We LOVE celebrants here at Unconventional Wedding. They expand the options for your wedding day and offer such a wide range of personalisation for wedding ceremonies. And with the Law Commission recently publishing its recommendations to overhaul the outdated wedding laws in England and Wales, we’re excited that celebrants may be able to conduct legal weddings going forwards! So dive on in and discover all the benefits that a celebrant can bring to your wedding day.
Any questions, feel free to pop into our Unconventional Wedding chat room over on Facebook. There is always someone there who can help!
A celebrant wedding ceremony isn't legally binding (at the moment) but is a fabulous, flexible alternative.
There are loads of different types of symbolic acts, from handfasting to sand ceremonies. You can write your own vows and create your own ritual!
You can write your own vows and create your own ritual!
We LOVE outdoor wedding ceremonies but you can't always rely on the UK weather! We'll discuss the pros and cons
A heads up to what will happen on your wedding day with a celebrant, with advice on how to choose the right one for you/
Top tips to help you choose the right one for your wedding day
A lot of couples now decide to get legally married on a different occasion and make their official vows with a celebrant on their wedding day. This could be earlier in the day or a few days / weeks prior. I know of a couple who got married first thing in the morning and went to a McDonalds drive through on the way back. They then got changed into their wedding outfits and got married in front of their family & friends in a stunning outdoor ceremony by a river.
Why does it happen this way? Currently, a wedding celebrant cannot legally register you as married though some regional differences do apply (we’re not going to go into all the legal bits here). We hope there might be changes in the future (you can read more here) and it goes without saying that you need to do the research to find out what applies to your area at the time you are planning your wedding day.
Arguably, the best thing about celebrant led wedding ceremonies is the freedom! You can escape the tradition and formula (read the standard wedding rings) and create something which is truly unique.
Pick from symbolic acts which represent the vision of your wedding day – some of which we talk about below. Handfasting to jumping the broom, recreating the unbreakable vow from Harry Potter to incorporating your favourite drink! The list is endless!
Being able to write your own wedding vows is a clear advantage of a celebrant led wedding day. The only box to be ticked is “YOU”. Your celebrant will work with you to pull these together (don’t worry you don’t need to do it alone!).
Another great thing about wedding celebrants is that their ceremonies can be conducted anywhere! This is different to legal ceremonies which can take place outside but they must be under a fixed and permanent structure.
So this opens the door to 101 different opportunities for your wedding ceremony and you can really personalise it just for you! How about a wedding ceremony in a forest, a field, in your parents back garden, on top of a mountain … the options are endless. It just needs to be a place that means something to you both! It also ticks the box for enabling socially distanced wedding days which unfortunately are going to be around in the short term.
Is a celebrant led wedding day different to a registrar led wedding day? Definitely yes! After all, there is only one wedding happening at your wedding venue on that day! So expect a much more personal approach to the finer details. Celebrants aren’t attached to a rigid timetable – if you need to dodge a rain shower, you can wait! They’ll make sure everything is set up perfectly for you so you just have to turn up!
It goes without saying that you need to choose your ‘dream team’ to support you on our wedding day. Choosing a wedding celebrant is no different and you should treat them like any other supplier. So we’re sharing with you our top tips for choosing your celebrant. And of course, you can also check out the celebrants listed in our directory here.
It's important you get on with your celebrant as they are leading your wedding ceremony. We LOVE Lisa from Celebrant in Cornwall's comparison to finding the perfect fit for your wedding dress - see more below
Take a look at all the different celebrants in your area. It's not always about price. Does their vibe work with yours? Have they worked at your venue before?
Have a look at what training they've undertaken. For example, humanist celebrants are accredited by Humanists UK and have to complete specific training
Have a scroll down their social media. Check out awards, reviews or recommendations. Make sure they are genuine. How many ceremonies have they done?
Always check out postponement / cancellation policies and make sure they have insurance / DBS checks in place
These are just some of our celebrant members from across the UK and Europe – the full list can be found here.
Thank you for stopping by my page – Celebrant Number 1. Each wedding ceremony is made to fit the couples personality and their understanding of family and fun – no bars withheld. I will create the perfect bespoke wedding ceremony that not only becomes memorable for the fun, love and
Couples who like laughter, warmth and really want to put their own spin on their ceremony are right up my Diagon alley. I love getting into a theme, but am a big believer in love being the greatest story, so work really hard to get to know what makes you
Hi, I’m Joy from Rooted Ceremonies, and I’m an independent celebrant based near Sherwood Forest. If you’re ready to bring your hearts and your authenticity right into the middle of your ceremony, then I am ready to be by your side! With my gentle, calm and warm presence and super-tuned
Claire Lawrence Celebrant. My ceremonies are relaxed, fun and stylish. They tell your story and set your vibe for the rest of the day. With me, your ceremony will be filled with those ‘ahh’ moments, generous servings of laughter and happy tears! I’m based in Nottingham, but I do travel.
Looking for a celebrant who’s as colourful as your wedding plans? You’ve found her. Yes, every independent celebrant can create a bespoke ceremony and stand with you anywhere – beach, forest, warehouse, moorland: licensed or not. They will be professional, and take your story and your preferences into account. Most
You’re getting married – congrats! If you want your wedding ceremony to be fun, joyous and 100% you, you’re in the right place. Carrie Celebrates will help to bring joy & fun to your wedding ceremony. Wedding ceremonies have been the boring bit for too long. The bit people sit
Take two friends who happen to be Shakespeare fans, a lockdown and some socially distanced wine drinking. Add in the fact that they are both wedding suppliers, trying to find new ways of working in the COVID world of 2020. You are only a Sauvignon Blanc away from a Tempest
Today we have a guest blog by Angie from Creative Ceremonies! Read on to find out how to plan an eco wedding… I’m an Eco-Conscious Celebrant. This means that I consider what we are doing to our environment in my ceremonies. How and what we consume has a huge impact
When you are planning your wedding, if you are anything like me before I joined the wedding industry, you might not have ever heard of a Celebrant. You will have seen 100s of church or registry office weddings but never understood the flexibility and originality that they can bring to
Today we have a guest blog from Leni Robson at Unique To You Ceremonies. She has shared some valuable advice about how to deal with a postponed wedding and look after yourself. She gently reminds us that our feelings are valid and it’s normal to experience grief! Over to Leni…
We love an outdoor wedding ceremony here at UW! This bohemian autumn wedding was sent into us by ButtercupBus Vintage Campers and photographed by Tony Pullen. It’s a beautiful, intimate affair with a Harvest Festival theme of feasting, celebrating, and giving thanks. What a brilliant theme for a wedding. Keep
We LOVE celebrants here at Unconventional Wedding. They expand the options for your wedding day and offer such a wide range of personalisation for wedding ceremonies. And with the Law Commission recently publishing its recommendations to overhaul the outdated wedding laws in England and Wales, we’re excited that celebrants may