Wedding Ceremony: How To Choose A Celebrant

Wondering how to choose a celebrant to officiate your wedding? Here's what you need to know, from planning expert Bernadette Coveney Smith, owner of 14 Stories event planing firm. Have questions? Ask in the comments.

To me, the ceremony is the most important part of the wedding so you should definitely choose your wedding officiant wisely. I tell my clients that if they don’t put care into the ceremony, they are missing an opportunity to create change in the world. That’s why I refer my clients to Celebrants whenever possible.

Everyone is always saying now how it’s important to personalize your wedding... well, it starts with the ceremony because that’s one of the first experiences your guests have on your wedding day, and a great ceremony sets the tone for a fabulous party. If you really want to personalize your wedding, hire a Celebrant -- but meet several so you have a great personality fit with the person to whom you'll be bearing your soul!

I myself was married by a Celebrant -– Cindy Matchett from Massachusetts. She’s a very special person to my family as she not only officiated our wedding but she also led our son’s baby blessing and officiated the weddings of some of our dearest friends. She means the world to us and people are still saying how our wedding was the best they’d ever been to -– and it all started with what Cindy created for the ceremony.

Couples who hire Celebrants are generally spiritual but not religious and want a ceremony that combines their cultural backgrounds and religious traditions with their own unique identities. They want a ceremony that tells the story of who they are as a couple. They want a ceremony that is meaningful and poignant without being preachy. If that sounds like you, then a Celebrant can be a great choice for your own wedding.