How much to spend on a marriage celebrant really depends on what you’re after and how much of a priority your ceremony is. Just like with most services, you can find a wide range of prices and it can be hard to work out how to fairly compare them and decide which represents true value for you.
Many people think that a celebrant just rocks up on the day and does a couple of hours work. Easy right?… Wrong.
Well some probably do. They might do half an hour of preparation – changing names in a template and printing the paperwork. If the ceremony part of the day is not particularly important to you, then this is fine. You’ll find these celebrants at the lower end of the price range.
I am not one of ‘those’ celebrants. For me, approximately 90% of the work I put in happens before your wedding date even rolls around. There is the time I spend face-to-face (meetings to complete paperwork and do ceremony planning), the time spent researching and writing a fully customised ceremony, help with writing your vows, ceremony prep (vow cards, paperwork etc.), and a rehearsal/final run-through to make sure everyone feels calm and confident, ready to enjoy the moment on the day.
But more than just the hours I put in, my fee is a reflection of the unique experience I give my couples. It represents the skill, knowledge, experience and professionalism I bring to the table. And it’s about me – my personality and my creativity – those extra sparkly bits that make a huge difference to your ceremony and the overall experience of working with me. It’s the icing on the cake, and what is cake without icing right?
I do not negotiate or discount my fee because I won’t compromise my service. Every one of my couples is important to me and I want to give them all the best day ever. That is why I limit the number of ceremonies I book each year – I don’t want to be run-off-my feet come wedding season and jeopardise my ability to give all my couples 100%. And so far they’ve all been very happy.
But don’t just take my word for it…
You can read a heap of 5 star reviews and testimonials from my couples here and here.
Weddings are known to be be overwhelming and expensive. My advice is to be really clear on what’s important to you make sure your budget reflects that. If you want an awesome ceremony where your guests are engaged and beautiful moments are created ready to be remembered forever, then you definitely want to invest in a celebrant who is going to make that happen.
Photo 1: Samantha Heather
Photo 2: Emma Wand