If you are visiting this website it’s more than likely that you are already aware of the role of the celebrant…unless you want to find out more, in which case this blog is for you!
Imagine the role of the vicar in years gone by. Everyone in a community would have gone to church and the church minister would have been responsible for helping with key points of transition in their parishioner’s lives; baptisms, weddings and funerals.
There are still families for whom this model is very appropriate, through their place of worship. However, for many people, faith is no longer the centre of their lives and they want their important life celebrations to be focused on the individual, completely bespoke and personal.
The celebrant is usually the central person who delivers the ceremony, they are the facilitator, the adviser, the resource person, the co-creator of the ceremony, and the director.
A celebrant, by this definition, does not come from the standpoint of any doctrinal belief or unbelief. A trained celebrant operates professionally on the principle that their own beliefs and values are not relevant. Celebrants are as diverse as the families and couples they work alongside.
So…..do you want to acknowledge the arrival of a child? In the church you would have a baptism, with a celebrant there would more likely be a naming ceremony, focusing on the child and their family. Funerals are often celebratory, capturing the essence of the individual through memories, music, words and even down to where the ceremony is held. Weddings can be as diverse and exciting as the imagination dares. Meghan and Harry’s wedding broke the mould and represented all aspects of them, yours can, and should, too.
How do you know you have the correct Celebrant for you?
You are handing over important life events to someone else to help you to create the celebration of your hearts desire so you need to ensure that the person you have chosen is right for you. Talk to them, ask them questions, see if you have a connection, do you trust them? Listen to what your heart is telling you.
There are many blogs about how to pick your perfect wedding celebrant and Celebrant Rachel encourages couples to meet with her before they decide if she is the celebrant for them. For celebrations of life, funeral directors often recommend a specific individual. They have a range of celebrants that they regularly work with and trust and are skilled at matching families to officiants. If you attended a service with a particular celebrant that you liked, ensure you ask them for their card. They would be honoured to help you when you need them most.
May 2018