Felicity Johnston Marriage Celebrant

Many couples concentrate on the venue, photographer, florist, their outfits – in fact almost every aspect of their ‘big day’, before they get to the celebrant. No dramas there, except that many celebrants book out well in advance. 
So, when you get to thinking of what you’d like in a celebrant, here are a couple of tips: 
First and foremost, make sure you have a real connection with your celebrant. For the celebrant, a close connection usually means a ceremony that reflects the couple perfectly. One that is memorable for all the right reasons! From the couple’s point of view, a great celebrant will make them feel like a good friend is guiding them through the ceremony – one who knows them, really likes them, takes all the stress out of the ceremony and leaves nothing to chance.
Following on from that, it’s probably best not to go with the first person you meet just so you can tick ‘celebrant’ off your list … unless, of course, you absolutely love them and the connection is there. For example, if you’re a relaxed and laid-back couple and want your ceremony to reflect this, don’t go with somebody who appears formal and inflexible, or who doesn’t seem to have much in common with you.
Here are some pointers for you to consider or ask celebrants you meet with:
– What experience the celebrant has in the type of ceremony you are planning?
– Will the celebrant really listen to you? Beware of people who impose their ideas on you. Similarly, be prepared to trust the celebrant’s advice – they do know how to engage your guests; they also know what will send them to sleep!
– Does the celebrant have resources and ideas to help plan the ceremony?
– Is the celebrant organised and professional, and what’s really important – will she/he be fun to work with?
– Does the celebrant book multiple ceremonies on the same day? And if so, how long do they allow to get from one venue to the other? What happens if the first one runs late and yours happens to be the second ceremony? And following on, how early does the celebrant arrive on the day?
– Does the celebrant have his/her own equipment for voice amplification and to play music through? Does use of this equipment increase the cost?
– Does the celebrant allow plenty of time for couples to edit their ceremonies?
– What fee does the celebrant charge, and is it all-inclusive? Make sure you are realistic about fees. For example, a cheap ceremony could mean a formula ceremony, which is absolutely fine if that’s what you want. If, however, you are expecting a personalised ceremony you may be disappointed. Many celebrants will have various options, and often the difference between something that’s standardised and one that’s written specifically for the couple, reflecting them perfectly, is less than a couple of hundred dollars.
– Does the celebrant live locally? If not, how far are they prepared to travel without incurring cost. For example, I’m a civil celebrant based primarily in Northcote, so happily work all around Melbourne as well as on the Mornington Peninsula (where I have a holiday home) without additional cost. Areas further afield may incur additional cost, depending on travel, rehearsals etc.
– Does the celebrant have a back up plan in case she/he is sick on the day?
– See if you can get a sense of the celebrant’s writing style, ie. check out their website, Facebook page, blogs etc. That will usually give you a good idea of their tone and style.
Good luck with it all, and remember there are many great celebrants out there. Make sure you find one that’s a perfect fit for you both.

Lots of couples ask me if they should have a reading in their wedding ceremony. The short answer is no. For me, there are only two reasons you’d include one or two (and seriously, never more than two). Firstly, if there is something that has particular significance to you both – it could be a poem, text from a novel, a song lyric or even an excerpt from your favourite TV series – absolutely go for it. One of my recent couples are crazy Buffy fans, so we did an interactive reading of Anya’s vows. It was funny, heartfelt, ironic (as I discovered when doing my research!!), and everybody got it because it spoke volumes about the quirkiness of the couple!

The second reason is to make somebody feel a bit special – maybe it’s your mum, maybe one of your kids, or maybe somebody who’s close to you, but isn’t part of the bridal party. But a reading just because… I’d say forget it!!

For starters, you don’t need to pay that much money.  You can always be married in the Registry Office for between $320 and $490, but it may not be the vibe you want, unless you're after a quick, impersonal ceremony with limited numbers of guests. It’s basic and serves a purpose – nothing more, nothing less.  And if that’s your thing, then absolutely go for it. You can also cut costs by opting for a celebrant who embraces the ‘one size fits all’ approach – he/she will most likely offer you a number of generic ceremonies to choose from, with limited options for personal touches.
However, my view is that a great ceremony sets the tone for the celebrations that follow. And a fabulous ceremony is one that truly reflects you, and you alone.  Whatever your thing, your guests deserve to be entertained and enthralled during your ceremony.
My approach takes time and experience. And really, this is what you're paying for. Many hours are spent on every ceremony I create and deliver (for example spending considerable time with each couple to get to know them and gather information for their ceremony, then writing, and perhaps researching the ceremony, preparing and processing legal documentation, travelling, perhaps organising music, the many emails and phone calls that go back and forth, etc.   
An experienced celebrant will be on top of their game. They have a state of the art sound system that ensures your guests hear every word of the ceremony; they will be experienced writers and speakers; and they will be able to deal professionally and calmly with any unexpected issues that may arise (and believe me, they do from time to time!). You are paying for somebody who writes  and speaks well and knows how to involve your guests, somebody who is a professional in every aspect of the word, somebody who will transform your ceremony from ho hum to being memorable for all of the right reasons.