Skip to main content

Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

S
Beginner August 2026 Perthshire

Celebrant wedding

Shelley, 27 January, 2024 at 22:35 Posted on Etiquette and Advice 0 14
Hello,
I like the idea of a celebrant wedding, but do you have to do the legal bit before hand, or can you have a celebrant wedding and get married after ?

14 replies

Latest activity by Jamiejohn, 2 December, 2025 at 14:42
  • A
    Dedicated March 2024 Essex
    Alison ·
    • Report
    • Hide content
    I read somewhere that a lot of registrars won’t do this unfortunately. Would be worth checking with your local council before getting too excited about anything.
    • Reply
  • R
    Genius July 2020 Monmouthshire
    RomanticGreenStationery27135 ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    It's more common to do it the other way around, but there's no reason why a non-legal ceremony should prevent you getting legally married after. A lot of people refer to doing the 'legal bit' and then having their 'real wedding' after, but the truth is that the 'legal bit' IS the marriage ceremony for legal purposes, although of course, couples can choose to celebrate whatever day they want as their 'anniversary'.

    I know you do have to make sure that you don't have a ceremony that looks like a legal wedding but isn't (or at least, that was the case a few year ago - it might have changed now). So you can't have the set vows that have to be said for a legal marriage if it isn't your legal wedding.

    • Reply
  • F
    Beginner October 2025 Buckinghamshire
    Faye ·
    • Report
    • Hide content
    Hi,
    We’ve booked a celebrant for our wedding next October and honestly we’re so excited. I had a few hesitations at first but after speaking to her more and knowing our ceremony will be completely built around our relationship is just too lovely!
    We’re planning to do our legal ceremony about 3/4 weeks before the wedding. It’ll just be a 2+2 ceremony and we’re just thinking of it as signing legal forms and not making a big deal out of it at all.
    But everyone is different, I would say research and talk to different celebrants and if it feels right, go for it! X
    • Reply
  • M
    Curious February 2025 Essex
    Miss ·
    • Report
    • Hide content
    We are doing this as we want a more personal/fun ceremony rather than the very "contractual business like" ceremony of a civil ceremony conducted by registrars (we aren't religious so wouldn't marry in a church).


    We plan on "doing the legal bit" on the morning of our "wedding"
    We have our venue booked for 17th Feb next year. Unfortunately, despite the registry office supposedly booking 12 months in advance for weddings, they currently only have their diary open until October this year!! So we can't physically book our "legal bit" until whenever they open their diary for Feb! And, they're unable (or unwilling) to actually tell me when that will be!
    The ideal would be quick legal bit v early in the morning and then our "wedding" later that afternoon but, if we need to do it before that or after, so be it. To us, that isn't "our wedding" (though legally it is)
    Celebrant lead weddings are not legally recognised so if you're having a celebrant, you will need to attend a registry office for the paperwork at some point.
    For a registrar to come to our venue to "marry us" it would cost almost £700!!! Celebrants tend to be £500-600 and the registry office service is £70
    We are actually having a friend conduct our celebrant ceremony so isn't costing us anything. Meaning we just pay the £70 for "the legal bit" so, it's much cheaper that way!
    • Reply
  • R
    Genius July 2020 Monmouthshire
    RomanticGreenStationery27135 ·
    • Report
    • Hide content
    View quoted message

    Presumably there would be nothing to stop the registrar moving on as soon as the 'legal bit' was done, so as long as the venue was happy, the ceremony could continue after he/she left?

    We had a church wedding but needed a registrar to attend as the church didn't have a person to register the marriage themselves. She left as soon as the vows and signing were done and we carried on with the rest of the wedding service.

    • Reply
  • PhotographybyBillHaddon
    VIP January 3000 Leicestershire
    PhotographybyBillHaddon ·
    • Report
    • Hide content
    View quoted message

    "Presumably there would be nothing to stop the registrar moving on as soon as the 'legal bit' was done, so as long as the venue was happy, the ceremony could continue after he/she left?"

    In theory but I am not sure what the registration service would have to say about that but probably nothing they can do once it has been done but not sure of their position if they were to find out before - each authority have slightly different "rules" that they apply.

    I have shot a wedding that had the registrar lead ceremony then there was a short drinks reception and then a pagan ceremony followed but that went outside afterwards.

    The issue would be that you are paying twice, once for the registrars to come out and then the celebrant. Also if it was done this way I wonder what the guests would think about the couple seeming to do the wedding twice and the whole thing possibly lasting longer than a Church wedding, especially in the middle of summer in a room without air con. (Churches are usually loverly and cool in the Summer )

    • Reply
  • Geometry
    Beginner October 2025 New York
    Geometry ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    We’re actually planning something similar – doing the legal signing at the registry office a day or two before, then having the proper celebrant ceremony with all our friends and family afterwards. From what I’ve been told, the ‘legal bit’ is usually really short and quite plain, so lots of couples treat that as the paperwork and then make their real Geometry Dash wedding day the one with the celebrant. It seems to give the best of both worlds – you’re legally covered but still get the personal, meaningful ceremony you want.

    • Reply
  • Mike
    Beginner August 2026 Co Londonderry
    Mike ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    Planning a celebrant wedding involves careful attention to details, from the ceremony script to personalized touches that make the day memorable. For couples who also enjoy exploring useful apps for event planning and organization, RISEAPK offers a variety of tools that can simplify the process and enhance the experience.

    • Reply
  • Mohsin
    Monmouthshire
    Mohsin ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    John Pye Hornsby is your local expert for real estate and property management. john pye real estate & property management hornsby offers comprehensive solutions to help you buy, sell, or manage your property efficiently and professionally.

    • Reply
  • Markus
    Beginner December 2024 South West London
    Markus ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    Hey, ik probeerde al maanden genoeg te sparen voor een nieuwe laptop, maar er kwam steeds iets tussen. Toen raadde een vriend me duospin casino aan. In het begin verloor ik wat, maar na een iets grotere inzet draaide het ineens helemaal om. De winst was precies wat ik nodig had om de laptop te kopen. Wat ik echt top vind: spelers uit Nederlands krijgen daar extra bonussen en acties. Zeker de moeite waard.

    • Reply
  • Hunter
    Beginner December 2020 Monmouthshire
    Hunter ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    Magis TV offers an extensive entertainment experience without the need for subscriptions. this app delivers smooth and reliable performance. Additionally, many users still prefer Magis TV for Old Version APK ensure compatibility with older Android devices or to maintain the classic interface and features they love.

    • Reply
  • Jhonyjhon
    Beginner November 2025 Derbyshire
    Jhonyjhon ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    Such a great question, Shelley! A celebrant wedding can be such a meaningful and personal way to celebrate your day. Usually, couples do the legal paperwork beforehand, but you can absolutely have the celebrant wedding first and handle the legal part afterward if that feels right for you. The order is really flexible—kind of like choosing the perfect บาคาร่า move, you just go with what fits your style and comfort.

    • Reply
  • APK
    Beginner November 2025 Pakistan
    APK ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    You absolutely can have a celebrant wedding first. Many couples choose to do the quick legal paperwork beforehand (or even after) and then enjoy the full, personalised celebrant ceremony on the day that really matters to them. The celebrant part is all about creating the meaningful, symbolic celebration, while the legal signing can be done whenever it suits you best.

    Hope that helps!
    บาคาร่า 99

    • Reply
  • Jamiejohn
    Devon
    Jamiejohn ·
    • Report
    • Hide content

    Good catch on the login‑test environment issue — making sure systems work correctly before going live is really important to avoid messy surprises with client access or data. For anyone interested in broader guidance on tech tools, finance, real estate, and clear walkthroughs, https://todaynest.us/ is a site that often breaks down these kinds of topics in simple, easy‑to‑understand articles.

    • Reply

You voted for . Add a comment 👇

×

Related articles

General groups

Hitched article topics