Which do you choose?

 I am going to make one thing clear, this is not a battle blog between who is best; registrars or celebrants. I truly believe that each role is valuable in its own right, and anyone that tells you different should be, well, ignored!!

Planning a wedding is overwhelming at the best of times. It is known to be one of the most stressful life events alongside moving house and having children. There are so many choices to make between having a big or small weddings, indoor vs outdoor, flower arrangements to colours and themes. But there is one option that many couples are not aware of. This is whether to use a Celebrant or a Registrar to officiate your wedding ceremony.

Many couples believe there is only one way to get married and sadly this is due to a lot of misinformation, or couples being prompted to book registrars when they may not be needed.

So what is the difference between them and which do you choose?

Registras:

There are currently two common ways to legally marry in England.  Either via a civil ceremony conducted in a licensed venue with the Registration Service, or a religious service held in a place of worship. Due to legal reasons a Civil Ceremony follows a strict format and Registrars work to schedules and scripts that cannot be adapted. You are able to add in readings but their maybe some restrictions on what you can and cannot use. The Registration service is often made up with a team of Registrars, so may not know who is going to officiate the wedding until the day. It is likely the team will hold several weddings a day so sticking to timings is key as they may need to shoot off to another ceremony.  

The cost:

If you are choosing to marry through the Registration Services you can choose to attend a registry office, or pay additional fees for them to attend your licensed venue. In some counties the cost is around £600 but can be up to £1000. Couples can also choose a 2+2 services, to complete the legal side with 2 witness for as little as £54. This is an appointment to sign paper work rather than ceremonial.

For many couples, choosing to be legally married in front of their family and friends is important which is why they choose this route. I  have worked in some stunning registry offices with my favourite being the Guildhall, Poole, Winchester Registry office, Shaftesbury and Wimborne Town hall.

SO WHY WOULD YOU CONSIDER USING A CELEBRANT?

Currently, in the England and Wales  a Celebrant cannot legally marry you.  So why would you choose a Celebrant over a Registrar? Not everyone wants to be legally married. You may just wish to celebrate your love with your family and friends, making a formal commitment to one another. You may not be able to legally marry, or wish to have a fusion wedding combining multifaiths. You may also wish to marry in a venue or space that isn't licensed such as a beach or garden, or location that holds a special place in your hearts. But most importantly, you may wish to have ceremony personalised, tailored to who you are as a couple and tell your journey- with no restrictions.

Richard from Smartly Said Celebrant shares 'I often explain to couples that the registrar completes the important legal element of marriage. Once that is done, a celebrant-led ceremony gives couples the maximum opportunity to create something truly bespoke. I often describe the registrar’s role as taking care of the legal registration, in much the same way we formally register a birth or a death, while the celebrant ceremony becomes the moment where a couple’s story, personalities, and relationships truly take centre stage.'