Design Your Ceremony – Your Day, Your Way!

The sky is the limit when it comes to weddings. These days there are so many ways you can choose to honour and celebrate your marriage. Couples are increasingly deciding to design a ceremony which is personal to them. Nowadays your wedding isn’t just about the personal touches with regards to speeches, favours, food and entertainment. You can make the most important part of your day – the ceremony – highly personalised too with the help of a professional celebrant!

Traditionally wedding ceremonies have taken place in churches, religious spaces, registrar’s offices and venues licensed to hold ceremonies. Going to a ‘clinical’ office for my wedding ceremony isn’t exactly my idea of romance! That said, when Mr Ash and I married, we did the legal bit in the office and then had a wedding blessing at our reception venue the next day – and it was beautiful! 

Civil Ceremonies in the form of a registrar-led wedding have become an alternative to religious weddings. However, the content is often ‘run of the mill’ and restricted as there are certain words, phrases and even music that cannot be included in a legally binding ceremony. PLUS you’re restricted on WHERE and WHEN you can get married! You may not even have the opportunity to get to know the person officiating your wedding! This has always felt impersonal to me and at odds with the personal touches that are so important on your special day. 

Increasingly couples find such restrictions prohibitive and they want the freedom to fully express their love for each other on the most important day of their lives. While still relatively unknown, a Celebrant-led wedding offers a meaningful way to celebrate your marriage. 

Independent celebrants are trained in how to design and deliver weddings, vow renewals and other family ceremonies that reflect your beliefs…whatever they are…without judgement. You will still need to do the legal bit (commonly called a simple ceremony where you sign the register and make your declaration to each other in the presence of two witnesses) at a registrars office. However, once that’s taken care of you can have your celebrant-led wedding anywhere and at anytime without restrictions. 

Typically your celebrant will meet with you in person at least once and we’ll chat a number of times on the phone/email. Your celebrant will take time to get to know you and ask you lots of questions so that they can construct a bespoke ceremony that reflects your story as well as your hopes and dreams for the future. They will often work through a number of drafts until you are completely happy with the format and wording. As I said, there are no restrictions. So if you don’t want to follow a traditional wedding format, you don’t have to. Over the years I’ve written and performed all sorts of different ceremonies from Pagan and religious to non-religious and themed. I’m also happy to wear appropriate themed clothing to fit in with your wedding theme. I’m still waiting for the day a couple wants a Harry Potter themed ceremony….wand and cloak at the ready!  

One of the most important aspects of my role is helping you to feel a sense of peace and calm on your day. Often couples will turn to me for advice on how to handle tricky family or guest dynamics…yes BestManZillas really do exist as I discovered recently! The point is that I want you to have an experience that is personal to you rather than just ticking a box. 

Lastly I like to make sure that your guests feel welcomed not only at the beginning of your ceremony. I will arrive early and make a point of introducing myself to your family and as many friends as possible. I only book one wedding a day so that I am 100% present and not rushed. That doesn’t mean you can relax and be hours late for your ceremony, but it does mean that I won’t have to cut your ceremony short to perform another ceremony on the other side of the county!

Interested in learning more…then contact me for a no obligation chat about your big day!