What Does a Marriage Celebrant Do? Inside the Role of a Celebrant

  • 20 Jun, 2025
What Does a Marriage Celebrant Do? Inside the Role of a Celebrant

When most people think of a wedding celebrant, they picture someone standing at the front saying a few nice words before declaring a couple married. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In Australia, marriage celebrants aren’t just ceremonial figureheads — they’re trained professionals with legal responsibilities, storytelling skills, and a knack for helping couples feel calm, prepared, and fully seen on one of the most important days of their lives.

Here’s what a celebrant really does.

The role of a celebrant starts well before the wedding day. They’re the person who ensures your marriage is not only beautiful, but also legally valid.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Meeting with you to get to know your story, your vibe, and your vision for the day.
  • Helping you complete and lodge the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) — a legal requirement that must be submitted toyour celebrant at least one month before the wedding.
  • Checking ID and eligibility — they’ll sight your original identification documents and ensure you’re legally able to marry.
  • Explaining the legal bits — including the Monitum (a legal statement about Australian marriage law) and the mandatory legal vows you must say.
  • Answering questions — about name changes, overseas documents, witnesses, and anything else you’re unsure about.

A good celebrant will guide you through all of this with clarity and warmth. You don’t need to figure it out alone.

Crafting the Ceremony: More Than Just Words

A celebrant doesn’t pull a script off the shelf and read it out. They create a ceremony — one that feels like you.

That usually means:

  • Writing or compiling a personalised script — including your love story, any cultural or spiritual elements, and your values as a couple.
  • Helping you write your vows, or at least giving you examples and tips.
  • Including readings, rituals, or family involvement if you want.
  • Structuring the ceremony flow — from the processional to the signing of certificates — so everything runs smoothly and feels natural.

Your ceremony should feel like your moment, not a one-size-fits-all routine. That’s what a great celebrant delivers.

On the Day: The Calm in the Chaos

Your celebrant will usually:

  • Arrive early to set up, liaise with vendors (like musicians or venue staff), and run through cues with the wedding party.
  • Bring and set up a PA/sound system and microphone so everyone can hear (especially if your venue doesn’t supply one).
  • Lead the ceremony from start to finish — welcoming guests, performing the legal and personal components, guiding you through the vows and ring exchange, and making the official pronouncement.
  • Handle the signing of the marriage certificates, ensuring everything is done properly and with witnesses.

They’re the anchor during the ceremony. When nerves or surprises pop up, they’ll steer the ship.

Once you’re pronounced married, your celebrant still has important work to do.

They’ll:

  • Submit your marriage paperwork to the state or territory registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in which your marriage ceremony occurred (not the state or territory which you or they live, if it’s different to the state or territory where you married)
  • Ensure all documentation is correct and legal.
  • Advise you on how to apply for your official marriage certificate (if it’s not part of your celebrant’s service).

Put simply: they handle all the legal marriage paperwork so you don’t have to.

The Human Touch: Support and Guidance

Celebrants aren’t just there for the legal side. They often:

  • Help you write or practise your vows.
  • Calm your nerves the night before or on the day.
  • Run a rehearsal (if needed) so everyone knows what to expect.
  • Act as a sounding board, cheerleader, and reality-check throughout your planning journey.

Some celebrants also offer MC services, or conduct other ceremonies like funerals or baby namings — but when it comes to weddings, their main job is making your ceremony meaningful, memorable, and legally binding.

Thinking About Booking a Celebrant?

The right celebrant will make your ceremony the best part of your wedding day — not just something to tick off.

Talk to a celebrant early. You’ll get a sense of how they work, what they can offer, and how they can help shape your day into something truly personal.

Use the Australian Wedding Celebrants Association directory to find a celebrant near you and book a consultation. You’ll be surprised just how much difference the right person can make.