Australian Celebrant Fee’s! For those of you looking and seeking to find a Celebrant for your upcoming special day, whether it’s the full blown 5 star spectacular, or the humble and unique low key and low cost ceremony in your back yard, the costs involved in provisioning all that you have dreamed of are bound by the budget you have set or are restricted by.
There is apparently reports circulating, stating that the average cost for an Australian Wedding is in excess of $36’500. Wowsers, that’s a lot of money. However, being on the “front line” so to speak, and having completed hundreds of Ceremonies, and being at times, the couples confidant or just in general discussions, I have learnt that this amount is not a fair account of what couple’s are actually spending on their Wedding Day. To be honest, it’s less than half the estimated amount from what studies state, and many couples are choosing to find way’s in which to even further reduce the costs associated with Weddings, because let’s face it, we all know about the “Wedding Mark-up”, where things become heavily price increased by the mere mention of the word “Wedding”. We get it, “Us” Celebrants get it. So why is all of the above relevant to Celebrant Fees? Here’s why.
Celebrant’s use many platforms to advertise, to market and to stand out from other Celebrants, and one of those platforms, is using Facebook forums. We are part of many Bridal pages and use these forums to advertise, provide information, hoping we are able to direct flow to our business pages, and can secure new client business.
One of our pet hates however, and it gets drawn to our attention is the request from “Brides/Couples” posting they are seeking ” a cheap celebrant” or one that “won’t cost them an arm or leg”.
Immediately, I am put off by the statement, and out of what many might state as stubbornness, I will not comment or refer myself, or other Celebrants. It’s insulting, and at times, plain right rude in my view. *Remember I said “my view”. More and more, we (Celebrants) are not responding to such requests, and I have many Celebrant friends/peers whom feel the same way. And to be frank, so we should.
There is this uneducated, misconception that unfortunately has been circulating that the fees / costs of Celebrants is seen as ” too expensive”. Which, really is rather disheartening. In Australia, over 73% of Wedding’s that take place to date, choose a Celebrant to perform the Ceremony. This is anticipated to grow and increase over the next 5 years. The Median price for acquiring the services of a Celebrant is approximately $650 across Australia. This does vary, as some Celebrants are less expensive, starting at around $300, to those that do charge more and can charge up to $1800 or more.
So when we hear that couples find our “Median” prices extreme, or too expensive, or what justifies us to charge apparently “exorbitant” fee’s, it leaves me a little perplexed and frustrated, and I do concede that many don’t know, or aren’t educated on what we actually do, to “justify” or fees. So let me slightly break this down for you.
Our fees incorporate and are not limited to:
Maintaining our Mandatory Professional Development each year, required by us to undertake as we are governed and registered under the Australian Attorney General’s Department. We MUST undertake OPD each year to keep our registration. We are also at random, audited and must account for our services if asked. This can cost us roughly $200 for OPD, but we also now pay an annual registration fee to the AG’s Office, of $240.
We pay for marketing, marketing materials, stationary, office equipment, car maintenance, equipment and it’s up keep, such as our PA systems. Fuel to and from our ceremonies, meetings, rehearsals, which most of us don’t charge extra for.
We pay for utilities, yes, we pay for our phone calls, use of emails, our internet services, we pay for technology services if we use them, we pay for items for our weddings, such as possibly table decorations, new signing pens, small items that most aren’t aware of, as many of us take pride in even providing the little touches. We even pay for our taxes to be done, as running a small business, we too have to account for all or little we bring in.
We pay for ink for our printers, and paper to print your script (if you are old school like me and like to actually have a book to read from not a tablet). We pay for pads, pods and other devices to make our services work more effectively and efficiently. We pay for a multitude of things and items and devices and at times what the public would deem, non essentials, that serve to help our commitment to ensuring your day runs as smooth as possible. I could go on and on and on about what we pay for, but my need to not inundate you is more poignant then that.
For many of us, this isn’t our Full Time role. This is our Part Time Love Job. Many of us would love to give up our real jobs, and take this role to a full time capacity, but it’s harder then it looks. And many try and unfortunately, many have to go back to the real world, and gain other employment.
We do this because we LOVE it and we LOVE Love, and believe in its magic. Sadly, however too, and more so recently, many have gone and gotten qualified (*yes another expense of becoming a Celebrant is that you are required to be qualified with a Certificate 4 in Celebrancy) to undertake this role, but we are finding that many think this is an industry that can secure the “quick buck”. This is a very heavily saturated industry, and in each state, and big city, there is a monopoly of Celebrants, thus we then have a large differing fee structure. In Queensland, we have several thousand Celebrants, most “active”, but the average Celebrant does on average 6 Weddings per year. Why, because as Celebrants, we can’t “Price Fix”, thus we have a surge of Celebrants, undercutting and reducing fees to secure a booking. Unfortunately however, these are at times, also Celebrants, who “Cookie Cut” their ceremonies, don’t write unique or bespoke ceremonies for their couples, and don’t have a vested interest in your day. (This has been seen and proven to many times)
But most of us do. Most of us spend hours and hours and months making sure we have put together a ceremony that completely reflects you and the people you are and what it is you are wanting to show at your Ceremony. On average, most quality Celebrants spend over 25 hours just in writing up your ceremony. Yes, it’s true. To give you an example. From the time I first meet my couples, until even the day of their Wedding, I am questioning, making notes, taking notes, if we are friends on Facebook, I might even stalk their pages a little, ( all for research purposes I assure you ), I give a questionnaire, I sit with them as many times as needed, communicate however many times is required, to get the information to put together a ceremony that truly reflects them. I am not catering for the masses, I am catering and servicing my clients, my couple. I too want your ceremony to be spectacular.
This all takes time, and it’s going to cost you. Our time is valuable and important too. Our time and fee’s reflect our services, our commitment and our vested interest. So when I say in my view, you need to not ask silly questions like ” I want the greatest Celebrant, but I only want to pay pittance for them”, don’t be surprised if the only one’s offering their services are the undercutters, the one’s that only see you as the $ bag, who borrow a script from Google and prefill your details and the one’s that really don’t share in the celebration and joy that you are stepping forward into.
We are of course, and it’s quite important to remember this, the Person appointed by The Commonwealth, who “Solemnise” your Marriage. WE MAKE IT LEGAL! Seriously, this is a HUGE Deal. Would you go to an unlicensed Doctor? Would you heed information from a non licensed Lawyer? Do you walk into Coles, Woolies, Target, Kmart and barter with them about their prices? Do you even barter with the costs of your “other” Vendors? NO… most of you don’t and you just pay the fee your quoted. Sure, yes you shopped around, and we all have that privilege. But when you want ALL the goods for the bare minimum, it get’s old, it get’s frustrating and many of us in this industry are DONE!
We choose our own prices, based on what we believe our services should cost. Some are higher, and most of us stay within the median range, because we believe that its still a fair competitive price.
Ladies and Gents, we are small sole traders, small businesses doing something we love. Something that most of us would love to turn into more, we have costs associated with these independent businesses we are slowly growing. We LOVE what we do. Stop asking silly questions, ask your Celebrant for a payment plan… totally able to do. Start understanding this isn’t a 10 minute service thrown together in just one day/night, print your certificate and on we go! NO.. this is a role we are passionate about.
I make no apologies for offending anyone, if you are offended, sucks to be you. Maybe learn to be more open and view things with less “tunnel vision”.
If you are looking for a Brisbane Celebrant, who says it how it is, doesn’t shy away from a challenge, who does go above and beyond.. because guess what? She gives a “toss” about you and your day, then feel free to message me.
Cheers. – Kel .
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Kel the Celebrant 