CHRISTINE O'MALLEY
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Choosing a Celebrant is a very personal choice; if you are able to speak to a couple of Celebrants before making a decision then do so. I would advise you to do a little research. Currently there are no requirements for Celebrants to have completed the National Qualification for Celebrants. Qualified Celebrants have had to undertake an extensive course and demonstrate that they can create and perform ceremonies to a high standard. Personally I would try to avoid “script only” services. These companies offer an "off the shelf" ceremony which can then be read by a friend or member of the family. Using a friend or family member to conduct your ceremony can add pressure to your day for you and them.
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I believe it is possible to have the Wedding of your dreams and not have to compromise. A Celebrant led ceremony gives you the opportunity to have your ceremony when and where you wish. It also gives you the opportunity to express your personalities by choosing any genre of music, writing your own promises and vows and involving others. Each of us have a different view about the perfect wedding, for some it might be an extravagant fairy tale event whilst others would prefer to make their vows in shaded woodland. You may have two guests or two hundred; however the most important thing is that it is a day where life long memories are created and a day where your love shines brightly. Why not contact me and we can talk about how we might create your perfect ceremony ? How long should you promises be? Discuss this with your partner and agree on a word count. I would suggest no more than 250 words. Will you share a joke or would you rather keep things more generic? Again, best to discuss this before you start writing. Will your promises lean more to the humorous side or sentimental or be a mixture of both? From personal experience I think a mixture of both works well, that way you can achieve a good balance and avoid being to “mushy” or “jokey”. Will you keep your promises secret and only share them on the day? Lots of couples do this but do remember to send me a copy of your promises to your Celebrant. This way they can ensure that the promises are of approximately the same length and tone and then have an individual chat with you if there needs to be any adjustment. When writing your promises avoid using words like “always” and “never” as no one is perfect so it is hard to promise perfection – what you are promising is to be the very best you can be. Don’t worry about being too cheesy. If what you say is heartfelt then nothing is too cheesy. It is okay to say something to make your partner laugh. Here are a few ideas you might like to think about when you start to write your promises Don’t forget to say “I love you” Talk about the fact you plan to always be there for your partner Add some personal things which are unique to you - such as promising to
Within a Wedding Celebration ceremony you can make promises and vows or just a promise or just a vow. There is often a little confusion about what is a vow/promise because people talk of vows and promises as the same thing, indeed vows often start with the phrase “I promise”. Personally, I always think that the wording of vows reflect the more formal declarations being made and are usually made when giving or receiving rings. Promises on the other hand are much more personal and are more reflective of you as a couple and your hopes and dreams for the future. Check out next weeks blog for some inspiration about what to include. “Florigaphy” or the language of flowers dates back to the Victorian times when suitors would send flowers expressing feelings which could not be spoken aloud. Popular choices included Red roses spoke of love Yellow roses to express joy Red and white mixed meant Unity and undying love. Red carnations signalled admiration White carnations reflect pure love White Calla lilies for beauty However, flowers had to be fresh for a withered flowers spoke of rejection. Hitched is one of the leading Wedding Directories in the UK. Each year they publish a report which I find fascinating. The report for 2025 has recently been published and I took a peak. The survey is based on the returns from 2020 couples.
Whilst I find these figures very interesting I just wonder about the couples who don't want average, who want their day to have structure but also be inspirational, want it simple and exciting. If you are looking for something that is not "average" for your special day then why not give me a call and we can talk about how I might help you create an creative, joyful and bespoke ceremony. Why not drop me a line using the contact form on this site ? Alongside my work as an Independant Celebrant I also work as a tutor Assessor on an NVQ level 3 course. My role is to train new Celbrants to be Family and Couples celebrants alongside my colleague, Emily. The last course was held at Cranfield University at the end of February and I was thrilled to recieve very positive feedback from two of the participants, which was passed on by the office. "Please do pass on my thanks to Chris and Emily who were really supportive throughout and offered some useful advice" Claire "Jilly sends her love to you both – for your amazing support – you are both amazing." I thought it was wonderful that Claire and Jilly took the time to send their thanks. Each Celebrant is different and different Celebrants click with different couples. So what is my signature style? Overall I beleive I am freindly, sincere and professional. But what do these three words mean with regard to your ceremony Freindly - I like to make the ceremonies I create accessible to all , to include some gentle humour and lots of smiles. I spend time getting to know you and I hope that you will feel relaxed and enjoy your moment. Professional - I am a fully qualified Celebrant and have ten years experience as both a Celebrant and as a trainer of other Celebrants. It is my belief that everyone present should be able to see and hear all that is happening so that they can feel part of your day. Sincere - Your ceremony should be heartfelt, not simply something that is read from a script, downloaded from the internet, but specifically crafted for you and with you. So if you think I might be the right choice for you, why not complete the contact form here on my website nd we can start a conversation. |
AuthorChoosing a Celebrant to help you create that special ceremony is an important step towards making your occasion a really memorable one. Why not take advantage of the free initial meeting I offer ? I believe it is important to meet informally to discuss your ideas and what I can offer. Meeting also gives us an opportunity to explore the type of ceremony that would best suit your needs. Archives
March 2026
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