What is a Civil Marriage Celebrant?
A Civil Marriage Celebrant is a person who is registered by the Australian Attorneys Department Government to authorise legal marriages according to the Marriage Act 1961. Registered Marriage Celebrants are regulated by the Attorney General’s Department.

What is the process to become a Civil Marriage Celebrant?
Persons must successfully complete a Certificate IV Celebrancy, submit an application for registration to the Attorney General’s department, successfully answer a series of legal questions about marriage law and process, and be deemed a “fit and proper” person by the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants to qualify for registration as a Marriage Celebrant.

To maintain registration, a Civil Marriage Celebrant must pay an annual registration fee, complete 1.5 hours of Professional Development per year, use specific forms and stationery to carry out their duties and comply with the Code of Practice for Marriage Celebrants.

What do Marriage Celebrants do?
Marriage Celebrants are authorised to formalise marriages according to the law in Australia under the Marriage Act 1961. Marriage Celebrants ensure all legal marriage documentation is prepared correctly. They also provide information and guidance to the couple pertaining to the marriage ceremony. They also create and deliver marriage ceremonies according the couple’s needs and expectations.

What are the advantages of choosing a Civil Marriage Celebrant?
In contrast to religious or registry office authorities, a Civil Marriage Celebrant has greater flexibility when it comes to providing couples with choice regarding their ceremony content and location. A Civil Marriage Celebrant can provide couples the opportunity to express their love, relationship and commitment in a ceremony that is uniquely their own.

Are Civil Marriage Celebrants all the same?
Civil Marriage Celebrants have varying degrees of dedication, skill experience and practice. There are over 9,000 Commonwealth registered Marriage celebrants in Australia. A great wedding celebrant invests considerable time and skill to a marriage ceremony. They are motivated by a genuine passion for the art of ceremony creation and presentation.

There are 8,000+ Marriage Celebrants in Australia. All have different levels of skill, experience and service.

If you don’t have the bonus of knowing a great Wedding Celebrant, it can be hard to know what to look for, let alone who to hire.

Here’s seven skills and personality traits consistent with successful Wedding Celebrants.

1. They know how seriously important your wedding day is to you

Great wedding celebrants won’t let you down. Their level of commitment is off the dial. They spend a lot of time getting to know you, creating and writing your ceremony as well as practicing its presentation. Super organized with excellent time management skills; nothing fazes them. A great celebrant affords you the luxury of being able to relax and enjoy your ceremony – which makes your guests have a good time too.

2. They’re awesome presenters

A great wedding celebrant is a storyteller. They are fun and engaging. Their confidence shows in their face, gestures and body language. They don’t rush. They allow pauses. They know what they’re doing, and this confidence draws the couple and their guests. They make the couple, and their guests feel connected. They take them on an emotional journey that is pure bliss!

3. They know how to create memorable moments

Great wedding celebrants know that the best marriage ceremonies are entrenched in truth and created with intention. They listen and decode everything that their couples say and do so that they can create a ceremony that is authentic. The writing process can take hours, even days to find the right words to convey the couple’s distinctive character. They are patient. The value of a great celebrant is that your marriage ceremony is unique. It is exclusively yours – personal and heartfelt.

4. They value collaboration

A great wedding celebrant is a good communicator who creates rapport easily to get the best from a couple. Often couples do not exactly know what they want for their ceremony, or they may know what they want, but struggle to express it. A great celebrant is intuitive. They listen to their couples on a deep level to assess their needs and determine their vision. A great wedding celebrant provides a copy of the ceremony for review. They value the couple’s input.

5. They’re fun and creative

Great wedding celebrants don’t take themselves too seriously. They behave ethically but know how to combine the serious matter of getting married with the fun side of planning a wedding. They are creative. They welcome ideas, perspectives and offer lots of ideas and choice. They are relentless learners and seek new influences and inspiration to fuel ideas, and to enhance their writing and presentation skills.

6. They’re more than willing to help you

A great wedding celebrant provides lots of ideas and information about ceremony design and content. They provide help with writing marriage vows, offer suggestions for wedding music and readings. They work with their couples to devise ways to include family, friends, traditions, cultural and faiths. They know a wedding is a mix of heightened emotions. They offer experience in dealing with logistics, family dynamics, and high expectations. They continue to educate themselves in legal matters, ceremony creation and relationship issues. They actively seek to improve their practice.

7. And, they’re really good at creating an awesome atmosphere

A great wedding celebrant hosts your wedding ceremony. They set the vibe and make everyone feel welcomed. They mesh easily with your guests. They have an awesome PA system so that everyone can hear your marriage ceremony. They are calm and professional. They can manage any challenge that may arise on your wedding day – before or during the ceremony. If problems arise on the day, you can rely on them to act on your behalf, knowing they have your best interest at heart. Your enjoymentis their number one priority.

If you want to learn more about choosing a Wedding Celebrant? Check out my useful tips.