Question 1

What is a Celebrant?

Accepted Answer

A celebrant is, simply put, an individual who offers to write & deliver a ceremony.  Most celebrants undergo some formal training although there is no law for them to do so.  For details of my training please see my Ethos.  The advantage of a celebrant-led ceremony is that you can be as traditional or as creative as you wish to be.  If you want to get married outside, in a favourite location, with or without elements of religion or other spiritual disciplines you can.  If you would like to be able to spend time celebrating the life of a loved one rather than a short service at a crematorium (although many celebrant-led funerals do take place at a crematorium) you can. If you want to acknowledge a life event such as the arrival of a new baby, the adoption of a child or the leap into a new life following divorce, these are all possible with a celebrant.

Question 2

What is the difference between a celebrant and a registrar?

Accepted Answer

Unlike a registrar or vicar, celebrants are truly free to create whatever ceremony you together decide reflects your life, union, family etc.  Registrars can be employed to attend a certified venue such as a hotel but they will only conduct a civil ceremony - there is very little room for you to put your own touch on this kind of ceremony (you will be offered a choice of three pre-written scripts), you are not allowed to include any religion (including religious music/ readings etc.) and it will cost in the region of £400 rising to £600 for a Saturday service.

For more information please visit my blog

Question 3

Is a celebrant wedding recognised in law?

Accepted Answer

Currently in the UK celebrants are not licensed to register Marriages or Civil Partnerships and therefore in order for your wedding or CP to be legally binding you will need to register it formally at your local register office.  This need only be a short, simple event witnessed by two people and costing approximately £50 - £100.  Most couples choosing a celebrant conduct this minimal legal requirement earlier in or the day before the event they really consider their wedding.  Be aware that registrars can be employed to attend a certified venue such as a hotel but they will only conduct a civil ceremony - there is very little room for you to put your own touch on this kind of ceremony( you will be offered a choice of three pre-written scripts), you are not allowed to include any religion (including religious music/ readings etc.) and it will cost in the region of £400 rising to £600 for a Saturday service.

Question 4

What are the legal requirements for marriage?

Accepted Answer

In order to marry legally in the UK both parties must give notice to marry in the district in which they are resident. This must occur at least 29 days prior to the marriage (longer if individuals are subject to immigration control) and is subject to a charge (£42 per person in Leicestershire at the time of writing).
Local authorities are required to offer a simple 2+2 option for marriage - this will usually be in the register’s office with rooms only for the couple and the two required witnesses and may only be available on certain days of the week.  The charge for this is currently  £68.50 (November 2024) and in Leicestershire includes one copy of your marriage certificate (other Authorities may charge for this).

Question 5

Do I have to register the death of a loved one?

Accepted Answer

The registration of a death is a legal requirement separate to any funeral arrangements information on which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death.  Funerals can take place anywhere, with or without the body of the deceased.  Most people choose to have a service at the crematorium and use a Funeral Director to manage the arrangements.  Burial at a natural burial site is possible as is a separate service of thanksgiving in a location of your choice after the burial or cremation.  Please be aware services at a crematorium are, by necessity short - if you want a longer time to honour your loved one, you may wish to consider a separate service of some sort.  I would of course be happy to chat this through with you.

Question 6

How should I choose a celebrant?

Accepted Answer

Like any profession the quality of celebrants varies greatly with some churning out a ‘cut and paste’ ceremony with barely more than the names changed!  If you are considering using a celebrant, please do take the time to find the right celebrant for you - websites, social media and reviews will help.  Most celebrants offer a free initial chat via zoom - use this to ‘get a feel’ for the individual.  As a Heart-led celebrant my own practice is to ensure that each and every occasion at which I officiate is created with care and integrity to ensure the end result does justice to the deep significance of this particular moment in time.

For more information please visit my blog.

Question 7

What does it mean to be a Heart-led celebrant?

Accepted Answer

As a Heart-led celebrant I am committed to creating, writing and officiating beautiful ceremonies with integrity, acceptance and creativity.  I have been trained by Veronika and Paul Robinson to offer the very highest standards of professionalism in all my work as a celebrant.  The Heart-led Celebrants logo is your guarantee of the high quality of my work and demonstrates that I have professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

Question 8

Why the name Hardingstone Ceremonies?

Accepted Answer

Hardingstone is a village in Northamptonshire, not a place I have ever visited!  You might wonder, therefore, why I chose the name Hardingstone.  Hardingstone was the name of our first family home, the original owner came from the village in the 1920s; it was the house to which my children came home from hospital and it will always hold a significant place in my heart.

HARDINGSTONE CEREMONIES

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