The wedding is planned – who can I choose to lead the ceremony?

When it comes to deciding on who you would like to lead your wedding ceremony, you indeed have several choices. Here's an overview of them:

Minister of Faith/Religious Officiant:

If you and your partner are affiliated with a particular religious tradition, you might opt for a minister, priest, rabbi, imam, or other religious leaders to officiate at your wedding. This can be a meaningful choice if you want to incorporate your faith's traditions and rituals into the ceremony.

Deb and Jackie - Celebrants

Celebrants:

Celebrants are non-religious officiants who create personalised and customised ceremonies that reflect your beliefs, values, and preferences. They can work with you to design a ceremony that's meaningful and unique to you as a couple. This is a popular choice for couples who want a secular ceremony that focuses on their love story and shared values. Jackie and Deb at Just Ceremonies always get to know their couples well in advance of the ceremony. They spend time with the couple before their wedding, learning how they met and what makes the two of them work together. They will have designed the whole ceremony together. There will be no surprises (unless you’ve planned them!), and Jackie or Deb will have spoken to anyone who has a part to play in your ceremony to put them at ease and know what to expect (such as the ring bearers, the bridesmaids, people with readings). You, the couple, will arrive at the ceremony area knowing exactly what to expect and what to do. And as there is nothing legal to complete on the day, we find that our couples are just so much more relaxed and actually get to enjoy their ceremony! We also spend time with the photographer/videographer to ensure that they get the most important shots during the ceremony. We know your photos are an important part of the day.

A Celebrant is also an excellent choice if you do want to include an element of religion. It may be that an aunt would love to read you Corinthians 13 – that is no problem if you have a celebrant but not permitted with a registrar. Or maybe you are blending two faiths and want to include elements of both – also no problem for a Celebrant.

Jackie and Deb are not humanists, so whether you want an element of religion or not in your ceremony, we can do just as you wish.

Registrars:

Registrars are government-appointed officials who are authorised to perform legal marriages. Opting for a registrar-led ceremony might be a good choice if you're looking for a straightforward and legally binding ceremony without any personal or religious touches. The registrars who attend on your wedding day will be those who are on duty that day so you will not have met them before. You will both need to have an interview with the registrars around half an hour before your ceremony time. They will expect you to be on time as they normally have further ceremonies to go to. Fashionably late is never an option – you may find the registrars leave and come back at the end of the day.

Destination Wedding Officiant:

If you're having a destination wedding, some venues or locations might offer their own officiants as part of the package. These officiants are often experienced in conducting ceremonies for couples from various backgrounds. Make sure to check out the legalities as they may not be included in your package, or need to be completed before you go.

Conclusion

When choosing who to lead your very important ceremony, consider factors such as your beliefs, values, the type of ceremony you envision, and the legal requirements in your location. It's a good idea to meet with potential officiants to discuss your preferences and get a sense of their style and approach before making a decision. Regardless of your choice, make sure your officiant is someone who resonates with you and can help create a memorable and meaningful ceremony.

Contact us for a chat, and let's explore how we can make your wedding ceremony an unforgettable celebration of your love.