How to Save Money on a Wedding Celebrant

For an extra touch of personalisation, you may choose to hire a celebrant for your big day. A wedding celebrant is a professional who will officiate your wedding by getting to know you to ensure your ceremony is customised and deeply personal to you and your spouse-to-be. Many couples choose to hire a celebrant for multi-faith weddings or if they don’t have any religious beliefs at all.

This added personalisation does come at a price. In the UK, couples spend an average of around £500 when hiring a celebrant to officiate their wedding. When you consider that the overall average amount spent on a wedding is £2-,775, this can be a difficult cost to justify, especially as a celebrant isn’t something you necessarily need.

If you’re excited to hire a celebrant so your wedding ceremony is unique to you, but you’re not sure your budget can stretch that far, there are ways you can hire a celebrant for less.

In this post, we’re going to explore how you can save money on a wedding celebrant and still have a fabulous and highly personalised wedding ceremony.

Why are wedding celebrants so expensive?

Your celebrant may seem only to officiate your wedding, which at the most might take 45 minutes to an hour on the day itself. But there’s so much more to the service a celebrant provides.

To achieve the level of personalisation that comes with hiring a celebrant, many hours of preparation are needed. This includes meeting with you to discuss what you’re looking for. During this time they’ll also ask you questions about your relationship with your partner and your history together. This then enables them to write a carefully written script for your big day.

On top of this, a reputable celebrant will have years of training and experience behind them. That way, you can be confident that they’ll be able to officiate your wedding and meet exactly what you’re looking for.

Discover more from experienced celebrant and founder of Velvet Moon Ceremonies, Natalie Beer, in our post on the cost of a wedding celebrant.

If you hire a celebrant you’ll also need to hire a registrar

It’s important to remember that a celebrant and a registrar aren’t the same. A celebrant can’t legally marry you, whereas a registrar can. So, if you’re looking to hire a celebrant, you’ll also need to bear in mind the costs involved with booking a registrar to make sure everything’s legal – and this will set you back around £300.

Do you have to hire a celebrant for your wedding?

Whether or not you hire a celebrant for your wedding is entirely up to you, your tastes and your budget. If you’re not interested in a religious or spiritual wedding, or you and your partner have different beliefs, a celebrant is a wonderful way for someone to officiate your wedding.

Or, you may simply want a professional celebrant to ensure you have a ceremony that’s completely unlike any wedding you and your guests have ever been to.

10 ways to save money on a wedding celebrant

If you want to hire a celebrant to officiate your wedding, but you’re on a strict budget, there are ways you can pay less. Below are 10 ways you can save money on a wedding celebrant. For even more ways to cut costs, you can also read our ultimate guide on how to save money on your wedding.

1. Don’t hire the first celebrant you speak to

When searching for a celebrant, make sure you meet with several so you can get a full understanding of what’s available. You might gel with the first celebrant you speak to, but meeting with a few will help you choose one that ticks all your boxes. Plus, getting a range of quotes will make it easier to find one that’s more in keeping with your budget.

Browse our wide selection of wedding celebrants to find your perfect match today.

2. Have a clear understanding of what you want from a celebrant

Before gathering quotes, make sure you and your spouse-to-be sit down and discuss what you want to get out of hiring a celebrant. Do you want them to be funny? Mention religion? Do you want readings, or poetry, or references to your cultures and backgrounds? If you go into a meeting with a celebrant with a list of what you’re looking for, you’ll be in a better position to know whether that celebrant can provide it, which could save you money in the long run.

3. Ask for recommendations

Ask family and friends for recommendations for any celebrants they may have hired or met at a wedding in the past. Referrals are a great way of securing a discount. Here at Bridebook, we work with a huge range of celebrants, with many offering discounts that are exclusive to us!

4. Get married during off-peak times

Wedding celebrants are in high demand, which means that during peak times they’ll often have higher rates. To keep costs down (as well as costs related to your entire wedding) consider getting married during off-peak dates.

The most popular times to get married are during the summer and at weekends. For the most affordable rates, book your wedding to take place during the colder months and the middle of the week – a Tuesday in either January or February is most likely to be your cheapest option.

5. Book your celebrant early

Celebrants can be booked months, if not years, in advance, so to avoid disappointment you should book early. Plus, the later you leave it, the more you may end up paying. We’d recommend booking your celebrant as soon as you can to secure the best possible rate.

6. Ask your celebrant to meet virtually

As we’ve already mentioned, you’ll meet with your celebrant – possibly two or even three times – to discuss your wedding so they can get to know you and craft your personalised ceremony. This means there are travel costs, as well as additional costs for their time.

Why not ask your celebrant if they’ll consider meeting with you virtually instead? Platforms like Zoom and Google Meet are great for chatting, so you can still build a rapport with your celebrant while avoiding time-consuming journeys.

7. Ask for a discount

One of the easiest ways to secure a discount is simply by asking. Many celebrants will advertise their rates and the cost for certain packages, but these amounts aren’t necessarily set in stone. Don’t expect a huge discount, but when you’re paying hundreds, a 5% or 10% discount can still make a difference.

8. Hire a celebrant from outside of London

As with most services, if you hire a professional who’s based in London, you’re far more likely to pay more than the average cost. If your wedding’s taking place in London, make sure you get quotes from celebrants outside of the capital as well. It might cost a little more in travel expenses, but it might just work out cheaper than a London-based celebrant.

9. Ask a family member or friend to do the honours

Because celebrants only officiate your wedding, you also need a qualified registrar for your marriage to be legally binding. For that reason, you could ask a close family member or friend to officiate your wedding instead. Not only will this add yet another level of personalisation to your wedding, but it’ll also mean you don’t have to pay for their services (aside from perhaps a well-earned drink or two).

Asking a friend or loved one to officiate a wedding is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. It’s a great option for couples who want that personal touch without breaking the bank. Just make sure your friend of family member can deal with that kind of pressure on such an important occasion. Also recognise that the quality and level of service is unlikely to match that of a professional celebrant. 

10. Hire a celebrant with less experience

Why not consider hiring a wedding celebrant who doesn’t have as much experience as others? Generally, the more experience a celebrant has, the more they’re likely to charge. So, if you choose a celebrant who’s recently qualified and hasn’t officiated many weddings, they’re far more likely to offer competitive rates.

If you can look past their inexperience, you’ll still more than likely have a wonderful wedding thanks to their passion and eagerness to impress.

Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook

Here at Bridebook, we have a great selection of fantastic wedding celebrants to help make your wedding extra personal. Sign up and start planning your wedding today!

Browse other similar articles…

• How Much Does Wedding Celebrant Cost? The 2024 Average Revealed
• The Ultimate Wedding Budget Breakdown
• How Much Does a Wedding Cost? The 2024 UK Average
• Introduction: Your Wedding Budget
• Hidden Wedding Costs Every Couple Needs To Know About 
• Wedding Etiquette: Who (Traditionally) Pays For What?

Happy Planning!