10 Questions to ask your future Celebrant

First inquiry meetings, I’ve experienced a few…

And I can’t help noticing that many couples ask similar questions that (to be honest), don’t seem as relevant as they could be.
So instead of sitting back and asking the same mis-guided questions time and time again, I’ve decided to help out future couples.
Here’s what I believe you need to know about the person who’s not only going to make it legal but be the party-starter for your big day!

1. What’s your jam?
   I consider this the most important question because if they’re not your bag, then you should cut the chord immediately.
   If they don’t naturally fall into the vibe of what you’re wanting for your wedding, there is always someone that will.

2. What’s your postponement policy?
   Let’s face it, the world will probably never be the same since we found ourselves living with ‘Aunty Rona’… and the wedding industry has been heavily hit by its brutal fire.
   Rather than waiting for the conversation if the time comes that you need to postpone, have it now so you know what to expect.
   It’s much friendlier (and less awkward) for everyone involved.

3. How are you going to make us feel on the day?
   I’m a firm believer that it’s my role to ensure you both remain calm, relaxed and are ready to have a great time… but that wouldn’t be everyone’s style or priority, so ask them…
   They might have something else that resonates for you!

4. Vow writing - can you help?
   It’s a really common question and you want to know if they can help (like I always do) and what resources they can share to get things moving…

5. Do we need a rehearsal?
   It’s a valid question - you want things to run smoothly on your big day.
   My personal answer, as a celebrant who’s done a few weddings and dealt with plenty of the offbeat and unusual pre ceremony is that a rehearsal is not going to make or break your wedding day, but it's always up to you both and if you want one, you should have one!
   If you want to know why I prefer grabbing a drink instead, read this blog!

6. What’s the process?
   It’s nice to know the basic timeline, especially if your wedding is planned for a year’s time or more. You kind of want to know if months go by that you’re not chatting, everything’s cool.

7. If your head falls off, can you find us another celebrant?
   I’d suggest that most celebrants have a back-up person in mind, or a fabulous network they can call upon, but it’s worth asking if it’s on your mind. So far, I’ve never had to call on mine but rest assured, I know a fabulous bunch of like-minded celebrants if I did!

8. What if anything goes wrong, what will you do?
   This often comes up in my chats without being asked, but if nothing else, it’s a great way to get some funny stories.

9. We want a simple/small/different wedding.
   Can you accomodate?
   Whatever you have in mind, you celebrant should be able to help with ideas and great examples from past experiences.
   Even if you don’t know exactly what you want, let your celebrant know the types of options you’re keen to explore and let them jam ideas!

10. How the f**k can we lock you in?
    If I had $100 every time I heard this… sigh.
    No seriously, if you love them, lock them in before somebody else does!

Questions I wouldn’t bother with.

• Are you available?
  Any good celebrant will give you this info straight up before you need to meet.

• How much?
  As above, but remember price does not equal quality so even if they’re a bit over budget ask yourself if you want someone who just makes it legal in your price range, or sets the mood for your day of days?

• How long have you been a celebrant?
  It’s not how long you've been here, it's what you do with what you’ve got that counts!
  I’ve seen ‘new’ celebrants absolutely kick the shit out of weddings, and there are some floating around who really need a new day job.

• What are your qualifications?
  Us celebrants all have the same ones, and as long as they’re on the register, it’s all in how they use it that matters.

• What’s the process to getting legally wed?
  They’ll go through all the legal requirements and everything else sure, just let them talk.

• Do you have a PA?
  As much as I can holler, my obligations mean I need to be heard by all your guest to do my thing properly, so yeah a PA helps. A celebrant’s ins and outs should be outlined during part of your initial enquiries, but if you have something techie or extra special you need to know then you ask away

So go forth and book in your initial meeting armed with the knowledge that you’re not going to bore the pants off each other and you might all think, ‘wow, us cats are pretty damn cool!’