Thinking of working with an independent celebrant to create and conduct your ceremony?
There are hundreds of independent celebrants to choose from. Every single one is passionate about their work. Most have completed relevant training with a reputable organisation. Many are members of respected industry bodies. And all of them should be insured.
But only one or two will be your perfect fit.
If you’re thinking about booking an independent celebrant, start looking as soon as you’ve decided on your venue and your date. Some celebrants are booked one or two years in advance, but it is also possible to find someone with only a few weeks to go. I personally don’t cram my diary with ceremonies so that gives me a great deal of flexibility, even at short notice. And if I’m not available, I can help you to find someone from my professional network who is qualified and insured to the same high standard as myself.
Here are some tips for making the right choice for you:
1. Use established and reputable Celebrant Directories to find experienced celebrants in your area. The Association of Independent Celebrants (AOIC) is the only trade association for celebrants in the UK and its directory of celebrant members is a great place to start: Find a Celebrant - Association of Independent Celebrants. They have a rigorous selection process and celebrants have to meet certain criteria to be eligible to join.
2. Check that the celebrant is a member of a recognised professional organisation (such as the AOIC) - this gives you some confidence that they're working to high standards. My AOIC membership badge is to the right and you'll find me listed on the AOIC directory.
3. Check the celebrant's qualifications - they should have had some training specifically for celebrants. It's just not good enough to say "I was a registrar, therefore I'm qualified" - sure they'll have experience of hundreds of weddings, but it's very likely they'll have worked from a standard script and delivered the same ceremony over and over and over again. A good independent celebrant has high-level skills so they can confidently and competently work with a couple to design their ceremony, create a personalised ceremony that flows, makes sense, delivers to time, and is truly unique. Make sure the person you choose has these skills. Anyone who has the necessary qualifications will be proud to show you their certificates.
4. Check they have insurance cover - it gives you peace of mind and it tells you that you are working with a credible professional who takes their work seriously. Again, they will be proud to show you their certificate. If they don't offer this, don't be embarrassed to ask to see it.
5. Check out their reviews and see what previous customers have said about them - do their reviews create the impression you’re looking for? Have a wee look at what my customers and others have said about my work.
6. And finally... talk to them. Are they the right fit for you? Are you getting the right vibe from them? Can you see them waiting for you at the end of the aisle - and would that make you feel at ease or anxious (if there's any sense of discomfort, they're not the right person for you, so move on...)
Don’t be embarrassed about asking to see qualifications, insurance and membership status - good celebrants have all that in place and have worked hard to complete their training so they’ll want to proudly show off their credentials. In fact, I'll show you my paperwork at our first meeting so you can be confident that you're working with a credible professional and not just someone who talks a good talk... I think that's really important before anyone gets anywhere near your ceremony!
Good luck with your search. And if you'd like to check out if I'm the right fit for you, please have a look at the rest of my website and drop me a line.