What is a Celebrant?

You have the venue, the guest list, the music and maybe the menu lined-up. Now you are wondering about how to choose an officiant for your wedding ceremony. What are some things to consider?

As a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, I am a ceremony specialist, who values how ceremony, storytelling, and ritual can uplift, inspire and deepen the meaning of the moment. Whether your vision is for a more traditional ceremony or one that integrates meaningful ritual, it is my job to work closely with you to make the wedding and guest experience reflective of you. I specialize in weaving your love story into the ceremony. After all, your love story is the heart of your ceremony! It’s your story, the inner magic that transformed you as you journeyed through one of life’s greatest rites of passage that not only affirms the unique quality of your relationship, it provides a prelude for the vows you will make to each other. Your vows to each other are really the heart of your wedding ceremony, the peak moment, and truly, it is YOU who are declaring yourselves to be married. If there are any powers vested in anyone – they are vested in you and your word. I am here to facilitate the process, so that your wedding ceremony reflects your love and commitment, and bolsters you for the journey ahead.

So, what makes a good celebrant?

A wedding celebrant is an officiant who comes to the table with no preconceived agenda for your ceremony. The person you choose to marry you should be someone you trust, who connects to you both on a personal level. As a result of collecting gems of information from the couple through interview, questionnaires and learning about the couple as individuals and who they are as a couple, I work collaboratively with the couple designing the structure of the celebration to inspire and deepen the meaning of the moment. In addition to crafting their ceremony, I work closely with other suppliers such as photographers, videographers or venue managers to make sure that everyone is on the same page and the ceremony goes as smoothly as possible for couple involved. I also like to have a bit of fun along the way, as it’s my belief that yes, while getting married is a very serious step to take, if there’s ever a day to have some fun with the ones that love you the most, this is it!

What elements make up the soulful centerpiece of your ceremony?

Every element of your ceremony is designed to reflect who you are as individuals and as a couple. You can share your love story, honor your family, pay tribute to your heritage, and include music and readings that best illuminate your personalities. You can include century-old rituals – like the unity candle – or I’ll work with you to create one-of-a-kind original rituals by including personal symbols unique to your lives and relationship. You can write original vows that reflect the promises that matter to your marriage. The sky is the limit! For example, for Shayne and Joseph, avid tennis players, I wrote the ceremony in four chapters: Love, Game, Set, Match. Everyone loved it. It fit them perfectly.

“There aren't enough words to describe how amazing Jean was. She is so warm and caring, and she delivers! All of our guests commented on how beautiful the ceremony was, touching with a bit of fun. Not many a dry eye in the house. Jean's ability to craft a ceremony so personal and on the nose is remarkable, especially from only communicating through emails. SIMPLY AMAZING! Everything was beautiful and more than we could have hoped or expected!” — Shayne

Why should you focus on value instead of price?

The personal connection with your celebrant is key to making the entire journey of your wedding enjoyable and fun. Through personally crafted ceremonies, a Celebrant works with you to reflect your lifestyle, beliefs and values by creating meaningful and memorable ways to celebrate the commitments made to those in whose hearts have found a home. Distinctively written and performed, Jean characterizes the spirit of you as a couple, inspires those closest to you and will be remembered for years to come.

“Jean captured the essence of us as a couple from the questionnaire and emails and all of our guests couldn’t believe that the wedding was the first time we had met, it was like she had known us for years”. K.C.

By: Jean Stracy
Email: jstracy@blueskycelebrations.com

What is a Celebrant? | Jean Stracy