Exchanging love letters during your ceremony can be a wonderful thing to do.  You are able to express all the reasons why you want this person in your life.

The letters can remain sealed until you have the time and space to sit quietly and read them.  You may decide to not open them until a set date in the future such as your first anniversary.  Every time you read the letters they will evoke all your feelings and the events of the day.
 
But writing a letter can be a little daunting.  We are all so used to firing off a text or email that when faced with a blank sheet of paper on which to express our love we freeze.  
 
Here are my top five tips on how to write a love letter.

1.  Handwrite the letter
2. Select stationary which is appropriate to your personality and sentiment.
3. Write a draft and set it aside for a short while and then reread.  Does it convey all you wish to say?
4. Make your letter about your love, say why your partner is special and talk about your hopes for the future together
5. Date your letter for posterity’s sake.  

You could even set aside a bottle of wine from your date for the occasion on which you open the letters.
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A couple’s ceremony is the general term which includes Weddings, Renewal of Vows and Commitment ceremonies.  Creating a romantic atmosphere will enhance your ceremony but how can this be achieved ?


Set the mood 

As guests enter the space your will be using for your ceremony think about what they will see, hear and smell.  Flowers and balloons can add to the visual impact, whilst a carefully chosen sound track can add to the mood.

If you are going to use the same room all day then consider how you can change the mood as the day progresses by changing the level of lighting.
 

Outdoor ceremonies

If you are outdoors try to define the space, you can do this in a number of ways including creating a walkway marked with flags, lanterns, or flowers to lead your guests to the ceremony area.  Ensure that the space your ceremony will take place in is clearly visible to everyone and that seating is available.

Ribbons which flutter in the wind, tea lights in jars hanging from branches or a flower arch are fairly simple to construct and can look stunning.
 

Music in your ceremony

Music will enhance any ceremony.  Try to select a soft meaningful track for entrances and as the background for actions during the ceremony such as signing a certificate.
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You can really ramp up the energy by having something with a good beat for your exit.  This will get your guests into the party mood.
 
Please feel free to get in touch if I can help with your ceremony.

My work as a Celebrant always brings me joy and a real feeling of happiness.  I know that  happiness can look different to each of us.  I find that I am happiest when I feel positive about myself.  I get this feeling when I have supported a couple or family to create a meaningful ceremony ensuring that it is very personal to them.  
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I like to take time to think back to times when I felt truly happy and these thoughts instantly lift my mood and give me the resilience to move forward.  In life I may not always achieve all I set out to do but I know I will achieve something and I can build on this.

One of the moments in time which always makes me feel a fizz of happiness when I am conducting a Wedding ceremony is the moment a couple turn to each other and exchange their promises.  In the same way I find my heart melting when during a Naming ceremony a parent looks at their child and expresses their hopes for the future.  It is at times like these I know why I became a Celebrant.

The first important thing to know is that a celebrant cannot perform a legal marriage.  Although there is a proposal about to be considered being presented to change the marriage laws in England and Wales these changes have not yet been agree.

The reasons for choosing a Celebrant-led ceremony can be as diverse as the couples who choose them.  However, the one thing which connects all of them is the wish to create a ceremony which is meaningful and personal. 

Choosing a Celebrant-led ceremony gives a couple more choice about the content to be included.  It also means there are fewer restraints on time and place.  So if you wish to celebrate your event at home, at an unusual venue or outdoors - a Celebrant-led ceremony would be ideal. Possibly, you would like to hold your ceremony as the sun rises, or weave together two different cultural or religious heritages.  All things are possible.

As a Celebrant, each ceremony I create is unique.  The starting point for all the ceremonies I create is a conversation. If it is possible I prefer to meet people face to face or via a video call. During our conversation we can discuss your ideas, I can make suggestions and we can get to know each other. 

Using all of this I then create a draft script.  The script may go through a number of revisions until it is exactly right.  I consider it to be very important that not only the words are right but also the flow and that the ceremony speaks of all those present. 
There are many elements which can be blended to make the perfect ceremony and these include

• Poetry
• Prose
• Music
• Symbolic actions
• Religious content

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If I can help you with your ceremony then please contact me via my website.