A wooden sign attached to a tree pointing the way to a wedding

Questions to ask a wedding celebrant

Choosing the right celebrant is key to making sure your wedding is exactly what you want. With that in mind, here are some questions to ask a wedding celebrant.

We recommend meeting or video calling with a few celebrants that you like the look of for an informal, no obligation chat to see if you click. Use our handy list of questions below to get the most out of your celebrant chats!

The key question: can you legally marry us?

This is because not all celebrants can legally marry you in Scotland. Rest assured, Humanist Society Scotland celebrants are permanently authorised to legally marry you so no matter how far in the future your wedding date is, nothing will change.

Most other celebrants in Scotland have to apply to renew their authorisation periodically, which could cause problems down the line.

Other questions to ask

What training have you had?
What experience do you have?
What would happen if you are not available on the day of the ceremony? Would you be able to provide a replacement celebrant to cover?
Are you insured?
How would you describe your style of delivery?
Are we able to see you in action?
Do you have any reviews?
Have you conducted any ceremonies at our venue before?
What can be included in our ceremony?
Is there a typical structure or length?
How could you help us to create a ceremony that is unique and personal?
How can we involve other people in our ceremony?
Do we write our own vows?
Can we include music and singing in our ceremony?
What are symbolic gestures and should we include any?
What is the total cost? (make sure this includes the base fee, travel & any other expenses, and membership fees)
If we book you, what are the next steps?
What would happen if we had to postpone our ceremony?
If you are available on the new date, would there be any additional costs in doing so?
If you are not available on the new date, would it be covered by someone else? Would we lose any money already paid?
What did you do before you became a celebrant?
Why did you become a celebrant?