When I first told some of my friends that I'd trained as a wedding celebrant, their first response was "oh are you Joey from "Friends" now?"
The answer is ... sort of, but more Nottinghamshire than New York based and I wont be dressed as a soldier for the ceremony... unless it's a themed wedding and then we can have a discussion!
Some people assume it means I'm now a vicar, which I'm not.
So, I thought I'd explain exactly what it is I am, and what I do.
As a wedding celebrant, I am the perfect choice for a couple who want to create a bespoke ceremony, that is truly unique and meaningful.
Celebrants cannot currently perform legally binding marriages in England & Wales, so you will be required to separate the legal registration of marriage or civil partnership from the service I will perform as a celebrant.
The first step is to book a date and venue for your legal marriage or civil partnership to be completed. You can hold a legally binding civil ceremony at:
· a register office
· any venue approved by the local council
For marriages, you will then need to give notice of your intention to marry. You are both required to give notice at your local Register Office, whether or not you wish to have your statutory civil ceremony in that district.
Your notice of marriage must state where your legal ceremony is taking place, so you will need to book this before giving notice. The Government stipulates that couples are required to give notice a minimum of 29 days and a maximum of 12 months before the legal registration of their marriage.
You may wish to hold your legal wedding and your celebrant wedding on the same day (if possible), or you may choose to make them two separate occasions.
To be legally married or enter into a civil partnership, a registrar must be present. You will also need at least 2 witnesses. Some registrars are happy to work alongside celebrants and will come to your chosen venue to complete the legalities on the same day. Alternatively, you can hold a separate legally binding civil ceremony.
This can be a simple, statutory ceremony at a cost of around £57, or a larger ceremony attended by guests of your choice.
Many couples like to have a small legal ceremony at the register office attended by close family, followed by a larger, more personalised celebrant-led wedding, which they view as their main wedding day.
Costs and procedures differ between registration districts, but if you tell your local register office that you are having a celebrant-led ceremony, they can discuss the options available.
Once you have made contact with your local register office, I would be happy to work alongside your registrar if they are willing, in order to make the process as smooth as possible for you.
As a wedding celebrant, I am professionally trained, fully insured and a member of the AOIC (the Association of Independent Celebrants)
If you'd like to talk to me about your wedding, then please feel free to get in touch to check my availability. Once a date is confirmed then I'll meet with you to find out more about you as a couple, how you want the ceremony to walk and start to talk you through some initial ideas.
I'll be with you every step of the way and together we will create something amazing that is a true representation of you as a couple.
Feel free to contact me via this website or e-mail katiethecelebrant@gmail.com I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
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