*This article is now outdated. See updated stats on the cost of a marriage celebrant here.
Couples today place a large emphasis on having a romantic, enjoyable, and respectful wedding ceremony. For a lot of Australian couples, the ceremony is the most important part of their entire wedding day!
So how much are Australian couples willing to spend on their dream marriage celebrant? What’s the average cost?
According to the Easy Weddings 2016 Annual Wedding Survey, the average price couples are willing to spend for their marriage celebrant is $665.
When it comes to how much couples are willing to part with to create the perfect wedding ceremony with a celebrant that respects their wishes and their desires, the average price varies from state to state across Australia.
The stats
Victorian couples are the big spenders when it comes to their marriage officiant, forking out an average price of $695.
New South Wales and Queensland couples are willing to part with $640 and $600 respectively for their dream marriage celebrant.
Western Australian and Australian Capital Territory couples spend $590 and $560 respectively, and South Australian couples are willing to part with $555 for their marriage celebrant.
Tasmanian couples are the most modest in this regard, spending an average of $515 for their marriage officiant.
Fun facts
According to the 2016 Annual Wedding Survey, 74% of marriages are performed by a civil celebrant.
39% of couples consider their wedding ceremony the most important part of their wedding day, while 32% say it’s their reception. 13% say it’s their guests that’s most important, while 12% say it’s their wedding dress. 4% of those surveyed cited other things, such as their honeymoon, to be most important.
46% of couples surveyed said they chose their celebrant because they liked his/her approach to ceremonies. 31% chose their officiant based on friend or relative referrals, and 15% of couples chose their celebrant based on their budget. 8% of those surveyed chose their officiant based on their great customer reviews.
53% of those surveyed asked a friend or family member to perform a reading at their ceremony, while 41% have not.
2017 prediction
For 2017, the Easy Weddings Annual Wedding Survey results so far conclude a rise in what Australian couples are willing to spend to have their dream celebrant officiate their marriage ceremony. While the complete 2017 survey is not yet published, we predict this rise in average price is due to the emphasis and importance couples are placing on having someone who matches their personalities and reflects who they are as a couple to officiate their wedding. A large percentage (39%) of Australian couples believe their wedding ceremony is the most important part of their entire wedding day, so they’re willing to pay a pretty price for the perfect celebrant!