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FAQ's: A CLIENT'S INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER

What is a Celebrant?

A Celebrant is a professional secular ritual-maker – a community-minded person who is professionally trained to perform a variety of ceremonies to mark life's milestones, including: 

weddings, renewal of vows, same sex unions, baby-welcomings, adoption commemorations, end of life tributes and other rites of passages. The Celebrant's mission is to create a ceremony that reflects your needs, beliefs, cultural background, values and tastes. The Celebrant USA Foundation and Institute, the only U.S. certifying organization, was established in 2001 in the tradition of Australian Civil Marriage Celebrants, founded in 1973.

How is a Celebrant different from another "Wedding Officiant", Judge, or Justice of the Peace?

You are empowered! In a Celebrant ceremony, nothing is imposed. Instead, in a collaborative process, the Celebrant assists the couple in choosing rituals, readings, symbols and music to fulfill their ideals. Celebrants are committed to learning about you and your individual "Love Story".

I, personally as a Celebrant, am very focused on finding and providing anything and everything that works for you. Because this is my full-time profession and main focus, what you get with me is undiluted expertise on what works for meaningful, memorable ceremonies. I've simply become an expert at this stuff, and am committed to continue growing and developing my craft. That's why a Celebrant ceremony is different, and that's why my couples and their guests really appreciate the wedding ceremonies I co-create with them and officiate.

Who are your clients exactly?

I work with people just like you. They are in interfaith relationships, spiritual but not religious or strictly secular. 

For them, the ceremony itself and the words spoken that day are just as important, if not more important, than the dress, the food, and the flowers. They are good people who usually don’t want a traditional wedding ceremony. They want something meaningful that they, and their guests will remember for years to come. They would like something tailored to them – nothing cookie cutter. That said, the people I've worked with come from every background, belief system and life style.

For what type of couple is your program/services NOT going to work?

Please know I'm selective in who I work with and choose to (gently) turn away couples who aren't suited for my programs and won't get the results for which they would have signed up for. (It wouldn't be fair to them.)

My Celebrant ceremonies are NOT for those who are wanting to just get the ceremony over with so they can go on to the party... (Although everyone loves a good party!)

My Celebrant ceremonies are NOT for those who are looking for the cheapest ceremony available. (If you fall within this category, it's absolutely OK. There are many officiants who would enjoy working with you.)

If you are one of these people, I gently and respectfully ask that you not call and I hope you understand why. We'll probably just not work well together and I wouldn't want you to waste your time or money. 

Jennifer, what are your beliefs?

As a Celebrant, I honor and respect all belief systems – religious or non-religious. Experience has shown that a certified Celebrant’s personal beliefs are immaterial to creating a meaningful, distinctive personalized ceremony. Celebrants believe that customized ceremonies are an important way of conveying a couple’s happiness, and the connection and beauty within society. Celebrants are trained to focus on the values and priorities of the couple. The client-centered ceremony is a reflection and an extension of the honorees at the ceremony.

What type of personality do you work best with and what is expected of me?

My Celebrant Ceremony Process was created for couples who are absolutely excited and completely serious about their wedding ceremony and their life together. It is created for you (and your guests)

Being a sincere, independent thinker myself, I'm known to work best with other sincere, independent thinkers who seek to experience a wedding ceremony that feels and sounds like them. They generally believe that the wedding ceremony is the most important part of their day and believe that the words recited during their ceremony set the tone for the day and the grand adventure to come. They probably have struggled to find the right person to officiate.

Consider what you'll do with me to be another way for you to learn about each other. You will be expected to give some thought to the content of your wedding ceremony. It is a very different way of thinking about your ceremony and I offer full support while we achieve this incredibly exciting goal: a wedding ceremony that is meaningful, distinctly yours and unforgettable.

Celebrant couples come from every walk off life. The one thing they all have in common is that they are seeking a ceremonial experience that is distinctly their own.

What exactly is a Celebrant Ceremony by Jennifer? What is the process?

My ceremonies are client-centered. You have word for word approval of the entire script. Creating a memorable, meaningful, personalized, ceremony begins with me encouraging you to think about a number of things. I am interested in your vision for your ceremony: its length, setting and participants, and how you would like to feel on your wedding day and how you would like your guests to feel. 

I encourage you to begin to think about your love story, and what you would like to share with each other and your guests. Then we will arrange a nice relaxed meeting -- in person or by telephone -- where you may choose to share your love story with me in greater detail. At this meeting I will share some sample ceremonies, vows and other options for you to consider. Later, you will let me know what appeals to you.

You will each complete a questionnaire with details on your relationship and what has brought you to this magical point in time. This gives me the background to truly craft and deliver your ceremony as if it were from a trusted friend.

I will offer my expertise as a ceremony specialist, suggesting options for rituals, readings, ways to honor loved ones both present and not, and vow samples or coaching on writing your own expressions.

Your ceremony will sound like you, reflecting your values, interests and reasons for choosing each other. Moreover, it will be delivered with warmth and sincerity from my heart for all to hear and appreciate.

What are your fees? 

Everybody loves a bargain! The cheapest price is the deciding factor when there is a simple product involved -- with no difference in value between one and another. However, each officiant and the services he/she offers is different.

My fees are reflective of the time, energy, care and heart-felt sincerity I give to researching, writing, designing and delivering each and every ceremony. As a Ceremony expert, I offer a premium service. If you believe your wedding ceremony should be delivered with the utmost professionalism and reflect the great expectations and intense emotions that characterize the love you share, you will recognize that the ceremony we craft will be of the highest quality and, ultimately, a great value -- a ceremony that lasts a lifetime. 

I have various packages including many combinations of services. Since we haven't yet met, I don't know exactly what you are looking for and you don't know what I can offer you and your guests. More importantly you may not even realize what is availabe to you by choosing a Celebrant Ceremony. It would be of no service to you or me to quote a fee until you are clear of the value I promise you will receive for that fee, and we are both very clear that I am the perfect person to officiate your most special event. I would be honored to set up a complimentary consultation to have that conversation with you.

Jennifer, based on everything I’ve read and heard about you, I know you’re the one I want to perform our ceremony. What are our options for getting started with you?

Congratulations! I’m happy to work with you to create your very own, meaningful, personalized wedding ceremony that is memorable and inspirational for everyone present. So that I can see if I am available, give me a call or send me an email with the exact date, time and place for your ceremony. If I am available, let’s schedule a complimentary consultation and see if this is a good fit.

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