Q&A - How much does a Celebrant cost?
This article was originally posted on the 16th September 2017. It has been updated to reflect 2023 average costs.
Getting married doesn't have to cost you $65,000* and upwards. It can cost you as little as $400, or over $100,000. It just depends on what you want from your wedding.
Most Celebrants these days charge between $1,000 - $2,200 to write and deliver a customised wedding ceremony. There are some that charge less, there are some that cost more, it just depends on what you're looking for. When you look at that number some people think it's a high price for what we do. But it really isn't. Let me break it down for you.
REGISTRY WEDDING
A registry wedding held by the BDM (Births Deaths and Marriages) will cost you between $370 - $570, depending on the day you want to get married and how many people you want to invite. For that you will have a set generic ceremony, with very little or no personal touches involved. You will have the choice of two different rooms to get married in. If you personalise your vows you can only add another 110 words into them, which really isn't anything at all. You will have to say the official wording that makes your wedding official and then you're out. The ceremony will take about 5 minutes and is very generic.
CELEBRANT WEDDING
An authorised Marriage Celebrant however will work with you to create a ceremony that tries to encapsulate the best of you and your partner. We will talk with you to find out what you're looking for, what you're NOT looking for and from there create something that is perfect for you. We will consult with you on the music, discuss with you if you're looking for readings, advise you on your personal vows if you're struggling and make sure we meet your dress code. On the day your ceremony will generally go for 15 - 20 minutes (depending of course how much you want in it!) but what you will get for your money is a lifetime worth of memories. For a full ceremony my fees currently start at $1,500 inclusive of GST.
All in all, each ceremony a Celebrant creates will normally take around 20 hours to craft, prepare (from first meeting to the final draft) and deliver. It's a substantial amount of time. But it's a really great role to have.
...WHAT ABOUT A “LEGALS ONLY” CEREMONY?
But if you're not looking to have a wedding ceremony and would rather have a cheaper, registry style wedding without the stuffy rooms and vibes, we can do that too. It’ll still take 5 minutes, but it can be held anywhere - in your favourite bar, outside in a park, on the beach or even in bed wearing your fav PJs with a nice bottle of bubbles.
You wedding day doesn't have to be the most expensive day of your life. But as it's one of the most memorable days you'll have I do recommend that people invest in a day that represents themselves and their relationships as best as possible.
*$65,000 is the average cost of a wedding in Australia these days