can our marriage be legalised?
You can arrange to legally register your marriage at a registrar’s office before or after the ceremony. Whether you choose a registrar or Celebrant, you need to register your intent to marry so that the paperwork can be prepared. If the venue for your wedding is licensed for marriages, then a registrar can also visit the venue for you to sign the marriage license (a fee is involved). However, a registrar will not work outside below 16 degrees, so if you are planning a ceremony in a woodland or on the top of a cliff, make sure you aren’t expecting a registrar to turn up for the legalities. You can include a document signing at your Celebrant led ceremony as a feature of the celebration, which can be kept by you as a memento of the day along with your beautifully presented script of the ceremony and your legal marriage license. Celebrants will encourage you to visit a registrar before the wedding, thus there are no time stipulations; it can be the day before or months in advance. If you are planning to have your celebration abroad, the legal requirements are much simpler to fulfill before you leave. You are then able to enjoy your wedding ceremony when you choose, at your own pace and in whatever manner you desire.
How is a Celebrant led wedding different?
The ceremony is written and presented just for you, and all the ingredients are there because they represent your personalities, choices, beliefs and tastes. It can only be YOUR wedding. There are no regulations to follow, it can be wherever, whenever and whatever. As your Celebrant, you can benefit from a cache of experience and ideas that I can offer you. We will have built a strong relationship and trust between us since the first meeting and the wedding day, so you can feel completely at ease that your magnificent ceremony will be better than you imagined. Your guests will enjoy and feel much more a part of the celebration; considered and cared for. On your special day all that will matter is your love for each other being proclaimed to the world.
Are there limitations as to where our wedding can be held?
No, none at all, that’s the beauty of a Celebrant led wedding. It can be anywhere, anytime as long as you have permission from the land or venue owner.
Do we exchange vows and rings when we sign our legal marriage license?
No, this can be saved as part of your Celebrant ceremony. It’s a good idea to notify the registry office that you intend to exchange rings and read vows elsewhere. There are certain declarations that you will make when signing at a registry office, and you will need two witnesses.
Do religion or faith have an an influence on the wedding ceremony?
The ceremony is written by your chosen Celebrant entirely to suit your beliefs; religious or otherwise. If you choose to include a hymn or two and/or a prayer, that is your prerogative. The ceremony will reflect who you are and what you believe in and is unrestricted.
What can we include in our ceremony?
Anything you want! Music, dancing, poems, songs, a choir, an orchestra, a band, readings, a ring warming for your guests to enjoy before you arrive, ancient rituals such as handfasting, a sand ceremony, a Japanese tea ceremony, a wedding jar ritual, to name just a few ideas. Please contact me for details of any ‘mini ceremonies’ you may want to know more about. You can also wear what you choose, even your birthday suit.
Can we choose any style or theme for our wedding?
Yes! Glitzy, Disney, hot air balloons, a festival theme, elegant and sophisticated …. You can be imaginative, creative and will have loads of help and suggestions if you choose me as your Celebrant.
Do we have an influence on what is said during the ceremony?
From the moment you get in touch with me you will be helping me to choreograph a ceremony that is totally bespoke. I spend a lot of time talking to you as a couple and separately, getting to know what makes you tick and how your love story has unfolded. I build a picture that can then be transposed into a beautiful text to be spoken on the day of your wedding. At every stage you will be able to read my words and approve the content.
Will we be able to write our own vows?
Yes, with pleasure. In fact, I will encourage you and help you (if you need it) to write the words you want to say as your promises to each other for your life together. On the day you can speak your vows to each other in turn, or you can repeat them after me if the idea of speaking them in front of your guests is daunting. I can also read them for you. Its your day and your choice, I’m there to make it run smoothly so that you have the perfect ceremony.
How much contact do we have between our first meeting with you and the wedding day and how do you work with us?
I will be available at all times to you. After our first meeting we will arrange subsequent contact so that I can build a full picture of you as a couple, and what your ideas and concept is for the wedding. Also, you can get to know me as your Celebrant. This may take place at your chosen wedding venue. Once I have written the first draft, I will present you with an outline of the script for the ceremony for you to read and approve, and then, with your feedback, will fill out the details. I will maintain contact with the venue coordinator and check the minutest details so that on the day you don’t have any niggling concerns. Once the ceremony is written in full, we can have a practice run of the text to make sure you are one hundred percent happy – and excited!
How long is the ceremony?
This depends on whether you want to include any mini ceremonies and rituals within your main ceremony. Generally, it will be from 30 minutes for a simple ceremony to an hour for more elaborate occasions. We can decide on timing when we meet to discuss what you envisage and explore the vast range of ideas that can make your wedding one of a kind.
How do we book our wedding ceremony with you?
I would be delighted to have a ‘no-obligation’ chat with you before you make the decision to book me as your Celebrant. If you decide I am right then a 50% non-returnable deposit is payable to secure the date.
Vow Renewals
Why do we need to renew our vows?
You don’t need to, but you may want to. It’s a way of expressing your continued love for your partner, of reflecting on the road you’ve both traveled and refreshing your promises to each other for the future.
Where can we hold our vow renewal ceremony?
Anywhere you choose, there are no restrictions on location and no legalities to consider.
Do we sign a certificate?
Yes, I present you with a certificate to sign and keep as well as the ceremony script.
Do we repeat the same vows as we said at our wedding?
The choice is entirely yours. You can repeat, add more or have completely re-worded vows. You also can choose to say them yourselves to each other, repeat them after me or have me say them and agree at the end.
Can we have other rituals such as a handfasting ceremony, a ring warming, or a sand ceremony?
Yes, anything you want. There are many to choose from, you can make up your own, and you can have as many as you’d like. please contact me for more details on mini ceremonies and rituals within your celebration.
Who can attend as our guests?
A vow-renewal is the perfect opportunity to gather family, friends and loved ones together. They can all be involved in the ceremony, having a role to play such as saying a poem, singing, scattering petals, or just being there to witness your unity.
How long does the ceremony last?
Depending on the complexity of the ceremony it can last from 30 mins to an hour.
Gillian Coates Celebrant 