Difference between a celebrant & a minister
With over 85% of weddings in Australia today solemnised by an authorised civil marriage celebrant, what is the difference between a religious minister and a civil celebrant?
A marriage celebrant is a person who is authorised by Commonwealth law to perform marriage ceremonies, while a priest, father, minister or pastor is a member of the clergy who is ordained to perform religious rites and ceremonies and their authority comes from their state-registered religion.
In general and professionally, marriage celebrants are not affiliated with a specific religion and are able to perform marriage ceremonies for couples of any faith or no faith at all.
Priests, on the other hand, are typically associated with a specific religious denomination and typically only perform marriage ceremonies for couples who are members of that denomination.
A civil celebrant will typically create a custom and personal marriage ceremony for the couple being married, whereas a minister will generally bring their religion's standard marriage ceremony rituals and script.
Related Posts
Top 10 old & popular wedding regions
Over the past few decades a number of Australian regions have been popular for weddings. But will they reign in the future?
Original wedding reading: So pure and true
An original sweet wedding reading for a civil marriage ceremony
What to consider when choosing a celebrant
Six tips on choosing the right wedding celebrant without regrets
