What To Expect From Your Celebrant


When I mention ‘I’m a wedding celebrant’, no lie the majority of those asking go on to ask…“So, what do you actually do?”


It's common for people to think that we only work a couple of hours work on the weekend. We turn up to a wedding, read a generic ceremony script, pronounce you married, pack up quickly and go... That's not at all true. A celebrant spends a fair amount of time preparing in lead up as well as before and during the actual ceremony. I thought it would be handy to jot down what your celebrant should do and how to make the most out of them.


What Celebrants do! = you having an awesome wedding ceremony!

  • Provide advice and help to complete your Notice of Intended Marriage form (NOIM)

  • Sight your original ID docs to make sure you're you

  • Witness the legal documents

  • Listen and take onboard your wedding ideas

  • Create a wedding ceremony structure with meaningful elements

  • Get to know you in a short amount of time

  • Ask fun questions about you as a couple

  • Have as many meetings or phone chats as we need, accompanied with coffee/wine/beer makes it all the more fun

  • Learn about your families and friends involved in your wedding

  • Provide ceremony ideas created just for you

  • Help you write your own personalised vows

  • Suggest ways to involve important people in the ceremony

  • Collaborate with you on getting your ceremony just right

  • Recommend other awesome wedding vendors

  • Help suggest a back-up plan if you’re having an outdoor wedding

  • Organise a rehearsal so that everyone is relaxed and super ready on the day

  • Arrive early to your ceremony location, meet and greet anyone involved (wedding party, key family, photographer, videographer, musicians, wedding planner, readers etc), set up a PA system, arrange the legal documents securely on the signing table, and ensure everything is in place and to guide anyone if they have any questions

  • Be on hand to help the wedding party feel comfortable, calm and collected

  • Cue for the music to begin, faded out and repeat

  • Ensure everyone can hear loud and clear

  • Deliver the ceremony with personality. For me I like to be light-hearted, relaxed and engaging

  • Be quick to improvise during the ceremony if something pops up, for example: handing out tissues, potentially handling funny comments from guests, or maybe a sudden turn in the weather if outdoors

  • Make sure all legal documents are accurate and ready for signing

  • Help the photographer and videographer get their shots by giving them space and getting out of the way during the big moments

  • Give a you huge congratulations hug

  • Stick around for a short while to mingle with family and guests

  • Securely package up all of the marriage legal docs and register the marriage soon after.


not quite sure what to ask your celebrant? here's some questions to consider asking:

  • Do you have an agreement that I can review before we go ahead?

  • How would you describe your ceremony style?

  • What time will you arrive on the day?

  • What do you do during set up?

  • Do you include jokes or keep to no jokes?

  • Will you be asking our guests if they have any objections?

  • How can we involve our most important people?

  • Can we involve our children or pet/s?

  • Can we incorporate a poem, reading or music lyrics?

  • Can you help write our vows?

  • Can you include some of our stories into the script?

  • Please tell us that you don’t speak gushingly??

  • Will you be reading from a folder, notepad, iPad, kindle or no notes?

  • What will you be wearing?

  • Do you drink champagne? YES!!

  • Can our guest have a drink during the ceremony? Depends on the venue but I like that idea 🙂

  • Can our photographer move freely around to get different shots?

  • Can we make it short & sweet?


I could talk weddings for hours and I’ve realised that majority of people are very happy to rattle on with me. It’s always a feel-good conversation starter. I guess it’s because a wedding is all about celebrating love, coming together and having a great party!  What's better than that!

Just get in touch & I would love to talk weddings with you 🙂

JACQUA