Welcome to my blog
This blog is a compilation of thoughts, musings and experiences of my life as a Civil Celebrant, mixed in with my reactions to relevant current events and news stories. There’s always lots to talk about!
How to Plan your Mixed-Faith Ceremony
Planning a mixed-faith ceremony is rarely entirely straightforward. Like any big occasion, putting it together needs compromise, clarity and patience. I’m going to talk about mixed-faith weddings (which I specialise in!), but most of what I say will apply to other...
Being Appreciated
It means a lot when your efforts are not just taken for granted! Being appreciated means a great deal. It is not as simple as it seems to be a celebrant. There are many elements that need to go together to create a successful ceremony. The work is worthwhile, though,...
“My Baby!”
I can’t believe it, but it’s been 7 years since I self-published “Your Wedding Guide”. It’s not been a best-seller, if I’m frank, but I’m proud of the help it’s been to many couples. It was a labour of love. At the moment, it’s still remarkably up-to-date. It may be...
Wedding Guest Costs
With all the (justified!) obsessive talk about inflation, the short piece in Saturday’s “Money” section of the “Daily Telegraph” may have gone unnoticed. However, the report (with statistics furnished by American Express) contains some horrifying revelations about how...
You Win Some; You Lose Some
People think that, because a celebrant is independent, they will not be emotionally involved in what is going on in front of them. I consider myself as macho as the next wimp (!), and I have often been able to look at a ceremony objectively, though sympathetically....
Reducing Wedding Costs
It's not always necessary to spend an arm and a leg on a wedding. Some short cuts may be possible. But pros and cons need to be weighed up carefully. Wedding Planners A wedding planner is a pretty essential team-player for an elaborate or large affair. However, you...
Religious Marriage?
Returning to day-to-day affairs seems a little mundane, after the weekend we’ve just had! It’s been even harder for me, as I celebrated my birthday right in the middle of the long weekend. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the Jubilee (and my birthday!). A few weeks ago (I’m...
Congratulations!
As a wedding celebrant, "congratulations!" is very much part of my vocabulary. I was going to say "everyday vocabulary", but there's nothing everyday or mundane about a special occasion! Each one deserves to be celebrated to the full. I know this is a little...
Why are Weddings Expensive?
You may accuse me of cynicism, but I am convinced that some suppliers put their prices up as soon as they see an engaged couple on the horizon. They know it's the couple's first time (or likely to be), so they assume the pair aren't very savvy in this area. On the...