Rosie Sayers Celebrant logo

Wedding ceremonies

Wedding celebrant in Warwickshire, for a ceremony that sounds like you

The bit everyone remembers isn’t the venue or the flowers - it’s the ten minutes when someone stands up and says something true about you. I’m Rosie Sayers, an independent celebrant based in Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and I write and lead weddings across Warwickshire and the Midlands. From £999.

Start a conversationSee wedding ceremony fees
Rosie Sayers in a green dress and patterned scarf, holding her ceremony folder at a lectern.

What a wedding celebrant does

Someone whose whole job is your ceremony

A celebrant writes and leads the ceremony itself. Not a set form of words, not a slot in a diary - a piece of writing made for the two of you, delivered by someone who has taken the time to understand who you are.

That means I do the listening first: how you met, what you argue about, what your families are like, what you want people to feel. Then I write it, share the draft with you, redraft it, and on the day I lead everything calmly so nobody has to worry about what happens next.

You keep control of everything - where it happens, how long it lasts, who speaks, what gets said. I bring the structure, the words and a steady pair of hands.

The difference

Not a template with your names inserted

  • Listening, first

    I take the time to understand the two of you properly, so the words on the day sound like you rather than anyone else.

  • Calm at the front

    Standing up and speaking to a room of people is something I'm entirely at ease with, so you can relax and enjoy your own ceremony.

  • Warm, not saccharine

    Funny where it should be funny, quiet where it should be quiet. No stock phrases about your journey.

  • Properly organised

    Drafts when I say, liaison with your venue and suppliers, and no loose ends in the week before the wedding.

Newly married couple walking back down the aisle through confetti at an outdoor Cotswolds ceremony

Personalisation

What’s yours to shape

Everything below is optional. The point is that you choose, rather than fit into something that already exists.

  • Your story, told properly

    How you met, what changed, the unglamorous bits that made it real. Written so your people recognise you both in it.

  • Vows that sound like you

    Write your own, write them together with me, or repeat after me. Funny, plain-spoken, quietly serious - your call.

  • Readings and voices

    Friends, family, children, a favourite song lyric, something you wrote yourselves. I help you choose and place them.

  • Rituals, if you want them

    Handfasting, ring warming, candles, a shared drink, a family blend - included only when they mean something to you.

  • Culture and faith, on your terms

    Elements from different backgrounds and beliefs can sit side by side in one ceremony, or be left out entirely.

  • The shape of the day

    Order, timings, music in and out, where people stand, who walks where. All of it is yours to decide.

The process

How planning a wedding ceremony works

  1. 01

    Enquiry

    Tell me the date, the place and a little about the two of you. I reply personally, and confirm availability.

  2. 02

    Introduction

    A relaxed, no-obligation call or coffee. You should choose a celebrant you actually click with - this is where you find out.

  3. 03

    Planning conversation

    A longer session where I ask plenty of questions, get to know you both, and we decide together how the ceremony will run.

  4. 04

    Writing and review

    I write the full ceremony and send it to you. You read it, sit with it, and change anything that isn't right.

  5. 05

    Rehearsal and final details

    Timings, music cues, who stands where, and liaison with your venue and other suppliers so nothing is a surprise.

  6. 06

    Your wedding day

    I arrive early, settle everyone, and lead the ceremony warmly so you can be present in your own wedding.

See the full process for every type of ceremony

The legal side

Where the paperwork fits in

A celebrant-led wedding is a personal, non-legal ceremony. In England and Wales you complete the legal side separately at a register office, and the ceremony I write and lead is the meaningful one built around you.

In practice, most couples sign the register quietly with two witnesses before or after the celebrant ceremony, and treat the day itself as their wedding. If you’re unsure how to arrange that, ask me and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Venues and timings

Where, how long, and how far ahead

Where it can happen

Barns, gardens, woodland, village halls, hotels, family homes - a celebrant ceremony doesn’t need a licensed venue, indoors or out. If you already have a venue, tell me and I’ll work to its rhythms.

How long it lasts

Usually 20 to 40 minutes, depending on readings, rituals and how much of your story you want told. Long enough to mean something, short enough to hold everyone.

How far ahead

Most couples book six to eighteen months out, often once the venue is fixed. Shorter notice is frequently fine - if the date is free, I can work to it.

Wedding ceremonies across the county

Other areas by arrangement.

Fees

Wedding ceremonies, planned, written and led

from£999

  • Planning conversations, in person or online
  • Writing and redrafting the ceremony until it sounds like you
  • All correspondence, and liaison with your venue
  • A rehearsal or run-through where it helps
  • Leading the ceremony on the day
See full fees and what is includedStart a conversation

Wedding FAQs

Questions couples ask

Is a celebrant wedding legally binding?

Not on its own. In England and Wales an independent celebrant ceremony is not currently the legal marriage, so it doesn't replace the register office. What it does is give you the wedding that actually feels like yours: personal, held anywhere you like, with no script restrictions. Almost all my couples complete the legal formalities separately in a short registrar appointment, then we create the real celebration, the one your guests will remember, around that. I'll explain exactly how the two fit together.

Can we get legally married separately?

Yes, and most of my couples do exactly that. You book a short appointment at your local register office to complete the legal marriage, sometimes called the "two plus two" with a couple of witnesses, and then we hold your celebrant ceremony as the meaningful one, on your date, at your venue, written around you. Many couples treat the registry part as a quiet formality and think of the celebrant ceremony as their real wedding day. I'll help you plan the timing so it all flows.

Can a celebrant marry us outdoors?

Yes. Because a celebrant ceremony isn't bound by the rules that apply to legal marriages, we can hold it almost anywhere: a garden, a barn, a woodland, a beach, a favourite field or your own back garden. There's no requirement for a licensed venue or a permanent structure. All we need is a spot that means something to you, and a plan B for the British weather.

Can we write our own vows?

Absolutely, and I'd love you to. Your vows can be as heartfelt, funny or unconventional as you like, and I'll help you shape them if writing them feels daunting. You can promise the big things and the small ones, share private vows beforehand or say them aloud on the day. Because there's no fixed script, the whole ceremony can be written in your words, and your vows are usually the part guests remember most.

Can we include religious elements?

Yes. A celebrant ceremony can be entirely non-religious, gently spiritual, or include prayers, hymns, blessings or readings that matter to you or your families. It's your ceremony, so you decide how much or how little of that to include, and I'll blend it in naturally. This flexibility is one of the reasons couples from different faiths or backgrounds often choose a celebrant.

Can our dog be part of the ceremony?

Yes, and they're very welcome. Dogs make wonderful ring-bearers, guests of honour or simply a much-loved part of your day, and because we're not restricted by venue rules the way a registrar is, there's usually no problem including them. We'll just plan a few practicalities, someone to hold the lead and a treat or two, so your four-legged friend has a happy time too.

How long does a celebrant wedding ceremony last?

Usually 20 to 40 minutes, though it's entirely up to you. That's long enough to tell your story, share your vows, include a reading or a ritual and let the moment breathe, without anyone's attention wandering. If you'd like something shorter and simpler, or a little longer with more contributions from family and friends, we'll shape it to suit you and your guests.

Can we hold the ceremony anywhere?

Almost anywhere. A celebrant ceremony can take place at a wedding venue, a barn, a marquee, a garden, a woodland, a restaurant or your own home, indoors or out, licensed or not, because it isn't the legal marriage. That freedom is one of the biggest advantages of choosing a celebrant. Tell me where you're dreaming of, and we'll make it work.

Read all frequently asked questions about celebrant ceremonies

Tell me about the wedding you’re planning

Even if you’re only half-decided, a conversation costs nothing. Send a few lines about the date and the place, or call 07380 747534 - I answer every enquiry myself.

Start a conversationCall 07380 747534