Your Best Mate Is Marrying You. Here's How to Make Sure They Nail It.
So here's something you wouldn’t think I’d love as a celebrant, but I totally do: more and more couples are asking their best mate, their sister, the cousin who's been not-so-subtly hinting for a big moment since 2019 to act as their celebrant.
And honestly? I get it. There's something pretty special about the person who knows all your worst dance moves and your most embarrassing exes being the one who gets to say “I now pronounce you...”
But here's the tricky bit. Your chosen person has probably never done this before. And standing up in front of everyone you love to read a script out loud with charisma but without your voice shaking is a genuinely nerve-wracking skill. One most of us don't get much practice at outside of a wedding.
So I've built two ways to make sure your DIY celebrant absolutely smashes it.
The Ghostwriter — from £750
This one's for couples who want a properly written, completely bespoke ceremony - the exact same calibre of script I'd write if I were the one delivering it - except your person gets to be the one standing up there saying the words.
I go through basically the same process I use with my own couples: getting to know your story, digging into the details, writing something that sounds like you, not a template pulled off Pinterest. Then I hand it over, coach your person on delivery - pacing, nerves, what to do if they lose their place - and walk them through the whole thing before the big day so nothing's a surprise. I'm even on WhatsApp on the day itself, just in case they need a last-minute pep talk.
Basically: all the polish of a professional ceremony, with someone you love holding the mic.
The Hype Man — from £325
This one's for the couple whose person is confident writing it themselves but doesn't want to do it completely unsupervised.
I send over a proper toolkit to get them started, jump on a call to answer questions, then go through their draft in detail once they've written it. One polish round to tighten it up, a coaching session to build their confidence, and a full walkthrough before the day so they're not reading it cold in front of your guests for the first time. I'm still in contact on the day too for emergency hyping.
Think of it as backup, not a takeover.
One Important Thing
A quick but genuinely important detail: your friend marrying you is a beautiful, personal, completely un-legally-binding moment. Just like my own ceremonies, a friend-led one doesn't count as your legal marriage. You'll still need a quick trip to the registry office to make it official. It doesn't take the magic out of the day, just means you'll need to tick that box separately.
Sound Like Your Wedding?
If you've already got the perfect person lined up and just want to make sure they don't freeze halfway through, head over to the DIY Celebrant page and have a read through both options. Or hit the button and we'll figure out which one's right for you.
