Frequently asked questions
What is a celebrant?
A celebrant is someone who creates and conducts personalised ceremonies to celebrate life’s special moments. Unlike a traditional one-size-fits-all ceremony, a celebrant-led ceremony is created around you, your story, and what matters most to you.
What types of ceremonies do you offer?
We create and conduct a range of ceremonies, including weddings, vow renewals, naming ceremonies, funerals, pet memorials and celebrations of life. If you have something meaningful in mind that isn’t listed, please get in touch — we are always happy to discuss your ideas.
Where can ceremonies take place?
We are available to conduct ceremonies at locations that are meaningful to you. These can include a garden, a specific wedding venue, your home, woodland, or the beach for example. Funerals are most often held at burial sites, crematoria or natural burial grounds. We are also happy to discuss travelling further afield, depending on availability.
Can we personalise our ceremony?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s one of the most important parts of what we do. We will spend time getting to know you, listening to your story and understanding what you want your ceremony to feel like. Together, we’ll create something that is uniquely yours.
Can we include family and friends?
Of course. There are lots of lovely ways to involve the people who are important to you, from readings and poems, to music, speeches, symbolic rituals and special roles within the ceremony.
Do you help with writing the ceremony?
Yes. You don’t need to worry about knowing what to say or how to structure your ceremony. We will guide you through the process, provide ideas and help craft the words so that everything feels natural, meaningful and personal.
What if we don't know what we want yet?
That’s completely fine! You don’t need to have everything figured out before getting in touch. Part of our role is helping you discover what you want your ceremony to look and feel like. We can explore ideas together and create something that feels right for you.
Are celebrant-led weddings legally binding?
Not currently, in England and Wales. A celebrant-led wedding ceremony is not, by itself, a legally binding marriage. To make your marriage legally recognised, you’ll need to complete the legal formalities with a registrar.
Many couples choose to have the legal ceremony separately, often with just the minimum requirements, and then have their celebrant-led wedding on the day they really want to celebrate. This means you can enjoy a completely personal ceremony, in the location of your choice, with your own vows, readings, rituals, music and traditions.
How do we carry out the legal part of the marriage?
The legal part is actually very straightforward. You’ll need to arrange your legal marriage with your local register office, separately from your celebrant-led ceremony.
You’ll first need to give notice of your intention to marry at the register office. This normally needs to be done at least 29 days before the legal ceremony, and your marriage must take place within 12 months of giving notice.
Many couples choose to have a short, simple civil ceremony at the register office — often with just the required legal elements and two witnesses — and then have their celebrant-led wedding ceremony on their chosen date and at their chosen venue.
This means your celebrant ceremony can be completely personal and relaxed, with your own vows, readings, music, rituals and all the special touches that make your day yours.
For the most up-to-date legal requirements, you can check the official GOV.UK marriage guidance.
What is the difference between a registrar and a celebrant?
The simplest way to think about it is: a registrar takes care of the legal marriage; a celebrant creates the personal celebration.
A registrar is authorised to conduct the legal civil marriage ceremony. There are specific legal requirements that must be followed, and the ceremony is generally more structured and restricted in what can be included.
A celebrant, on the other hand, gives you the freedom to create a ceremony that is completely personal to you. We can tell your story, include your own vows, readings, music, rituals, family and friends, and add all the little details that make your relationship unique. Your ceremony can be held in almost any location and can be as traditional, relaxed, romantic or fun as you wish.
Think of it as the registrar taking care of the legal bit, while your celebrant takes care of making your ceremony unforgettable. ❤️
Can we include religious and cultural elements in our ceremony?
Absolutely. Your ceremony should reflect who you are, your beliefs, your heritage and the traditions that are important to you.
Whether you’d like to include a prayer, blessing, reading, cultural tradition or meaningful ritual, we can work together to incorporate these in a way that feels authentic and personal to you.
You may also want to blend different faiths, cultures or family traditions, creating a ceremony that brings everyone together and celebrates what makes your relationship unique.
With over 20 years’ experience as an RE teacher, Lorna is very adept at weaving in special requests. There are no set rules about how your celebrant-led ceremony needs to look, so we can explore your ideas together and create something that feels genuinely yours.
How soon after death can a funeral take place?
There is no set number of days that you have to wait before a funeral can take place. In many cases, a funeral is held within one to two weeks after someone has died, although this can vary depending on the circumstances and your family’s wishes.
The timing may be affected by things such as registering the death, obtaining the necessary paperwork, the availability of the funeral director, crematorium or cemetery, and whether a coroner is involved.
There is no need to feel pressured to arrange everything immediately. Your funeral director will guide you through the practical arrangements, and as your celebrant, we will work with you to create a meaningful ceremony at a time that feels right for you and your family.
If you have a particular date or timeframe in mind, please do get in touch and we can talk through what may be possible.
How far in advance should we book?
For weddings and other celebrations, we recommend getting in touch as soon as you have a date in mind, particularly if you’re planning a weekend, or a popular time of year. This gives us plenty of time to get to know each other, talk through your ideas and create a ceremony that feels truly personal.
For funerals and celebrations of life, arrangements are naturally made within a much shorter timeframe. Please don’t worry if you need a celebrant at short notice — we understand that these arrangements often need to happen quickly, and we will do everything we can to support you and be available when you need us.