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Many parents wish to welcome their new baby and announce the names they have chosen.  If you do not wish to have a religious service then a Naming Ceremony led by a Celebrant is an ideal choice.  

A typical naming ceremony includes

• Parents' promises
• Supporting adults promises
• Readings or poems
• Music
• Signing a certificate

Ceremonies can be held in your own home or in a local venue.

Guests can enjoy the ceremony and then relax afterwards without having to commute between places.

If you would like more information about the bespoke service I offer please make contact.  

Please feel free to share this information if you know someone who might find this useful.
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Whilst having a Celebrant lead ceremony does not infer any legal status many couples are choosing to have one following registration of their marriage in a simple service at a registry office.  Choosing a Celebrant led ceremony means that you have more choice about the way the ceremony is conducted, the place as you do not need to hold your ceremony at a licenced venue and this content.  

You will be able to choose your music and include live music if you wish.

You can write your own vows and promises - making them personal and more meaningful

There are less restrictions on time.

There are no restrictions on additional content such as symbolic actions.

​Making each ceremony  truly unique.
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For further information please get in touch.

Last week I was privileged to be the first Celebrant to conduct a Combined ceremony as part of the Staffordshire pilot.

It was a glorious day made even more special for the bride and groom by being able to have the legal aspects of their marriage witnessed by family and friends within a bespoke ceremony which included music, poems, a handfasting and the lighting of a Unity candle.

My thanks to all the other professionals who were involved, Jane and Yvonne from the Registrars Office, Tamara the wedding event coordinator at Pendrell Hall and Justin the photographer.

It truly was a wonderful occasion. 

Whilst researching superstitions related to weddings I was interested to learn of one from the Middle Ages which I thought I would share.

In the Middle Ages it was considered a bad omen for the newly married couple to meet a cat, dog, lizard, snake or rabbit as they left the church.  However, meeting a wolf, spider or toad was extremely good.  

How times change,

Your wedding day will be full of emotion as you create many happy memories and as a couple pledge yourselves to creating a future together.  

Don't worry if everything gets a little too much for it is good luck for a bride to cry on her wedding day as it symbolises that she has shed all her tears and will not shed more during her marriage.  

My top tip - enjoy your day and wear waterproof mascara !

It can be really good to include a custom from another country or culture in your ceremony.  Here are just a couple of ideas you might like.

Ringing bells

Bells are traditionally rung to keep evil spirits away and ensure harmony.  It is an Irish tradition to also include bells within the bouquet as a reminder of the vows that have been made.

Breaking glass

In Italy many newly weds smash a vase or glass at their wedding.  The idea is that each fragment of the glass represents a year.  Therefore the more pieces the glass smashes into the longer the marriage will last.

For more ideas about what you can include in your ceremony why not contact me ?

"Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in your shoe."

A rhyme that is familiar to us all.

Wearing something old on your wedding day reflects the bride's past.

Something new - signifies the new and happy future ahead

Something borrowed - Borrow something from a happily married person and then some of their good fortune and happiness will pass to you.

Blue is the colour which represents devotion, love and fidelity.

Putting a silver sixpence in your shoe is a Scottish tradition.  The sixpence is given to the bride by her father or other member of her family in the hope that the couple will always have enough money.

Will you be following this tradition ?

​If so why not share what you plan to carry on your wedding day. 

With the weather seeming to fluctuate so much many couples are worried about whether their big day will be fine and dry.

But take heart - rain on your wedding day is good luck.  We often use the phrase "tying the knot" when we refer to getting married.  When a not becomes wet it also becomes extremely hard to undo.  So rain on your wedding day if a good start to a long and happy life together.

A marriage during a snow storm is also considered a lucky one.  An old saying tells us that couples who wed in the snow whilst never being wealthy will lead a happy life together.  Hopefully we won't see snow in August but who knows !!

Whatever the weather on your day I hope that you have memories to cherish and can look forward to a wonderful future.

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There are many ways to make a ceremony unique through the use of music poetry and symbolic actions.  

In a Celebrant led ceremony there are no restrictions on content.

Why not include something that reflects your interests as a couple ? If you like cooking together then why not think about sharing a range of food during the ceremony or you could mix a cocktail. 
 
If you are interested in adding something with a  spiritual meaning then you could take inspiration from Native American traditions and think about the elements of fire, wind, earth and sun.

Maybe you could take inspiration from famous books.  In the story of Peter Pan, Peter and Wendy meet for the first time when Peter is attempting to reattach himself to his shadow.  Since his attempt to stick it back with soap fails, Wendy offers to sew the shadow onto Peter with a needle and thread. Once it is attached she offers to give Peter a kiss and he holds out his hand.  Not wishing to offend him Wendy places her thimble in his hand.

So the thimble becomes a symbol both love and the capacity for compassion.

For further ideas and inspiration why not get in touch as I am always happy to chat or check out the notes section on my facebook page.

Often the first step in planning your wedding is to consider the venue.  Popular venues can be booked months if not years in advance and costs seem to go up and up.

However, there are alternatives which can prove to be both cost effective and still provide the ideal setting for a perfect day.

Many farms and large country houses are diversifying -  offering ideal venues and often overnight camping facilities too.   

Alternatively you could hold the ceremony in your own home or a local venue without a wedding licence. These can prove to be very cost effective and make the day so much more personal.

So if you are considering getting married this year why not take a look at what's on offer locally ? ​

You can then undertake your legal declarations at your local Registry office at any time before your big day and have a Celebrant led ceremony on your chosen day.

I love chatting about wedding plans so please feel feel to get in touch.