What to look for in a wedding celebrant
Patricia Robbie in her element as wedding celebrant a.k.a fairy Godmother extraordinaire. Photographed by Toni Larsen.
what to look for in a wedding celebrant
One of the biggest questions when planning your wedding is what to look for in a celebrant? “who’s going to marry us?!”
It’s a biggie, if not the most important. Some of you may already have a friend or relative ready to take on that awesome responsibility, but most wont. So we have a gem of an article for you today! If you are considering booking in your wedding celebrant, or if you have just started the search, here are some quick inside tips. And we’ve teamed up with the lovely Patricia Robbie to bring you some insight into what celebrants can actually do on any given wedding day.
Patricia Robbie at the Milk Station in Otaki. Photography by Alicia Scott.
FIrst Quick tips - What to consider when finding the perfect wedding celebrant:
It's all about what you are after for the ceremony, a good celebrant will listen to what you really want and ask the right questions.
Find someone that will be easy to work with you on this, to get the feel for your ceremony just right.
Trust your instinct. When you first met, did you get on with them and generally like them? Are they easy to talk to?
Never underestimate the scene the ceremony sets. How people will feel walking away from there is what you want to focus on.
Below are some practical links, resources to get you started on your wedding celebrant search:
How to get married in Aotearoa - NZ : : Marriage Licence Info : : Patricia Robbie - Celebrant : : Awesome Local Kāpiti celebrants
Patricia Robbie - Bringing a little magic!
I consider my role as a celebrant to be not too dissimilar to a fairy god mother on your wedding day (and the lead up to it).
Being a celebrant is much more than just knowing the right places to sign and speaking loud enough for those at the back. We get to head along and sprinkle some magic dust around. Setting the scene for a magic fairy tale day with those you love around you.
In my 150 weddings there is a myriad of activities I have found myself doing that are definitely not on the BDM description when applying to be a marriage celebrant. But like all good fairy Godmothers we know that some things just need to be done to make it the best day possible for our couples.
Wedding ring exchange, ceremony beautifully officiated by Patricia Robbie. Image Supplied.
To name a few of the roles I know I have held on the day when attending the wedding as celebrant and maybe staying on as MC: Chief smiler, welcome committee, leader of rouge wedding parties, stand in photography assistant, sometimes photographer, arch decorator, (or sometimes redecoration), attendee catering staff, DJ, onsite AV tech, zoom facilitator, child distractor, or even stand in babysitter, buggy rocker, baby holder, sweet or lollipop supplier, makeup artist onsite for top ups and fix ups, Hair repinner, Furniture mover, chair set up, table setter, guest guider, drinks lady, dance motivator, communicator, seamstress, assistant dresser, (both before and during), hot water bottle supplier, first aider, umbrella holder, headache eliminator, smooth talker to chase away nerves, stain remover, family mediator, toilet roll replacement, port-a-loo refill manager (water, nothing else don't worry), drink top up lady, pinhole pinner, tissue supplier, replacement bridal car hookups, photography location driver, candle mover, drinks clearer and all round problem solver.
But most importantly many of the above roles - you won't even know have been done and that there is the true magic of a fairy Godmother!
Patricia, celebrant taking on one of the many wee roles at a wedding, photography by Patina.
So when you are looking for your celebrant just know that what they say they will do for you on the day is really just a fraction of the wonder they will create, and they will love making it the day you deserve. When you say I do somewhere in behind you there might just be a "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo".
Thanks so much to Patricia Robbie for sharing her useful insights! Happy planning.