It's hard enough choosing a Netflix show - how the heck do I choose a Celebrant?

There are 9362 Celebrants in Australia.

That’s a whole lot!

How the heck do you choose a Celebrant? There are showmen Celebrants, there are quiet leaders, matriarchal types, Celebrants that preach, Celebrants that teach, Celebrants that talk fast, Celebrants that hide, Celebrants with vibes, and Chameleon Celebrants that can adapt to any situation.

Choosing a type of brekkie cereal can be hard enough, let alone someone that will the set the vibe for your whole wedding day!

Step one -You need to consider what type of ceremony you want? A laid back wedding ceremony? A fun wedding ceremony? A romantic ceremony? A pirate themed ceremony under the full moon while on a trampoline?

The epic thing about having a Celebrant at your wedding is that we give you choice. You can set the scene!

Step two - Budget. Celebrants prices range from $200 - $2000. What a difference! So you are going to have to look at what the Celebrant includes in their packages. Some have different levels of pricing for those packages - So look for inclusions and extra’s such as filling out the Notice of Intended Marriage, rehearsals, personalising ceremonies, how many meetings are included, travel costs, parking fees.

Step three - Now you know the vibe and the price. Now you need to find the person to suit that vibe. So you hit google. You will notice some Celebrants have great websites, some haven’t been updated since 2001. So that get’s rid of half of the Celebrant population. Now look for some clues. Videos of Celebrants are great-but honestly a lot of Celebrants hate looking at themselves on video (just like the rest of the world). Look at their pics, see if they have any example ceremony scripts, do they have referrals/references?

Step four - Send out some enquiries. Don’t send out a dozen- seriously. Too much choice is absolutely overwhelming! Start with three. Check their response times, check the tone of their email. Check the vibe.

Step five - Meet up! Sit and chat. Check their tone, mannerisms and voice-this is all going to be amplified on the wedding day! Let them explain their services first. Then you will get a real idea if they are the right person for you, before you tell them what you are after. Then it’s time to state what you want out of a Celebrant. Tell them everything. Tell them if you have no idea on anything and need guidance, tell them if you want them to print your vows on the wings of a dove and train it to softly land on your shoulder when its your turn to speak. Then see if they can match those needs!

Then ask some questions- find out what you need to know, so you get a good perspective. Some basic questions to get you started-

-How long have you been a Celebrant?

-What do you love about being a Celebrant?

-During a ceremony- are you quiet? a front man?

-Do you stay on script? Do you ad-lib?

-Do I get to edit your ceremony draft?

-Where do you stand during a ceremony?

-What kind of microphone do you use? Headset/handheld?

-Do you let us write own our vows?

-How do you deliver the vows-do we repeat after you? Do you write them on paper and we read them for ourselves?

-Do you get out the way when we kiss?

-Is the deposit refundable?

-Will you get the second marriage certificate for us? Is there a charge?

-Do you help organise the group photo at the end of the ceremony?

-Can you recommend other wedding suppliers?

-Have you worked at our wedding venue before?

-How long after the ceremony do you stick around for?

There’s your list. Chuck it in your wedding folder and ask some questions. Don’t be scared! If they are a good Celebrant, they will be more than happy to answers all of these and more.

So let me answer these questions for you! And when you chat to me you will hear me say ‘there is no question that is a silly question.’

Some questions I have been asked in the past-

-What are you going to wear?

-Can you change your pink hair for our wedding day?

-Will you dress as Elvis, a chicken, a fairy, the grim reaper or a waitress for our wedding day?

-What will you do if I faint?

-Can you marry us in bed?

-Do you drink before the ceremony?

-Im really short-will you wear flat shoes for us?

-Are you married?

So many questions, and I am happy to answer all of them! Ask me a question - go on I dare you!