What do celebrants charge and how much do celebrants cost

What do Celebrants Charge?

I get asked about pricing a lot — some people wonder how it’s so cheap, others wonder why it’s so much. Perspective, huh!

When people wonder why it’s expensive

They often assume that I arrive, chat with people, speak for a bit, have a laugh, shed a tear, shake hands and leave — and think that’s all I do. They also compare my price to others who may be a few hundred dollars cheaper.

When people wonder how it’s so cheap

They’ve often been to weddings where the ceremony almost ruined the whole day. They notice how personal our ceremony feels and how much creative thought it requires. They appreciate the difference between an average wedding experience and what we created together — and often tell me, “You should charge more!” They also compare my price to others who may only be a few hundred dollars cheaper.

I thought I’d clarify my pricing for anyone who’s interested.

The real costs behind the work

For all celebrants, there are many ongoing costs to absorb:

• Legally required ongoing training
• Registration fees
• Administration software
• Transport and logistics
• Marketing
• Legal stationery
• Consumables
• Capital investment and equipment maintenance

Additionally, to excel as a celebrant we need to invest in the quality of our public speaking, appearance, self‑development and people skills.

Appearance isn’t a one‑off

Unless you’re having a ’70s‑themed wedding, you probably want your celebrant to wear an outfit from the current decade. For a good celebrant, appearance is an ongoing — not a once‑off — expense. If a celebrant hasn’t had a haircut for three weeks, wears an old suit or could really use a breath mint, it reflects poorly on the wedding.

People skills matter

It’s subtle, but it makes a huge difference on the day. A good celebrant needs the right balance: caring enough — and being knowledgeable and tactful enough — to know when (and how) to step in and make the day work.

We can’t be dismissive and let everything fall flat, nor can we be control freaks and go bananas telling everyone what to do.

Time and creative work

I spend hours (usually when everyone in my family is asleep!) doing the creative writing and editing required to make the process empowering, simple and fun. Then, more hours preparing and checking all the documents required before the wedding, on the day, and afterwards while my couples are off enjoying their honeymoon.

Also, I spent $8,500* last year at coffee shops — I still can’t believe that!

Why price isn’t everything

I love creating weddings for my family of clients and seeing the incredible gratitude on people’s faces as they thank me after their ceremony.

If you’re deciding on a celebrant based on price, please remember we’re not all the same. A couple of hundred dollars is a significant amount of money, but a poorly orchestrated ceremony can ruin your wedding.

Don’t use price alone to determine who will be standing with you on your wedding day.

* The coffees were not all for me. Honest!