Wondering what’s the difference between a registrar and a celebrant? Or whether you need both? Here’s everything you need to know - plus how real couples made it work in North Wales and beyond.
The biggest question couples ask when planning their ceremony is: “Do we need a registrar or a celebrant?” The answer depends on whether you want something short and official, or deeply personal and flexible.
A registrar makes your marriage legal, but the ceremony is short, fixed, and follows a set script in a licensed venue. A celebrant can’t currently make your marriage legal in England or Wales (yet - change is coming), but gives you total freedom over your ceremony - the words, the setting, and the story.
Many couples do both: a quick legal signing with a registrar before or after your celebrant ceremony, then a personal, creative celebration with a Humanist celebrant anywhere that feels meaningful.
A wedding registrar is employed by the local authority to conduct legal marriage ceremonies. They’re responsible for ensuring your marriage meets all legal requirements - including the location, wording, and witnesses.
If you’re after a straightforward legal ceremony without much personalisation, a registrar is a solid choice. But if you want a wedding that feels like you, read on.
A celebrant-led wedding is the complete opposite of a registrar wedding. It’s personal, creative and totally flexible - a ceremony built around you, not a script.
That’s exactly what Catherine and Ashley wanted. The groom was a die-hard rom-com fan, so I designed their ceremony as if it were a romantic comedy. They said afterwards:
"Our guests couldn’t believe how relaxed, personal and fun the ceremony was…completely different to a normal registrar ceremony. I couldn’t recommend anyone more highly to trust with your special day."
There are different types of celebrants, including Independent Celebrants and Humanist Celebrants. I’m a Humanist Celebrant, trained and accredited by Humanists UK to lead meaningful, non-religious ceremonies that celebrate love, life and connection.
At the moment, celebrant weddings aren’t yet legally binding in England or Wales — although that’s set to change. The UK Government has announced plans to reform wedding laws, meaning Humanist weddings could soon be legal.
I’ve written more about what this means for couples in my blog: Humanist weddings set to become legal in England and Wales.
For now, couples simply register their marriage with the local authority before or after the big day, similar to registering a birth. It’s quick, simple, and in my local area costs around £54 plus certificates.
That small bit of paperwork frees you up to have the wedding ceremony you actually want.
More and more couples are choosing to do both: a short legal signing with a registrar and a personal, meaningful ceremony with a celebrant. It’s the best of both worlds: you meet the legal requirements, then celebrate your marriage in your own way, wherever you want.
For Gemma and Jon, and Rod and Dan, it all happened on the same day. They arranged for the registrar to visit their licensed venue in the morning, signed the paperwork with two witnesses, then relaxed into a personalised celebrant-led ceremony surrounded by family and friends. The legal bit was done quietly, leaving the rest of the day free to focus on the love story and celebration itself.
Others prefer to separate the two moments. Janine and Clair popped into the local registry office in Caernarfon the day before their wedding at Llyn Gwynant. Their legal ceremony took less than ten minutes, freeing them up to spend their actual wedding day sharing personal vows, and celebrating in the way that felt most natural to them.
Doing both gives you flexibility. You can make the legal signing quick, private and practical, then save the emotion, creativity and joy for your celebrant ceremony - the part that everyone will remember.
Not yet in England or Wales, though Humanist weddings are legal in Scotland and Northern Ireland. For now, you simply register your marriage with the local council — a short legal signing that costs around £54 — then have your real ceremony anywhere you wish.
Yes. Many couples do. Some hold both parts on the same day, while others separate them by a few days or weeks.
A registrar makes it official. A celebrant makes it meaningful.
If you want a short, legal ceremony with no fuss, a registrar wedding does the job.
If you want something personal, creative and unforgettable, a celebrant-led wedding will feel infinitely more “you”.
The beauty of choice is that you can do both - the legal part with a registrar, and the meaningful part with a celebrant.
If you’d like to know more about what a celebrant-led wedding in North Wales could look like, explore my Humanist Weddings page or Wedding FAQs.
Already sure? Get in touch here to start planning your ceremony.
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Kate Rostance is a humanist wedding celebrant based in North Wales. She creates ceremonies that are relaxed and full of meaning - with a touch of humour and plenty of heart. She works across North Wales, including Snowdonia, Anglesey, Gwynedd, the Llyn Peninsula, Cheshire and beyond.
Find out more about Kate, her approach to weddings, or what happy couples have said about her.
