Registrar vs Celebrant: What’s the difference, and which is right for your wedding?
One of the most asked questions asked to a Celebrant has got to be “What’s actually the difference between a registrar and a celebrant?”
If you’re planning your wedding and wondering which would work best for you, I hope this blog post helps you decide!
I worked as a registrar for several years before training as a celebrant, so I’ve experienced both sides. Whilst both roles are involved in weddings, the experience they offer can feel very different depending on the kind of ceremony you’re hoping to have.
Here’s a simple breakdown to help you work out what would work best for you.
What does a registrar do?
A registrar conducts the legal part of a marriage on behalf of the Local Authority.
They’re responsible for making sure all the legal requirements are met and that the marriage itself is legally valid.
Registrars conduct ceremonies in:
Register offices
Council owned ceremony rooms
Approved licensed premises (hotels, historic buildings etc)
The ceremonies conducted by registrars are restricted because they simply have to be in order to be legal. For example, you have to say the declaratory words, and make a verbal contract with the person you are marrying - otherwise you wouldn’t be legally married. There are also restrictions on the:
structure
timing
location
personalised content
Registrars can’t include anything remotely religious or spiritual in a civil ceremony, and ceremonies are often delivered within a set time slot (Roughly 9am-3pm).
What does a celebrant do?
A celebrant creates and leads a ceremony that is completely personalised to you.
Celebrant ceremonies are centred around your story, you personalities, and the atmosphere you want to create. A celebrant cannot legally marry you.
When you have a celebrant ceremony you get:
a ceremony written from scratch, all about you
Personal vows
freedom to involve family, friends, pets (some registrars may allow you to do this too)
the possibility of including religious elements or rituals, like a handfasting
freedom to have your ceremony anywhere
There is usually far more flexibility with both the tone and the structure of your ceremony too - wheter you want something relaxed and informal, emotional and romantic, or full of humour and storytelling.
So…which is better?
Neither is better - it completely depends on what matters to you both as a couple.
Some couples want a straightforward legal ceremony and are very happy with that. Others just want the legal part and the ceremony all done at the same time as it feels simpler.
Many couples these days want the ceremony itself to feel like the heart of the day - something really personal that reflects who they are.
This can also open up more options for outdoor weddings and unique venues, especially here in South Wales where outdoor ceremonies are becoming more and more popular.
Most couples who choose a celebrant-led ceremony will have:
a simple legal marriage at the register office (a statutory ceremony costs only £62 plus notices of marriage and certificates)
followed by a celebrant-led ceremony that feels much more personal and flexible
Why I chose to become a celebrant after working as a registrar
Working as a registrar gave me such a valuable insight into weddings and ceremonies, and I’ll always be so grateful for that experience. I was lucky to work with and for some amazing women!
Over time though, I realised the part I was really missing out on was getting to know the couples properly and creating ceremonies that they really wanted to be a part of.
That’s what eventually led me to train as a celebrant.
I loved the idea of being able to create ceremonies without restrictions, where couples could include the things that mattered to them both and have a ceremony that truly felt like theirs.
At the end of the day, your wedding should be exactly as you want it. Whether you choose a registrar, a celebrant, or both, the most important thing is that it feels right for you.
And if you’re currently exploring celebrant-led weddings in South Wales and want to chat about what’s possible, I’m always happy to have a conversation. Contact me here
I’ve written a post about how to get legally married without compromising your ceremony