Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Wedding Celebrant? 

A wedding celebrant is professionally trained and fully insured, with the skills and experience to create completely bespoke and personalised ceremonies.

How does a ceremony with a Wedding Celebrant differ from a civil wedding ceremony?

A celebrant has no restrictions in terms of the content, format or style of a wedding, and can therefore be completely personalised. “I include many of the elements that you and your guests would expect to see at a wedding (exchange of vows and rings etc), but also many beautiful details about the couple and often guest involvement too”, Thus providing a ceremony that is warm and relaxed so that we create lovely lasting memories for everyone attending.

Do we need to get legally married before we have a celebrant ceremony?

Yes, weddings with a celebrant will require a couple to arrange their legal paperwork separately from their actual ceremony. They can book the “signing room” at their local registration office, take two witnesses along, and literally just sign the documents, saving their vows and rings, and everything else until their actual celebration date. This option saves both time and fees as you are literally just signing paperwork, and the registrar is not then required to print a ceremony script, or reserve space for you

Can a ceremony with a wedding celebrant be held both indoors and outdoors?

Of course it can. As trends for outdoor weddings continue to the rise, a celebrant can often unlock the potential within a dedicated wedding venue because celebrant ceremonies are not required to take place underneath a permanent licensed structure. “Nowadays many weddings are outdoors (with marquees as a wet weather back up plan), and this provides couples with much more flexibility in terms of setting.” If you opt for an outdoor celebrant ceremony then you can position yourselves anywhere so long as the wedding venue has granted permission for you to do so. You can take advantage of fantastic views at a venue, and have these as the backdrop to your day, and use the inside space for the wedding breakfast and evening reception? Explore all possibilities for ceremony settings at your venue and remember it does not need to be licensed if using a celebrant. Choose your own dream location!

Does it matter what culture, faith or religion I am?

No. The content of a celebrant ceremony is not restricted to any culture, faith or religion. If you wish to also incorporate a cultural or religious tradition into your ceremony, you can.

What is involved?

Consultation

Secure your date!

Writing commences

Venue visit

We shape your ceremony

Check-in call

Your big day!

Click here for more details on your legal signing, and the process behind planning your celebrant-led wedding.

Can I have more information about your fees and service?

Of course!  As your celebrant, I provide a very bespoke service and my fees vary depending on the location, type and scale of the event, and the number of client meetings and points of liaison/complexity (wedding planners etc).
See below a guide on my fees:

  • Weddings from £500
  • Vow Renewals of Vows from £350 (after 4:30pm/evenings or weekday)
  • Vow Renewals on peak weekend dates during the daytime are subject to an increased fee as these are normally reserved for weddings
  • Baby Naming ceremonies from £250

(My fees apply to all venues and settings within a 20 mile radius of Elgin.  Outwith my local area, travel (and other associated fees) will apply but are agreed with each client on an individual basis.) 

Setting your budget can be difficult, especially for such a special day, but let us help to make a huge difference to your planning stage, with a professional process in place, lots of great knowledge to prepare you for your big day and answer any questions that you may have.

See Terms and Conditions

How does a ceremony with a wedding celebrant differ from a civil wedding ceremony?

A celebrant has no restrictions in terms of the content, format or style of a wedding, and can therefore be completely personalised. “I include many of the elements that you and your guests would expect to see at a wedding (exchange of vows and rings etc), but also many beautiful details about the couple and often guest involvement too”, Thus providing a ceremony that is warm and relaxed so that we create lovely lasting memories for everyone attending.

Why book  a Ceremony with Derek?

When you book, you really are in safe hands!  I care about you and will provide warmth and charisma throughout the ceremony to make sure you feel as relaxed as possible, and ready to enjoy your happy celebration.

 

  • There are NO RESTRICTIONS with a celebrant
  • You get to chat so I can learn more about you and personalise the service accordingly!
  • You choose to have your ceremony where and when you want to
  • You can also shape the content, the format and the feel of your day as well

 Pop over to see my blog posts here, on why a celebrant-led ceremony could be for you.