Many of the questions couples ask about what a celebrant brings to their ceremony are of the how long is a piece of string variety.

There is no industry standard for most of what a celebrant does. Apart from the legal requirements laid down in the Marriage Act.

So I can only answer for myself, though, anecdotally, the most commonly suggest number of hours of input from the celebrant, tends to hover around 10. Which doesn't seem to take into account that it requires more hours to write a ceremony where

• it is a bespoke ceremony as opposed to a registry office style ceremony or a legals-only ceremony
• you request an inclusion that requires some research (for example, a cultural ritual that the celebrant is unfamiliar with)

While it's tempting to simply count the hours spent typing at my laptop, that's only part of the story when it comes to crafting your unique ceremony! The creation process is much more than just the connection between my brain and my fingers. From our initial discussion to the moment you approve the final draft, my mind, both consciously and subconsciously, is constantly engaged in your ceremony's development.

A Constant Creative Process

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My subconscious never takes a break! I'm continuously pondering ways to make your ceremony special and reflective of you. Whether I'm driving, walking, or engaging in routine activities, my mind is always at work, writing phrases and coming up with fresh approacheswhile I’m driving, or walking, or doing things that involve mechanical actions leaving headspace for magic to happen and insights to develop.  It's what Einstein described as "Bed, Bath, and Bus"—the magical moments when insights emerge during everyday activities.

Inspiration Strikes Anytime

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I even work on your ceremony while I'm asleep!

I'm in the habit of chewing over any ceremony challenge just before I settle down for the night. So I keep a pen and paper on my bedside table to capture those brilliant ideas that might pop into my head when I wake up. This way, I ensure that every spark of inspiration is used to make your ceremony as wonderful as it can be.

So, while I can't give you an exact number of hours spent on your ceremony, know that it's not only way more than 10 or 20 hours, it is also a deeply thoughtful process that goes beyond the keyboard—one that I approach with creativity and dedication!

Thanks for reading!