What is a Wedding Celebrant?
A Wedding Celebrant is someone who can create a bespoke ceremony, just for you, designed alongside your unique requests. There are no restrictions on what you can include in your ceremony, which you can hold anywhere and at any time.
As a wedding celebrant I’ll get to know you so that we can create a truly personalised wedding ceremony together. I’ll listen to your ideas for your special day and help you to make them a reality. I’m sure you have plenty ideas yourself, you can put a twist on traditional elements or make your own new traditions! I’ll talk things through with you and be able to provide inspiration and suggestions about every element of your ceremony. We will discuss your vows, exchange of rings, symbolic rituals you may like to include and how you can involve your family and friends and even your pets in your ceremony if you wish to.
I’m Anne-Marie Ledson, an Independent Wedding Celebrant and I’m really exciting about joining The Wedding Guide UK a wonderful group of wedding suppliers who have everything you could every dream of for your wedding day.
How does it work?
As your wedding celebrant I’ll spend time with you face to face and through virtual meetings to talk about your ideas. I’ll be available on the phone and via email as you plan your wedding.
You’ll develop a relationship with me so that you’re comfortable to talk about yourselves and your relationship. How you met, how you fell in love, when and where you got engaged, things you love to do together and things you love about each other. This means I’ll be able to reflect your personalities and incorporate special anecdotes into a ceremony which I will create just for you.
A celebrant led wedding doesn’t have to follow a set formula. You can choose whatever wording, readings and poems, music, or symbolic rituals you wish. These can be religious, spiritual or secular.
If you come from different cultural or faith backgrounds and would like to use elements from both in your ceremony, we can blend these elements into a unique ceremony together. I’ll help you to create a ceremony that is meaningful to you, reflecting your personal views, values and beliefs.
I’m a qualified Spiritualist Celebrant, trained by A Priestess of the Goddess at Avalon (Glastonbury). I can conduct a Spiritualist Wedding Ceremony within a sacred circle according to the rituals of the Elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
Things to think about when choosing a Wedding Celebrant
It’s important to choose a celebrant who you feel comfortable with. All Wedding Celebrants around the world have a particular style or specialise in specific types of ceremonies such as Pagan or Spiritual ceremonies. All celebrants will adapt to suit the style you are looking for including formal or informal, traditional, spiritual, culturally significant or themed ceremonies. All celebrants will base the ceremonies they create on your wishes.
A wedding celebrant is usually self-employed. Check whether your chosen celebrant is professionally trained, if they have a national qualification. Do they have Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Does your chosen celebrant belong to a professional organisation? Celebrants who belong to a professional organisation such as The Association of Independent Celebrants, will follow a professional code of conduct. If they are suddenly taken ill, they will be able to call on a colleague to step in to conduct your ceremony. Some organisations provide ongoing professional training for their members, so they are fully up to date. You can search for a celebrant in your area on the professional organisation’s websites.
Your celebrant should have a privacy policy and follow all GDPR procedures in relation to your personal information.
A professional Wedding celebrant is a good listener who will get to know you and then write and lead a personalised ceremony based on your wishes.
If you’d like to create a ceremony that will be a unique and memorable occasion for you and your guests, that doesn’t follow a set formula, think about choosing a wedding celebrant.
A wedding celebrant can’t register your marriage, you will need to do the legal elements with a Registrar. This shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes at the registry office in the presence of 2 witnesses and will cost £57 (price at April 2023). Your celebrant will explain this.
Click to see more about Anne-Marie and From Here to Eternity Ceremonies
