What makes a great Celebrant? Not just an average celebrant, but a great one.
How important is it to find the right celebrant?
It is imperative to ask yourself this when you embark on finding a celebrant to create and conduct one of the most powerful and meaningful ceremonies of your life. It does matter greatly. This is a decision that should not be made lightly. It is the one thing on your special day that must be right. People should look back on your ceremony for eternity, with great memories. A great celebrant does not cost that much more in context – but the difference is striking.
Firstly, I believe a great celebrant will have two qualities that separate them from the rest. They need to have passion for what they do, and they need to care about the role they play. A great celebrant makes all the difference to the success of your day. A celebrant is a facilitator, nurturing ideas and encouraging couples, so together you can create a ceremony that accurately depicts you and your love for each other. The ceremony not only gives people a chance to celebrate their partnership and formalise it through marriage, but the ceremony itself, particularly the story telling component of a modern wedding ceremony also allows the celebrant to incorporate your values and beliefs.
The ceremony has the power to change lives and enhance the quality of relationships. People want ceremonies of meaning and substance where they walk away feeling happy and uplifted, and know they have truly celebrated the love and friendship of a couple they hold close.
Top celebrants are worth paying extra for – they offer a broader service to you that is both professional and friendly. It is also unlikely that you will be aware of the difference the celebrant can make until after the event.
A few tips to help you choose your celebrant:
♥ Meet with them before you book them.
♥ By offering suggestions and options they will work with you to create your ceremony that is unique to you.
♥ They should meet you a number of times to ensure adequate time is taken to put your ceremony together. They will write a personalised ceremony – different for every couple.
♥ A professional PA system should be provided to ensure your guests hear every word.
♥ The celebrant should help you to relax by being organised and professional. It will leave you feeling that you have left everything in the hands of someone who cares! There are a hundred details that contribute to a great ceremony and your marriage celebrant will walk you through each of them.
♥ An onsite rehearsal is imperative to the overall success of your ceremony.
♥ Most importantly they are a celebrant who does not run from one wedding to another risking being late (ask them how many they do on a day and how many hours they leave between weddings). You want someone who can give you the very best attention.
It is a huge risk to choose a celebrant on price alone. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of cheaper prices is forgotten. Please choose carefully, as you would with any other service you book for your special day.
By Sally Cant. Sally is one of Australia’s leading celebrants, authors and trainer of celebrants.
Kimberly Sanders ♥ Marriage Celebrant, Auckland ♥ Lucky in Love Wedding Day Event Management
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