How to personalise your Ceremony

How to personalise your Ceremony

by | Sep 13, 2021 | Blog

Nowadays, fewer people are choosing a full religious service to mark their marriage. But the Register Office ceremony can be uninspiring, both regarding content and delivery.

That’s why there’s increasing interest in celebrant-led ceremonies.

These specialise in letting their clients choose what they are going to include in their service (and exclude!).

So how can you personalise your ceremony?

Venue

You can choose (as long as you can afford it!) the venue that really hits the mark for you. It may be quirky (like a pod on the London Eye, an aquarium, or an old favourite like a castle or a hotel). It can be outdoors (if you gamble on our climate!) or indoors. It can be grand, modest or somewhere in between.

What you choose will reflect your personalities.

Décor

You can individualise your wedding décor. This may include invitations, signage and seating plans. You can commission this, or do it yourself (given the time and creativity).

Flowers

As well as beautifying things, flowers too will reflect your personalities. They may, or may not, be seasonal, exotic, simple, ravishing, or your own themed colour(s).

The flowers can extend beyond the bridal bouquet to table and room decoration (as in the photo) and even arches.

Dress

These days, you may not choose to wear the traditional clothes. So a bride might shun white, or even a dress. The groom may prefer to dispense with a tie. You can still look original and fetching, and declare your personality.

Ceremony

There are lots of ways to personalise the ceremony itself. You may go for a ritual (what about a handfasting?) or a recital of how the two of you got together and/or why you stayed together! You may want to write your own vows. And so on.

Your civil celebrant should be able to help you with all this, and positively channel your affection, humour and potential emotion.

So the whole service can reflect your personalities and beliefs and be very, very special.

I’d love to be of help to you constructing this. Just contact me!

Personalising your Wedding Ceremony

Personalising your Wedding Ceremony

by | Aug 10, 2020 | Blog

A traditional full religious service still suits many – although fewer than it used to.

A register office service is limited, not least because it is standardised and barely differs from one couple to the next.

So a lot of people are looking to personalise their wedding ceremony.

Venue

Apparently, some 16% of UK weddings in 2019 were held in a rustic or woodland setting. Warehouses (where you’ve got a blank canvas to work from) are gaining in popularity. And then there are marquees and beaches, not to mention old favourites like hotels and castles.

You may be taking a gamble with our notorious British climate, but you have a huge range of options as regards venue. Even allowing for social distancing.

Décor

Another way to individualise your wedding is the décor. It can be handmade or simply bear your stamp, offering unique designs. This can apply to invitations, seating plans and general signage.

Flowers

An obvious way to show individuality and to beautify proceedings is with a show of flowers. This can extend to a floral arch (as in the photo by Elwood Photography above) or simply to bridal bouquets and table furnishings.

Attire

Then, of course, there is no obligation to dress in traditional outfits these days. The bride doesn’t have to wear white; the groom may not wear a suit. However, they can each show originality and personality.

An interesting touch can be small details like coloured socks or a special cravat for the groom.

Ceremony

As a civil celebrant, I would say this, but the ceremony can be personalised to great advantage. There are lots of examples, but writing your own vows can be great. This is an opportunity to say some very moving things, but also display humour and affection.

There could also be a choice of ritual, and the whole service can reflect the couple’s personalities and beliefs and be very special.

All of this, especially preparing the ceremony, is something I can readily help you with.