How to find the best field receptionist?
The secret of an interesting and memorable outdoor ceremony is simple - it should be conducted by a registrar with a pleasant voice, well-delivered speech and attractive appearance. The registrar is a professional and experienced actor who will capture the attention of the guests, give a heartfelt speech and conduct the ceremony exactly the way you wanted.
But where to find such a professional? It's simple - the best field recorders are presented on this page!
For your convenience, we have tried to provide information about each registrar. You can evaluate the work of each recorder based on the video portfolio, and then make your choice.
Registrars of any age and gender are at your service. Depending on the theme of the wedding and personal preferences, you can choose girls, respectable ladies or even men.
How to choose a wedding registrar?
Another article of mine from the “Guide to the Bride and Groom” series. For convenience, it is structured in the form of an interview.
— Why do many couples decide to register their marriage outside? I conducted a survey among couples planning to register their marriage outside and couples who have already had it. And one of the main reasons (second place in the number of votes) for holding just such a wedding ceremony is the opportunity to choose the wedding registrar yourself.
- Why is it important? It is very simple to explain: it is this person who utters such important words that you will remember all your life. Or you won’t, if the registrar turned out to be the wrong one and the words turned out to be the wrong ones.
— What should you look for when choosing a wedding registrar and how not to make a mistake? First you need to decide what exactly is important to you - i.e. why did you even choose a wedding registrar instead of trusting the wedding organizers? The simplest thing is to understand what you definitely don’t want to see or hear at your ceremony. For example, it is important for you to hear classical Russian without an accent, with the pronunciation accepted where you live - in St. Petersburg. Or the timbre of the recorder’s voice is important to you – it’s optimal if it’s medium or low. This voice is not annoying, is well perceived by ear and sounds great on video recordings. Once upon a time, on Soviet television, only an artist with such voice characteristics could pass a competition for the position of announcer.
— How can you find out how the registrar will speak? This is the easiest way. You need to talk with your potential registrars by phone and someone’s candidacy will disappear immediately.
— Does the appearance of the wedding host matter? The appearance of the wedding registrar is an important selection criterion. In order to find something that suits you, look through as many photos as possible that Yandex and Google offer. It is optimal if the registrar agrees to discuss with you options for the style of his clothing at your ceremony - after all, his image will forever remain in your family albums. I always select a suit or dress based on the style and color scheme of the upcoming ceremony.
— Does the age of the field registrar matter? Age is a very important selection criterion. It looks a little strange when a young girl who has never been married and has not yet given birth to a single child “instructs” the bride and groom. This is especially striking when the newlyweds are clearly older than the registrar, and now not only twenty-year-olds, but also couples over the age of thirty and forty are getting married. In my opinion, the host of the on-site registration should look at least a few years older than the newlyweds, if they are still very young, and certainly not younger than those brides and grooms who are thirty or more years old. As data from another survey I conducted show, the answer “middle-aged woman, i.e. 35-50 years old." The next most popular answer options were “middle-aged man” and “elderly man or woman.” But it would be a lie to say that this always happens. Once a couple refused my services for the reason that the groom considered me... not young enough. Well, everyone has their own priorities!
— How to determine the professionalism of a wedding registrar? Of course, appearance, voice timbre and even age are important, but there are even more important criteria for choosing a registrar. He will read the wedding speech at your ceremony, but what it will be like is a separate question. Every good registrar has several templates for the ceremony, plus the ability (and desire) to edit them in accordance with the preferences of the couple. The bride and groom have the absolute right to request a preliminary meeting with the registrar in order to speak with him personally and familiarize himself with the options for holding the ceremony. I usually offer four basic options, each of which can be modified. If the registrar refuses to discuss this with you, simply saying “Don’t worry, everything will be fine!”, do not hesitate to be persistent - after all, everyone has their own concept of “good” and you have the right to get exactly what you want for your money.
- What else can you do to avoid making mistakes? Be sure to ask for a link to photos and videos of completed registrations. If the registrar claims that he has been working for five years, but he does not have a single video recording (even an amateur one) confirming this and only one photo album with three photographs, then most likely he is telling you a lie. Be sure to look for reviews of wedding registries – there are quite a few of them on the Internet. But when reading reviews, do not forget about the “human factor”. For example, if you liked the presenter of the field registration both on video and in person, and in the reviews you read that she mixed up the names of the bride and groom, then you may well ask her to keep the folder with the speech in front of her eyes in order to avoid such unpleasant nuances . Unfortunately, even the best of us sometimes make mistakes.
— How much do the services of a good wedding registrar cost? This season, the cost of on-site marriage registration in St. Petersburg and its suburbs is 6,000-8,000 rubles. If the registrar calls the amount less, then there is a possibility that he is not confident in his abilities, has few orders, or has simply just started working. Feel free to talk about it. If the amount announced is significantly larger, then, most likely, this is an attempt by wedding agents to “sell” a good specialist at a higher price. Recently I received information that my services were offered for 16,000 (!) rubles, i.e. the intermediary decided to make a 100% profit on me. Not too fair to everyone.
— How do you become a wedding registrar? This is very important. Since the tradition of holding outdoor weddings is less than ten years old, it is important to know what the registrar has done previously. Most often, he used to be a wedding or concert host, a teacher of creative specialties, a theater and film artist, or, imagine, a registry office employee. You shouldn’t trust registrars who were previously wedding photographers or, for example, decorators, too much, although exceptions are quite possible. And you definitely need to be very careful with those who just yesterday were accountants or cooks. Not every housewife who prepares food for her family can work as a cook. Likewise, not every person who can speak can become a wedding registrar or entertainer.
— What is the most important thing in a wedding registrar? The most important thing is the ability to hear and understand the mood of the couple, to see something special behind their story. The desire to meet halfway, taking into account everything that is so important for these two people and to embody it in the ceremony. The wedding registrar has this every day, but for future newlyweds it is the only one and, I want to believe, for the rest of their lives.
Responsibilities of the field registrar
The key responsibility of the field registrar is reading the ceremonial speech and general conduct of the ceremony. At the stage of organizing an on-site registration, you can agree on the text with the registrar, add your own ideas to it, or order a service to develop an individual, unusual text for the ceremony. The text for on-site registration can be in any style - light and romantic, funny or more formal, with elements of a newlyweds’ love story, etc.
The dress code is also discussed with the registrar - it can be classic formal, or in the theme or color scheme of the wedding.
You must arrive at the location of the exit registration ceremony at least 30 minutes before the start. Agree on the final details and prepare for registration.
The registrar brings everything you need: a pen, a folder for the ceremony, a pillow for the rings. However, the marriage certificate folder must be provided by the newlyweds.
What questions should you ask your wedding registrar during a personal meeting?
Be sure to make an appointment with your registrar. Live communication will help you make your final decision; in addition, this is a great opportunity to ask all your questions.
- Is there another off-site registration for your wedding day? Anything can happen, and the timing of the wedding may shift slightly due to unforeseen circumstances. The registrar may be late for your ceremony due to a delay at another wedding, so we advise you to find someone who is available on your date.
- How many ceremonies does the registrar have under his belt? Experience usually guarantees quality of services.
- Is it possible to sign an agreement? It is better to document all important points for you, especially force majeure circumstances and ways to overcome them.
- What is the cost of the services, is an advance required or is full payment due after the ceremony?
- Is it possible to refuse the services of a registrar in case of unforeseen circumstances? How long before the wedding can this be done without financial loss?
- What will the registrar wear at the wedding ceremony? Be sure to discuss his appearance.
- If you are planning a wedding ceremony rehearsal, how much do you need to pay for the presence of a registrar?
- When will the registrar arrive at the site? Tell him the exact time of arrival with a small margin in case of traffic jams.
- How long does the ceremony last?
- Are there script options for the ceremony? Read them all, make a choice and check whether the script can be corrected and supplemented according to your wishes.
- Does the registrar perform symbolic wedding ceremonies?
- Is it possible to write your own wedding vows?
A good wedding registrar always remembers that for him this may be the hundredth wedding, but for the bride and groom it is the one and only. Therefore, choose with your heart, and may your ceremony be perfect!
How much do field registrar services cost?
When ordering the services of a field registrar, the cost depends on:
- Professional level and experience of the specialist;
- Distance of the registration location from Moscow;
- Availability of additional services.
The total cost of field registrar services ranges from 6,000 to 15,000 rubles.
The services of field registrars are affordable, but their schedule is scheduled for many months in advance - you should take care of choosing a registrar in advance. This is also true for venues where outdoor ceremonies are held.
Cost of on-site registration
In large cities there are many companies that deal with issues of on-site marriage registration. Working with them, the bride and groom can be sure that the agency:
- Select the ideal location suitable for on-site registration;
- Resolve organizational issues with the accommodation of guests and the departure of a registry office employee or a specially hired actor to conduct the ceremony;
- Will provide musical accompaniment.
Depending on the assigned tasks, the cost of services of such agencies starts from 15-20 thousand rubles.
Of course, the future husband and wife can organize on-site registration on their own.
In this case, the cost of departure:
- A civil registry office employee will cost an average of 4,000 rubles;
- A specially hired person who will play the role of an employee of the civil registry office will cost: in Moscow from 10,000 rubles, in the regions - from 5,000 rubles.
Prices are given without taking into account the cost of wedding paraphernalia : a specially decorated arch and a table on which a pen with documents will be placed, as well as other equally important accessories and rental of the event venue.
