How to choose a celebrant for your vegan wedding in Cornwall
Updated: Sep 30
If you're planning a vegan wedding in Cornwall, choosing your celebrant might involve more than simply finding someone whose ceremony style you love. You may also want someone who understands why your values matter - without you having to explain or justify them.
Veganism isn't simply about what's being served at your wedding breakfast. For many couples, it's an ethical framework that influences everything from the suppliers they choose to the little details they include in their day. So does it make a difference if your celebrant is vegan too? As an ethical vegan myself - and having created ceremonies for a number of vegan couples - here's what I think you should consider.
The importance of shared values
Choosing a vegan celebrant can mean much more than simply finding someone who shares your dietary choices. For ethical vegans, those values can influence all sorts of decisions - including the businesses and people we choose to support.
That doesn't mean your celebrant needs to be vegan. But if it's important to you that the person standing with you on your wedding day genuinely understands why certain choices matter, finding someone who shares those values can make things feel wonderfully easy. You don't have to explain why you wouldn't want animals used as entertainment, why a particular ritual or material doesn't feel right, or why the provenance of seemingly small details matters to you.
I try to carry those same values into the way I work. I avoid ceremony elements involving animals, conduct meetings online where it makes sense to reduce unnecessary journeys, use recycled paper and vegan-friendly printing materials, and make conscious choices about the venues and celebrations I'm comfortable being part of. I don't fly for destination weddings, and I only occasionally travel beyond Cornwall for the right ceremony - just in the South West.
None of us is perfect, and I don't pretend to be. For me, it's simply about trying to make choices that are consistent with the values I live by every day.
Look for someone who understands your vegan choices
A celebrant who genuinely understands veganism can also help you think through ceremony details you might not initially have considered. That could include avoiding animal-derived materials, choosing cruelty-free alternatives for symbolic rituals, or simply recommending wedding suppliers whose values align with your own.
It's worth asking a prospective celebrant about their own approach rather than assuming that words such as ethical, sustainable or eco-friendly automatically mean vegan. If sharing those values matters to you, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Over the years I've also got to know photographers, make-up artists, caterers, wedding planners and other suppliers whose work and ethics I trust, so I'm always happy to share recommendations where I can.
Look for experience with vegan weddings
Experience can matter too. I've had the pleasure of creating and conducting ceremonies for a number of vegan couples, in Cornwall and beyond, so I understand some of the choices and considerations that can come with planning a wedding around your values.
Jake and Kathy created a wonderfully personal DIY wedding at Cotna Eco Retreat, while Nathalie and Ben celebrated at The Eco Park, Porthtowan. Maya and Nicholas made their own thoughtful choices for their elopement at Cornish Tipis, while Meg and Tom celebrated just over the border in South Devon at The Barn at South Milton.
I've also been lucky enough to conduct vegan weddings for couples including Madeleine Olivia and Alex at Boconnion, Hannah and Christian at Potager Garden, and Josh and Julie at The Green.
Those weddings have all been different - which is exactly the point. There isn't one particular way to have a vegan wedding. What matters is finding the people and choices that feel right for you.
Jake and Kathy Nathalie and Ben as photographed by Raj and Jade Maja and Nicholas Meg and Tom as photographed by Evolve Maddie and Alex as photographed by Noah Werth Hannah and Christian as photographed by Checkered Photography
Supporting vegan businesses
For some couples, choosing vegan wedding suppliers is also about supporting businesses and individuals whose ethics align with their own. If that matters to you, it's worth looking beyond what's written on a supplier's website and having a conversation about their values and the way they work.
Ultimately, choosing the right celebrant for your vegan wedding is much the same as choosing any celebrant: you need to like them, trust them and feel confident that they understand the two of you. Sharing your vegan values may not be essential - but if it matters to you, it's absolutely something worth considering.
As an ethical vegan myself, I love working with couples for whom those shared values create an extra connection. If that sounds important to you too, you can find out more about my vegan wedding celebrant service in Cornwall.
