Your Wedding Celebrant

Your wedding celebrant plays a crucial role in the way your wedding ceremony is conducted. So therefore, it's important to find a celebrant that you both feel comfortable with and who you feel will conduct the ceremony in the manner and style that you want. It is also important to find a celebrant who listens to what you want and offers you advice and ideas.

Once you have found your wedding celebrant, you should:

• Confirm the date and venue
• Agree how many meetings and rehearsals you will have
• Confirm the wedding celebrant's fees and payment schedule
• Decide whether or not your celebrant is invited for a celebratory drink

Don't forget! Before your wedding can take place, you must make sure you met all the legal requirements for marriage. You must be at least 16 years old (with parental consent), have a marriage or wedding certificate, legal documents must be signed at the wedding in the presence of two chosen witnesses and a registered marriage celebrant and in the ceremony the bride and groom must say "I, Alice Jones, take you, Peter Smith to be my legal husband", or words to that effect, and vice versa.

Your wedding celebrant should be able to answer any questions about your ceremony.
There are many ways of finding your wedding celebrant including:

• Word of mouth recommendation
• Phone book
• Online wedding celebrant advertising
• Through your wedding planner / wedding venue

However you find your wedding celebrant, do make sure you're happy with your choice. Your wedding ceremony is one of the most important rituals and celebrations in your life, so you want to be sure it is celebrated by someone you really have 'clicked' with.

More About Wedding Celebrants

View NZ Wedding Guide's wedding celebrants information, or return to NZ Wedding Guide's main page.