What does a Celebrant do at a Wedding?
If you are reading this and you are a couple who recently got engaged – congratulations to you both.
If you are reading this and you know someone who recently got engaged – please do share this with them.
There are so many options out there when it comes to wedding planning. The important thing to remember is that if you live in the uk, you must be legally married by a registrar at a registry office or a licensed venue. This is what is required by uk law and is called “The marriage”.
There will be a local registrar office near to where you live. It will have a contact person and a process that you will go through. You can choose what size room to have depending on the number of your guests. Some people choose to do this with only 2 guests as their witnesses and others will have their 2 witnesses and lots more guests.
It all depends on what you choose to have. Do remember that the bigger the room, the more it will cost. The registrar will conduct the marriage, following the process and agreed wording of the uk law.
Bespoke Ceremonies with a Wedding Celebrant
There is then the option of having a Celebrant led wedding ceremony. This is not a legal requirement so you can have it on a day of your choice, a venue of your choice, include whatever readings, poems or live music you would like to have. If you have pets, you can even include them in the ceremony as well.
How does that sound?
A Wedding Celebrant can offer so many unique personalised moments during your wedding ceremony. These can include symbolic ceremonies like the unity candle, handfasting, sand ceremony and so many others.
Celebrants for Asian, Hindi and Indian Weddings in the UK
However, if you choose a Celebrant like me, who has an understanding and some knowledge of the Asian culture you can include a prayer or a mantra in Sanskrit. You could even include the Mangalsutra or Sindoor ceremonies. The options are many but the important part is that the ceremony is designed specifically around you both and your own unique and special personalities.
Many couples choose to have both the legal marriage and wedding ceremony as separate events, therefore, abiding by UK law and still having the ceremony of their choice.
Some will choose to have an Asian or religious ceremony and those who are not so religious but more spiritual find the Celebrant wedding allows them to express who they are in a way that suits them and is personalised to them.
I am just one of many Wedding Celebrants and there are many others who have their own specialisms from forest weddings, festival style, destination weddings and so many others where rituals and symbolic moments can be included.
So when you are sitting there wondering how to make your day extra special do think about how a wedding celebrant could just make your wedding ceremony that extra special and memorable for years to come.
Take a look at some of the multicultural weddings I have officiated
The one thing I would ask you to always remember is that there are 2 parts to consider: the legal marriage and the wedding ceremony.
Sonal Dave is a Ceremonies Celebrant and Lady Toastmaster. Her services can include symbolic Asian rituals, the sand ceremony and many other symbolic moments, Her languages include English, Gujarati and basic Hindi. As a Professional Public Speaking Coach, Sonal can also assist you with speech, vow writing and building your confidence when speaking at an event.
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