If you have a look below, I have outlined the differences of the services you would be receiving for a celebrant led ceremony in comparison to a registrar led ceremony.

Registrar Ceremonies -

💜 Tend to have 2 or 3 set scripts, so personalisation is extremely limited.

💜 The ceremony can only be held in the registry office, or a licensed wedding venue.

💜 Has the potential to be brief.

💜 The registrar may be late due to other ceremonies and may be rushing to get to the next one they have booked that day.

💜 You won't probably meet the registrar before the ceremony.

💜 Generally do not offer rehearsals

My Celebrant Ceremonies -

💜 You have a fully personalised service from start to finish.

💜 Individual and regular contact with me prior to the wedding.

💜 A new script is written for each ceremony, so it will reflect you as an individual couple and your story.

💜The ceremony can be held absolutely anywhere that you choose (hotels, licensed venues, marquees, gardens, on a boat, on a beach or somewhere meaningful to you as a couple.)

💜 The ceremony length can be as short, or as long as you like - this depends on what kind of content you would like to include.

💜 I will book only 1 ceremony per day, so I will not be late, or be rushing to get to the next one.

💜 I can offer rehearsals.

💜 I will also be available to support you on the day.

If you want to be legally married then you would need to have an appointment at the local registrars office to sign the declarations. (It's just like registering a birth or death - you are just registering a marriage)

The current cost of this is - 

£46 for the ceremony

£70 for the notice of marriage

Total - £116

So what couples do if they want to be legally married aswell as a celebrant-led ceremony - 

they have the appointment at the registry office with 2 witnesses and then have their personalised wedding ceremony led by a celebrant.

Currently they are not legally binding - but there is extensive work going on behind the scenes with the Government to try and change the law, so that it will be the officiant that is licensed, rather than a faith minister, civil registrar and the venue.

This is not a problem though, as you can book the "signing room" at your local registry office, bring two witnesses, and simply sign the documents, leaving the vows, rings, and everything else until your big day.

This then means that you are free to include anything in your celebrant led ceremony, as you are already legally married. The ceremony is your opportunity to make your celebration as personal as you would like to reflect you as a couple. 

This may include ring exchange, personal promises and vows, readings, symbolic rituals, songs, religious or spiritual elements - in fact anything you choose.

No problem at all! Lots of people want to do this as they want to make their pledges of commitment to each other - but please be aware that you are not ‘legally’ married in the eyes of the law unless you sign the declarations with a registrar.

Every single relationship is different and luckily choices for different types of ceremonies are increasing to reflect this.

In a registrar led ceremony couples can have more flexibility when choosing vows, readings, and music than in a church ceremony. However, there are some restrictions on what you can and can’t do in a civil ceremony. For example, you cannot include any religious readings, symbols or music or have any connotation towards religion

A humanist celebrant led ceremony is secular and non-religious. It is based on their values and logic only on the human experience, without any spiritual beliefs or religious elements included.

Whilst it is possible to include readings, hymns or music which honour and praise in a Humanist Ceremony, an act of worship cannot be included.

An independent celebrant can be more accommodating; they are able to include whatever the couple wish in the service, including a prayer or act of worship if desired. They can also cater for completely non-religious ceremonies too.

As I am an independent celebrant - I don't have any restrictions that will get in the way and I don’t follow any specific faith, but I am a strong advocate for equality, diversity, and a ceremony that is unique and unforgettable! I totally understand that some couples would like to include spiritual components, such as a beloved song or prayer, and I would be glad to collaborate with you to include them.

The benefit of having a celebrant-led ceremony is that you can customise it to feature whatever religious, spiritual and non-spiritual elements you wish. Together we can create the script and pick out readings, music and family traditions, to make sure the ceremony is absolutely perfect for you.

Definitely! I would expect you to, as this is a big decision. That's why we arrange the initial meeting to work out if I'm the kind of celebrant that is suitable for you.

There are numerous celebrants all with different styles, so it is certainly wise to meet some and pinpoint who is an ideal fit for you both.

There are so many elements that people want to know if they can include in their ceremony. This ranges from children, dogs, rituals, readings, poems, songs, religious / spiritual elements to ring exchange, certificate signing, photos, a glass of fizz.

The answer to all these elements is a big resounding YES! This is the beauty of a celebrant-led ceremony - you can include absolutely anything you want and I will work really closely with you to make sure that we include everything you want.

(You would need to make sure you had the owner’s / venue’s permission for your dog/s.)

In short - no not if you don’t feel like you can - Some couples want to have a high level of input into their ceremony, vows and promises and others don’t. It all depends on the level of input you want to have and I can provide as little, or as much support as you would like for this.

Definitely not. Are you getting the theme running through these FAQ’s? You can follow any pattern you would like - this can be the traditional pattern with a modern twist, or a much more relaxed ceremony with funny promises and vows - It is entirely your choice.

For timings - again it depends on whether you would like a quicker ceremony, or a longer one and how many elements you would like to include. On average most ceremonies are 20 - 45 minutes.

Oh absolutely! I have so many different ideas that you can use, or adapt to fit your personal style and relationship.

No two Naming Ceremonies are alike; I will craft a special bespoke script tailored to your family and situation. It may include reflections, promises, readings, songs and affirmations. And of course, a special welcoming of the new arrival into the family and surroundings.

Of course! It is usually a delightful addition to the celebration to hear how the child was named. It can be quite pleasant to remember the story behind the name, and it's also true for any middle names or surnames.

An alternative to godparents are ‘supporting adults’ or ‘Guide parents’.

Again this is personal preference and also how many will be included is up to you, as there does not need to be a legal minimum or maximum number.

If you do decide to choose and include them then they can perform a role in the ceremony such as promises of support, a reading, or a symbolic ritual.

Absolutely not. There are no set ages - the person to be named can be any age ranging from a newborn baby to an older person. (This can be when an adult changes their name and want to celebrate it.

As each ceremony is written from scratch, it does not matter about the age of the baby / child / person because the ceremony will fully reflect that individual and their family.

Yes as it is a legal requirement -

‘All births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.’ https://www.gov.uk/register-birth

A naming ceremony cannot take the place of registering a baby’s birth.

Registration of the baby’s birth can either be done in the hospital before the mother and baby return home, or at their local registry office.

Of course. Anyone can be included and also the child can be the parents biological, adopted or stepchildren.

This again is entirely up to you. There are certain times I will need to see you in-person. These are the first planning meeting and a final meeting to double check all the logistics a few weeks before your ceremony.

The other contact we can have can be done over email, zoom / google meet and we could set up a Whatsapp group so we can share ideas and you can ask me any questions you need to.