It feels obvious to say, but a Wedding Day really is all about the couple. Their story, their history, and their future to come. These are fantastic details which should be woven into the fabric of the festivities, and where better to start than right at the beginning of the day, the Wedding Ceremony.
Whilst registrar ceremonies do allow music and readings, all things that can add a little personal pizazz, if you want a truly unique ceremony, you should look to find a celebrant. The best part is that anyone can be a celebrant, many couples often pick family or friends to perform this role. But if you want excellence bar-none, consider hiring a professional celebrant!
For this Bodleian Weddings Journal entry, we are speaking to Kathryn Wilson, who is not only a professional presenter (wow!) but somehow can also fit professional celebrancy into her schedule as Love Celebrants. Ahead of our interview below, do follow these YouTube links to see Kathryn in action leading a ceremony at the Bodleian, as well as a little behind-the-scenes at another Bodleian Wedding she lead. But now onto the interview!
Hi Kathryn, please introduce yourself to our readers at home!
Hello everyone! I’m Kathryn Wilson, a Wedding Celebrant and Professional TV Presenter of 15 years. I make my living by talking, which my family will tell you I was always going to end up doing one way or another!
What was it that drew you to becoming a celebrant?
I attended a friend’s wedding in Northern Ireland, there were 20 other people and me, and this glamorous woman came on stage and talked about my friends in such a genuine, loving and joyful way, it blew my mind. It was everything. It made me fall in love with my friends all over again and hear things about them I never knew. I had to research this as a career option immediately. I went home that night and just thought, I need to do that for people.
Can you please explain the differences between a celebrant-led wedding and a registrar legal wedding? I think a lot of our readers would really appreciate this.
Great question and one I get a lot! So a registrar wedding is the legal ceremony, it’s conducted by a local authority registrar, it follows a set format, and while it’s absolutely lovely, there isn’t a huge amount of wiggle room for personalisation. It’s quite structured by nature. A celebrant-led ceremony, on the other hand, is entirely yours. Every single word is written specifically for you as a couple. Your love story, your humour, your values, your people, it’s all woven in. The one thing to know is that in most parts of the UK (note: including England), a celebrant ceremony isn’t legally binding on its own, so couples will usually do a small legal signing at a registry office, sometimes the day before, sometimes the week before, and then have their full celebrant ceremony as the main event. Most couples find that a total non-issue once they realise how much creative freedom it gives them.
To lead off this, can you also tell us a little bit about what a humanist wedding is?
Humanism celebrates the couple without any mention of religious values, which means it’s deeply, authentically personal. It’s the true story of them. Humanism holds that the higher power is within ourselves and our relationships with others. So rather than invoking a deity or following a religious script, the ceremony is centred entirely on the two people standing in front of me, why they love each other, and the community of people who love them. It’s incredibly moving and filled with joyful celebration every single time.
Now back onto you, tell us a little bit more about what you offer couples, maybe even a timeline from the day of enquiry right up to the wedding day?
So put simply, a couple will book me for their wedding date and from there we begin what I think of as a real creative partnership. I’ll work closely with them to explore the story of their love, how they met, what makes them laugh, what they mean to each other, the little details that nobody else would think to include. From all of that I craft a ceremony that’s completely bespoke to them. We’ll usually have a few chats along the way, I’ll meet for brunch in person – especially if its close to the Bodleian Library! I’ll share drafts, we refine it together, and by the time the wedding day arrives, I genuinely feel like I know this couple, because I do. And they know me as a safe voice when their Wedding Day arrives. On the day I’m there to deliver it all, hold the space, keep the energy exactly right, and make sure they can just be completely present in the moment. That’s the bit I love most.
If someone was to book you, how far in advance would they ideally need to get in touch?
The earlier the better, honestly. Popular wedding dates fill up quickly, and I can only take on a limited number of couples each year to make sure everyone gets the attention they deserve. That said, my website is always the easiest starting point, and I’ll be honest, I do love an Instagram DM nowadays too.
On the other hand, have you ever had a last-minute enquiry?
The closest to the day was a week out, and it was an elopement, which was just gorgeous. Luckily, I had the time, but the pressure was on for the couple to sit down and really tell me about their lives in a very short space of time! We made it work and it was beautiful. The special reason for the last-minute enquiry made it all the more special.
Any advice for someone who’s taking part in someone else’s wedding, like doing a reading or a speech?
Practise more than you think you need to. Seriously, then practise again. The biggest mistake people make is thinking they know it well enough, and then nerves take over on the day and it all goes out the window. Read it out loud, read it to your dog, read it to anyone who’ll listen. And the most important thing is to slow down when you’re up there. Nerves make us rush, and rushing means people miss the good bits. Always remember, they want you to do well just as much as you do.
Thank you Kathryn for such a wonderful interview, and not only explaining how celebrant ceremonies differ from registrar ceremonies, but also giving some top tips for those taking part in a wedding too. If you want to find out more about our recommended celebrants, we met a few of them for another interview. You can find part one and part two in the link!
Have a lovely day and we look forward to seeing you all next time.
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