Using a celebrant
Many people choose a celebrant because they want a highly personalised (usually non-religious) ceremony, but a celebrant may also provide you with a ceremony that is more or less ready to go.
Who can be a celebrant
A celebrant who can legally solemnise your marriage, and sign your marriage certificates, must be registered as a marriage celebrant with Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM), which is part of the NZ Department of Internal Affairs. Although being of good character etc is a pre-requisite for registration, training is not required by BDM. However Auckland University of Technology has recently been offering a Certificate in Celebrant Studies, which is increasingly popular with contemporary celebrants.
How to approach choosing a celebrant
- Ask your family, friends & colleagues if they have used a celebrant recently, and have been pleased with the service they received.
- Or perhaps they or you may have attended a wedding (or funeral or other ceremony) where you were impressed with the celebrant? Contact the family or couple concerned and ask who their celebrant was. Or check out the "Order of Service" sheet if you still have it! It may state the celebrant's name.
- Check out places like the paper and internet Yellow Pages, the various bridal magazines, and try searching the internet. There are also a number of professional associations for celebrants eg the Celebrants Association of NZ has a website listing all its members by area (www.celebranz.org.nz)
- Unless you have a strong recommendation for a particular celebrant, make sure you meet at least two.
- If your recommended celebrant is not available on your date, ask them to recommend a colleague (or two!)
- You may prefer a celebrant from a particular cultural background, or one who speaks a certain language. When shopping for a celebrant, don't hesitate to be direct about your requirements.
- You can generally expect a short, obligation-free, face-to-face interview with any good potential celebrant. Go with a list of your own questions (eg you want a Buddhist prayer included in the ceremony, or you wish to write your own vows - is your celebrant willing to accommodate this?). And make sure to check out whether the celebrant will listen to what you want, and tailor the ceremony to you.
- Ask yourself: Am I comfortable with this person? Are they taking a flexible, professional approach to us, and our big day? Do they have the style and presence required to perform our ceremony?
Expect to pay something in the range of $250-$600 plus, depending on how personalised you want your ceremony to be, how far the celebrant must travel to your venue etc. A celebrant's fee will also depend on their level of training, experience, and popularity. In many cases, expect to pay a deposit to secure your booking.
When choosing your celebrant be sure you feel confident that you will enjoy working with them. If you don't feel comfortable with a celebrant, choose someone else! Shop around early so you have plenty of choice!
