NéoCérémonial

NéoCérémonial is a secular officiant based in Lausanne who leads weddings, unions and vow renewals, as well as naming ceremonies and funerals, all without religious reference. The home page says the officiant has been celebrating marriages and unions for more than 10 years, with the promise of doing so "sans aucunes références religieuses et dans le respect absolu de tous" (without any religious references and with absolute respect for everyone). The site is in French and, unusually for a Swiss celebrant, publishes clear prices.

The approach

The site's argument for a secular ceremony is short and persuasive: saying "laïc" does not mean saying "petite célébration" (secular does not mean a small celebration). Stepping outside a religious framework, it says, is a chance to live an important moment more in tune with your own values. A secular ceremony can be very traditional, keeping rites such as the exchange of rings or immersion in water, or it can drop them and replace them with whatever the couple imagines.

The wedding page adds that secular does not mean without ceremony: an entrance to music, witnesses and classic rituals such as the exchange of rings, wrists bound with a cord and exchanged promises all have their place. Whether the couple wants a very constructed ceremony or a simple moment, the officiant helps them choose the form that fits their wishes, tastes and values.

The page is also explicit about who is welcome: "Soyons très clairs, que vous soyez une femme et un homme, deux hommes ou deux femmes, cela sera, pour moi, un honneur de vous marier" (let's be very clear: a woman and a man, 2 men or 2 women, it will be an honor for me to marry you).

Three packages with published prices

The site explains that a secular ceremony generally takes between 25 and 50 hours of preparation, spent listening, thinking, writing and coordinating. All prices include a personalized text and the officiant's presence on the day, and the amounts are described as starting points; a precise quote follows the first exchange.

Cérémonie Essentielle, 790 CHF. Billed as the most direct option, for couples who want a simple but personal ceremony. It includes 1 preparation meeting (by video or in person), a questionnaire about the couple's story and wishes, the ceremony speech in a classic structure adapted to that story, a personalized running order with the vows and an optional ritual, and the ceremony on the day.

Cérémonie Signature, 1190 CHF. The page calls this the most chosen package. It includes 2 to 3 preparation meetings, a questionnaire for the couple and their witnesses, a fully personalized speech, the complete design of the ceremony (vows, choice of texts, structure of rituals), creation or adaptation of symbolic rituals, help writing the couple's own vows if wanted, coordination with family and friends who give speeches or readings, and early arrival on the day to coordinate with the suppliers present.

Cérémonie Prestige, 1590 CHF. The most complete option, which the site describes as accompanying the couple "de A à Z". On top of the Signature content, it adds as many preparation meetings as needed, help designing original rituals, proofreading and advice for anyone who wants to speak, priority availability in the run-up to the wedding, a rehearsal the day before (on site or by video), and a printed or bound copy of the ceremony text delivered in the weeks after.

The average ceremony lasts 25 to 45 minutes, according to the site.

When the price changes

The prices are indicative, and the page lists the situations that may call for a custom quote:

• travel beyond a certain radius, or a place that cannot be reached by public transport
• specific clothing for the officiant (subject to agreement)
• extra rehearsals
• a bilingual ceremony
• a ceremony in several parts, or one that runs beyond a certain length
• work the day before, or an extended presence
• a major change requested late
• accommodation when returning the same day is not reasonable

For a destination wedding, several of these may apply at once, so it is worth describing the venue, the languages and the schedule in the first message.

Venues and what the officiant does not do

The choice of place is, in the site's words, the real strength of a secular ceremony. Its examples: a few chairs in a pretty garden, hay bales at the foot of a tree, the courtyard of a fine house, a forest path, a community hall or a somewhat rustic refuge, a restaurant room, a former church. For an outdoor ceremony it advises a fallback, whether another room, a marquee or a reasonable supply of umbrellas, and adds the French saying "mariage pluvieux, mariage heureux" (a rainy wedding is a happy wedding).

The page is clear about limits too. The officiant can advise and sometimes recommend venues or suppliers but does not search for or book venues or companies, and says plainly: "Je ne propose pas de prestation de wedding planner" (I do not offer wedding planner services).

Meeting and booking from abroad

The contact page says the officiant is happy to talk by email and phone, but that nothing replaces a real meeting, and offers to meet in the Lausanne region. For people abroad or who cannot travel, a video call is offered when needed. The page also warns that a busy schedule means the officiant cannot always be available, and invites couples to write or leave a voicemail.

Contact is by phone and WhatsApp on 076/377 27 58, by email at info@neoceremonial.ch, or through a form that asks for first name, last name, email, the type of ceremony, the planned date and the request.

What the site does not settle

• Language. The site is written in French. A bilingual ceremony is listed as a case for a custom quote, so it is possible, but the site does not say which second language, and English is not mentioned. Couples should check this first.
• Travel radius. The site mentions a radius beyond which travel costs extra, but does not give it.
• Who the officiant is. The home page is signed with the initials RGM, and the menu has an "Officiant" page, but the pages here give no name or background beyond the 10+ years of ceremonies.

Who it suits

NéoCérémonial suits couples in French-speaking Switzerland, or coming to it, who want a secular ceremony with a clear price from the outset and a choice of how much support they get. The Signature and Prestige packages, with witness questionnaires, vow-writing help and coordination of speakers, suit couples who want a fully built ceremony without planning it themselves. The explicit welcome for same-sex couples is a plus.

Couples who need an English ceremony should confirm the language before anything else, and couples looking for someone to find and book the venue will need a separate planner.