Getting Married in France or Mallorca? What Does a Wedding Celebrant Actually Do?

2 Sept

You’ve found the venue. You’ve fallen in love with the view. The photographer is booked, the flowers are taking shape and you can already picture that first glass of champagne.

But then comes the ceremony. This is often the point where couples planning a destination wedding in France ask me:

“So… what exactly does a wedding celebrant do?”

It’s a very good question, because if you’re used to weddings in the UK, Ireland, America or Australia, you may have a completely different idea of what a wedding ceremony has to look like.

The lovely thing is — it really doesn’t. A celebrant creates the ceremony around you

A celebrant-led wedding ceremony isn’t about filling in the gaps between your entrance and your first kiss.

For me, it’s the heart of the wedding day.

I get to know you both , how you met, what you love about each other, the things that make you laugh, the life you’ve already created and what marriage means to you. Then I write your ceremony from scratch.

No two ceremonies should sound the same because no two couples are the same.

It can be romantic without being overly sentimental. Funny without turning into a comedy routine. Emotional without feeling uncomfortable.

Most importantly, when your guests listen, they should think:

“This is completely them”

Your ceremony doesn't have to follow a traditional formula

This is one of my favourite things about being an independent wedding celebrant.

There is so much freedom.

You can write your own vows — or I can help you with them.

You can exchange rings, include readings, involve your families or ask a friend to take part.

You might choose a handfasting, ring warming or another symbolic ritual that means something to you.

You can include religious or spiritual elements if they're important to you, even if the rest of your ceremony isn't religious.

The question I tend to ask is: Does this mean something to you?

If the answer is yes, let's find a way to include it.

What about the legal bit when getting married in France?

This is one of the biggest areas of confusion for destination couples.

A celebrant-led ceremony in France is generally separate from the legal marriage process.

Many of my international couples complete their legal marriage paperwork in their home country before or after their wedding in France, and then have the ceremony they consider to be their real wedding surrounded by their friends and family at their chosen venue.

And I can tell you from experience: it doesn't make the ceremony feel any less real.

You're standing in front of the people you love, making promises to one another and celebrating the life you're choosing together.

That's the moment your guests remember.

Planning a wedding from another country can sometimes feel like there are a hundred moving parts.

Your celebrant should be one person you don't have to worry about.

I work with couples from all over the world who choose to marry in France and Mallorca — particularly couples travelling from the UK, Ireland, America and Australia.

Much of our planning can be done online. I work with busy couples.

I'll guide you through the ceremony structure, help with vows and readings, talk through music and entrances, liaise with your planner and other suppliers where necessary, and make sure we know exactly what's happening before the wedding day.

You shouldn't arrive at your ceremony wondering what comes next. That's my job.

Your job is to be present and enjoy it. Your ceremony can include the people you love

Destination weddings often have a particularly lovely atmosphere because everyone has travelled to be there.

So why not make them part of it? I've had parents, siblings, children and friends give readings. I've involved family members in handfastings and ring warmings. I've helped couples find ways to acknowledge loved ones who couldn't be there.

And sometimes the most meaningful moments are incredibly simple.

And yes, your celebrant should stand to one side for the kiss! I always do and my preferred position is the side of you both for the whole ceremony. If you would like me in the middle I make sure that at the most intimate of moments I give you space. It helps your photographer to take some beautiful photos.

This may seem like a tiny detail, but it's one I feel rather strongly about.

How long should a celebrant wedding ceremony be?

My ceremonies are usually around 25–30 minutes.

With my experience of over 50 wedding ceremonies, that's long enough to create something with warmth, humour, emotion and meaning, while keeping everyone completely engaged and not checking their watches.

Choosing a wedding celebrant in France

If you're looking for an English-speaking wedding celebrant in France, don't choose purely on what someone offers on paper.

Talk to them. You are trusting this person with one of the most personal parts of your wedding day.

You should feel comfortable with them. You should like the way they communicate. And you should feel confident that when they stand in front of your friends and family, they understand you.

Because after months — sometimes years — of planning, there comes a moment when the music begins, everyone turns around and you walk into your ceremony.

And at that point, the table settings don't matter.

The timeline doesn't matter.

The weather probably doesn't even matter quite as much as you thought it would.

It's about the two of you.

And that's exactly what your ceremony should be about too.