How to choose the right celebrant for your wedding

There are a lot of celebrants out there, and most of them are good at what they do. The question isn't really whether someone is qualified. It's whether they're right for you.

Here are the things I'd think about if I were in your shoes.

Do you actually like talking to them?

You're going to spend a lot of time with this person over the months leading up to your wedding. You'll have long conversations, share personal stories, and probably ping them with questions at odd hours. If the vibe feels off in the first conversation, that's worth paying attention to.

A good discovery call should feel relaxed, not like a sales pitch. You should come away feeling like you've met someone, not like you've been talked at.

Do they actually listen?

This one is easy to test. Ask them something open-ended about your day, and see what they do with it. Do they ask follow-up questions? Do they seem genuinely curious? Or do they pivot quickly back to what they offer?

A ceremony can only be personal if the person writing it actually wants to know you. The interview is where that happens, and you can usually tell from the first conversation whether someone is going to do it well.

Read their work if you can

A lot of celebrants share ceremony excerpts or blog posts. Read them. Do the words sound like a real person wrote them? Does the style feel right for the kind of day you're imagining? You're not looking for perfection. You're looking for fit.

Ask how they handle the legal side

All registered civil celebrants in Australia can legally marry you. But it's worth asking how they handle the paperwork, what happens if something goes wrong on the day, and whether they've worked at your venue before. These are practical questions and any good celebrant will be happy to answer them.

Trust your gut

If you've done a discovery call, read some of their writing, and you just feel good about them, that matters. A ceremony is a deeply personal thing. The person standing at the front should be someone you genuinely wanted there.

If you're considering Salt & Vow and want to get a feel for whether we'd be a good fit, I'd love to have a chat. No pressure, no commitment, just a conversation.