Working with Celebrants vs Registrars – A Photographer’s Perspective
When planning your wedding ceremony, one of the early decisions you may face is whether to choose a registrar or a celebrant. As a wedding photographer working across Berkshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire, I regularly work with both – and I genuinely enjoy photographing each for different reasons.
The key thing to know is this: both registrars and celebrants have an important purpose, and both can add huge value to your wedding day. It’s not about one being better than the other, but about what feels right for you as a couple.
Registrar Ceremonies
Registrars conduct the legal marriage ceremony, usually at a registry office or licensed wedding venue. These ceremonies are often:
Well structured and professionally run
Calm, efficient and welcoming
Ideal for couples who want a simple, meaningful ceremony
From a photography point of view, many registrar venues offer excellent natural light and beautiful spaces for family photos and couple portraits immediately after the ceremony. Registrars are experienced at keeping things relaxed while ensuring everything runs smoothly and on time.
Registrar ceremonies are a great choice if you:
Want the legal ceremony and celebration in one place
Prefer a traditional structure
Value clarity and organisation
Celebrant Ceremonies
Celebrants create personalised, non-legal ceremonies that focus entirely on your story. These ceremonies are often:
Highly personal and emotional
Relaxed and flexible in timing
Completely unique to each couple
Celebrants work closely with couples to design a ceremony that reflects their values, personalities and journey together. This often results in very natural, emotional moments – which photograph beautifully.
Celebrant ceremonies are ideal if you:
Want full creative freedom
Are planning an outdoor or non-traditional wedding
Love storytelling and personal touches
From a Photographer’s Point of View
I enjoy working with both registrars and celebrants. Each creates a different atmosphere, and both can lead to incredibly meaningful moments. I’ve captured just as much emotion during registrar-led ceremonies as I have during celebrant-led ones.
What matters most is that your ceremony feels comfortable, personal and true to you – that’s when the best moments happen naturally.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose a registrar or a celebrant, both can add depth, meaning and emotion to your wedding day. Some couples even choose to include both – a legal ceremony with a registrar, followed by a celebrant-led celebration.
Whatever you decide, my role remains the same: to document your ceremony honestly and unobtrusively, capturing the moments that matter most to you.