Let’s talk about what Celebrants cost 💵💵💵 or really how much does it cost to get married?
Look the truth be told talking about money is generally seen to be a bit of a taboo and talking about what other celebrants charge is (I believe) generally none of my business – but I can tell you what I charge and I can tell you why.
I became a celebrant in 2009 – and at that time I was charging around the $450 mark to perform a wedding. I was fresh, I was inexperienced and that seemed about right for the market at the time.
Now if we were just dealing with a normal inflation rate of 2.2 perfect in 2017 I would have been charging around $535 to perform a ceremony in 2017. In actual fact, I was charging $800 to perform ceremonies in 2017, and from 2018 and beyond my price starts from $850.
So why the big leap?
Well, a number of things but the most important thing of all was I started to value my skill set as a celebrant.
In the (almost) 10 years I have been doing weddings, sure my expenses have increased as I gathered equipment, marketed my business , designed my website etc but you know what else increased?
My confidence ✅ my experience ✅ and my knowledge of what to do in any situation ✅ literally ANY situation…
from the “my mum just had a mental breakdown about our surprise wedding that I didn’t tell her about” to the “my two-year-old flower girl just pooped her pants walking down the aisle” 💩💩💩💩💩💩 (True story)
Not to mention the “my chief bridesmaid just split her dress” to the oh no moment of “whoops I forgot to bring my passport can we please still get married today?*” See, that’s what I bring and make no mistake it is a skill – pretty much nothing has thrown me when performing a wedding (and I’ve seen a bride naked!)
I can rock up on your day and roll with whatever last-minute changes have to happen because its YOUR day – not mine. I don’t tell you how to run it and I don’t freak or say no when you tell me your Aunt wants to do a last-minute poem. I just write down her name and slot her in where I can. You might not think I’m worth what I charge, and that is fine. Don’t book me. You have that choice, find your awesome at your price – there are lots of celebrants out there and they all charge differently.
But I have a pretty good wrap sheet – in fact, my facebook/google ratings tell the story.
I’m like the Loreal of celebrants…. The Fifth Harmony if you will… Baby, I’m worth it 😉
*to which of course the answer was no, but we can have a commitment ceremony instead and do the marrying when you show me your passport.
