How To Be A Great Wedding Celebrant (Tips, Tricks & How-To’s)  

A good wedding celebrant is more than a master of ceremonies; they are a guide –physically, mentally, and spiritually assisting the happy couple to achieve a beautiful wedding day.

At its core, a good celebrant should be empathetic, patient and calm – soothing the day-of nerves and articulating the formalities of the wedding ceremony for the bride and groom. A good celebrant will meticulously plan ahead of the date, understand the couples’ dreams, desires and future ambitions, and craft a wedding ceremony accordingly.

It is the rigorous planning that makes a wedding ceremony feel “easy” or “smooth”. Like they say, “it takes years to be an overnight success”.

So, in this context, if you’re looking to become a celebrant, or sharpen your skills as a celebrant, here are the top considerations one should think about to be remembered as a magnificent wedding celebrant.

Be highly empathetic and listen more than you talk.

A good celebrant can empathise with a diverse range of people and dig deeply to understand their true motivations and love. Be an active listener when you meet your couple. Listen more than you talk. Ask probing questions to help them articulate their love for one another, and what they desire from the ceremony and specifically ask them “what would GREAT look like at your ceremony?”.

Ensure you have exceptional communication skills.

Celebrants are communicators, and you need to be very strong at communication. Your words are your tools, so refining your communication and vernacular is imperative. You need to articulate your vision after speaking with the couple, and also help explain to them the rituals, traditions, and how to best approach the formalities of the day.

Think above and beyond your remit as a celebrant.

A good celebrant has an eye for detail. They have working to-do lists and run sheets to ensure no topic, area or need is missed from the ceremony. Celebrants can also make suggestions to the would-be married couple, suggestions on how to handle rain, traffic delays or other similar day-of issues that may unfold.

Furthermore, making suggestions for things such as wedding insurance can show you are a lateral thinker who is thinking above and beyond the basics – further setting you apart from the many other celebrants out there.

Ask lots of questions and note down the small details for your ceremony.

Ensure you have a clean, neat and organised notebook to write down the particulars of your client’s desires and their ceremony. Write down how the couple interacted when discussing how they met, and write down the look in their eye when they spoke about the future. These little details you notice and write down can be invaluable when writing your opening points for the ceremony.

Be creative in your approach to the ceremony, in line with the couple’s wishes.

Once you listen to your clients, and interpret their desires, don’t be afraid to offer up ideas to give them creative input. Most couples want the day to run smoothly, and for a fun and caring celebrant, so it’s very important to try and think through how to creatively execute that vision.

You are more than an officiator – they see you as a professional.

While you may see yourself as simply the officiator of the wedding ceremony, to the couple you are the experienced one, the “adult” if you will in a situation that is both scary and unfamiliar to them. Own this position and take on the role of a professional who helps calm nerves, reiterate the positives and steer them clear of overly worrying about what they cannot control. Your goal is to make the couple feel valued, heard and loved, while making the audience feel included and embraced.

What does it all mean?

To summarise, a good celebrant transcends merely officiating the wedding; a good celebrant has a profound commitment to empathy, overcommunication, attention to detail, creativity and professionalism.

A celebrant who will be remembered possesses these qualities and listens twice as much as they speak. A great celebrant will communicate with warmth and clarity, ensuring that every word spoken has been chosen with intention. Additionally, they will approach their role with creativity and openness to embrace all beliefs and a desire to add value both before, during and after the ceremony.

If you’re an existing celebrant, or a soon-to-be celebrant, always go the extra mile. It will see you chosen as the desired celebrant (against many others) and create word of mouth for your next wedding. In doing so, celebrants not only create cherished memories for the couples they serve but also leave a lasting impression that speaks volumes about their professionalism and commitment to excellence.