burning questions
background image: Christian and amelia by joss denham
FAQs
What is an independent celebrant?
The best thing about being an independent celebrant is that there truly are no rules! Unlike a Humanist celebrant, we are completely unrestricted, and free to include spiritual or religious content in our ceremonies - something I'm always happy to do.
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In 2020, I gained my Level 3 Diploma in Naming and Couples Celebrancy with Civil Ceremonies Ltd, so I can meet people, be nosey with impunity, and create beautiful things for beautiful people!
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Find out more here!
how do we book with you?
Hooray! I'd love to work with you, and hope you think I'm the right celebrant for you.
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First, ping me an email and we'll arrange a completely no-obligation chat to find out if we have that all-important chemistry! If we do, I'll take a deposit and the fun starts. I'll send you some questions to work through together or as a family, and then we'll meet in person to work out all the dream elements of your day.
what's included in the price?
I'm so pleased you asked...
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Your ceremony needs to be perfect, so you'll receive script revisions as we work together to bring everything to life. You'll receive my unlimited support via phone, text, email, or in person throughout the whole process, and there will be some treats along the way. If you choose to have a certificate signing during your ceremony, this will be covered by the cost.
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After your ceremony, you'll receive a presentation copy of your ceremony script for you to treasure forever!
what's not included in the price?
Depending on what you'd like to include in your ceremony, there may be a few add-ons, but don't panic! Everything will be discussed and clarified before booking, so you'll have no surprises.
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Travel outside of a 45 mile radius of YO30 is charged at 45p per mile, and accommodation expenses may also need to be paid at a flat rate of £150 per night - but we'll discuss this ahead of time.
How does payment work?
For all ceremonies and services, I take 50% of the total up front (including any travel and accommodation costs), which will secure the date for you - I won't take any other bookings for that day!
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The final balance is due at four weeks before the ceremony, and I'm always more than happy to talk about payment plans.
Where are you based? will you travel to our ceremony?
Yes please. I'm based in York in beautiful North Yorkshire, but will travel far and wide in pursuit of a good love story! I've performed ceremonies from Edinburgh to London, and it's always incredible when I'm picked from that endless nationwide list!
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Travel outside of a 45 mile radius of my home address in York (YO30) is charged at 45p per mile, and for venues over 2.5 hours away, an accommodation fee may be charged. We'll chat about all this though, don't worry!
what's the process of creating a ceremony?
This is a process fully grounded in you, and based around how you work and what you need.
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Once you're all booked in, I'll ask you a few Qs about how you prefer to be communicated with, if you have any additional needs, and we have a chat about your schedule. This is just to make sure we're on the same page and I'm doing all I can to support you. You'll receive a copy of my wee planning guide (it's new, feedback welcome...) to get your brains whirring.
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We'll get our first chat booked in - in person or online - to do a bit of a brain dump about literally everything. Ideas, plans, inspiration; we bring it all and unpack it. In the background you'll be beavering away on your questionnaires; endless questions that help me get to know you inside and out.
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After that first chat I'll put a bit of a proposal together, bringing you only the best ideas. We'll then meet again to make some decisions and then the writing can begin!
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This is really just a guideline, and the process will be tailored to you and your ceremony!
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your ceremony
will our ceremony feel like a real wedding?
Yes! Surrounded by your loved ones, running away into the woods, or chilling out in your back garden, your ceremony will be a declaration of your love, in whatever way is most meaningful to you. Every step of the way, it’s all about celebrating you in the most authentic and personal way possible.
Can you include spiritual or religious elements in our ceremony?
As a trained independent civil celebrant, I’m not restricted in the elements I can include, and we’re free to weave spiritual meaning into your ceremony if that’s what’s important to you!
so if you can't legally marry us, what do we do?
When you're looking at doing something new, it can feel like a bit of a minefield - don't worry, I've got you.
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As much as Registrars will tell you otherwise, you won't get the freedom and flexibility to be your wonderful selves with anything other than a celebrant-led ceremony. Every element can be of your choosing, and can be meaningful and joyful, without compromise! As such, a lot of couples choose to have their legal ceremony ahead of time at their local Registry Office - an elegant way of saving all the fun for your wedding ceremony! You can even mark the two anniversaries - keep the party going.
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Find your local Registry Office here.
is it more expensive to have two ceremonies?
It really doesn't have to be!
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Having your legal ceremony at a Registry Office with two witnesses costs around £50 (£46 at York Registry Office for example), leaving you free to save the rest of your pennies for your beautiful, genuine, joyful, celebrant-led wedding day!
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How long will our ceremony last?
Always a good question! One that I have a rubbish answer to: the length of your ceremony completely depends on you and what you choose to include. We're working with endless possibilities, so as much as you can, try not to let timings restrict you.
We can chat about this though, and if timings are important to you, they're important to me!
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Can we write our own vows?
Yes please! Writing your own vows is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to declare your love for one another in your own words. We'll aim for no dry eyes, belly laughs, and heaps of inside jokes.
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If you're not feeling confident, I completely get it! I can help every step of the way, and I'll kick off with sending you a copy of my Vow Writing Guide to point you in the right direction.
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My family dynamic is complicated, and I'm worried...
Families are complicated, and relationships can have a huge impact on you, your mental health, and your wedding day. I know how stressful things can become, so I want to make sure that with me, you have a space to be safe and looked after.
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Throughout the whole process, looking after you is my priority. I'll ask you about these dynamics and help you manage them - both in the run up and on the day - and work to take as much stress from you as I can.
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I'm training as a mental health first aider so I can give as much support as possible, and I'll check in with you continually about how you're doing. And I'm always so grateful when people share with me.
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