What makes a good celebrant?
Ryan Martin, Wednesday 18th January 2023
Firstly, there are two types of celebrants in Australia:
- Ministers of Religion – Find a minister of religion
- Civil Marriage Celebrant – Find a civil marriage celebrant
You could also get married at a court office – Find a court office
Who are you
What qualifies me to judge what makes a good celebrant?
My name is Ryan Martin and i’ve been a “wedding musician” or “wedding singer” if you like for around 10 years. I’ve been apart of a lot of weddings over the years and seen a lot of celebrants! Good and bad. Exactly why I decided to become one myself last year.
A good celebrant can differ depending on your personality type and values so this is an opinion piece and I certainly don’t speak for everyone!
To me, a great celebrant is someone who is professional, organised, and able to create a personalised/meaningful ceremony for the couple they are working with. Two ceremony scripts should not be the same.. The celebrant should be able to listen to the couple’s wishes and ideas and help them create a ceremony that reflects their values, beliefs, and personalities.
An experienced celebrant will be able to adapt to last-minute changes and handle any unexpected situations that may arise during the ceremony.
Can they handle a curve ball?
My last ceremony “curve ball” included the bride coming up to me just before we started saying that last night they decided that her brothers would be the first to start off the aisle entrance as “beer boys” dressed up as transvestites.
I can imagine some celebrants may be against this or at the very least shocked and try shutting them down immediately. I can hear the words of a celebrant colleague “the fun stuff belongs at the reception” but the wedding is about the partners to the marriage, a celebrant needs to let the couple decide what happens in their ceremony. The ceremony doesn’t have to be stale!
Additionally, a good celebrant should be able to communicate clearly and effectively with the couple, their families, and any other involved parties. There are often a lot of moving parts to the ceremony and a lot of people need direction of when to act.
Lastly, a good celebrant should be able to provide guidance and support throughout the planning process. This could be creating the ceremony, writing vows or zipping up the dress on the day.
Look for a celebrant you would want to hang out with because they are going to play a huge part in your wedding day!
Check out my celebrant page to find out more about me
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