Choosing the right wedding celebrant, one that represents you and your partner is a key step in the ceremony planning process. It is such an important role in your big day that it can become overwhelming when trying to make your final decision, as there are so many different factors to consider. From what style of ceremony fits you best, to the crucial questions that need to be asked, and of course the important legal boxes to tick. To make things easy, we’ve put together a handy checklist for finding the right wedding celebrant and planning your ceremony below.

The most important step to work out before choosing a wedding celebrant is to take into consideration the legal side of things and the difference between celebrants, officiants and solemnisers. Make sure to also keep in mind that only celebrants on the official Register of Solemnisers of Marriage are able to legally marry couples in Ireland. Ideally start your search 12 months before your wedding and look to have your celebrant booked 8-10 months out.

Check out our guide on the different types of celebrants here, followed by our deep dive into how to choose the right celebrant here. Then use this handy checklist below to make whittling down your search easy, that you have all the necessary boxes ticked and the right questions to ask your wedding celebrant when you chat.

Checklist for Choosing a Wedding Celebrant

• Book your celebrant after you’ve booked your venue as this will dictate whether it can be a legal or non-legal ceremony.
• Research the different types of ceremonies you can choose from and whether they are legally binding.
• Decide on whether you want a symbolic, religious or secular ceremony.
• Figure out whether you’re going to legally marry your partner on your wedding day, or get legally married before your wedding day.
• Familiarise yourself with the differences between a celebrant, officiant and solemniser.

• Double check the official Register of Solemnisers of Marriage, as only solemnisers on this list are able to legally marry couples in Ireland.
• Contact a number of celebrants to find one that is available on your wedding date.
• Pay your deposit.
• For catholic ceremonies, book into your mandatory pre-marriage course.
• Meet with a Civil Registrar of Marriage a minimum of three months in advance to register your marriage with the State, this also applies to religious ceremonies.

• Fulfill the state requirements in order to obtain a Marriage Registration Form (MRF).
• Meet with your celebrant.
• Figure out if there might be anything off limits in their type of ceremony. For example a Humanist ceremony cannot have religious elements.
• Ask yourself if you would prefer a serious, serene ceremony or something more lighthearted and fun.
• Choose readings and rituals to include in your ceremony with the help of your celebrant.
• Inform your celebrant who will be doing readings or partaking in rituals.
• Approve the ceremony script.

Top Questions to Ask Your Celebrant

• Are you available for my wedding date?
• Are you legally registered to marry couples?
• How much do you charge?
• Do we need to take any additional steps or fill in any paperwork to ensure we are legally married?
• What type of ceremony do you deliver?
• Is there anything that is off limits during your type of ceremony?
• If you are unable to conduct the ceremony on the day, do you have a replacement?
• Will you bring the items required for any rituals or do we need to source them ourselves?
• Will you have print outs of the readings on the day or do we need to bring them?

Check out our list of recommended celebrants here! Plus our handy guides on planning your ceremony including our Ultimate List of Wedding Ceremony Rituals and Essential List of Wedding Ceremony Readings!