FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q - What’s the difference between a celebrant and a registrar?

A Registrar-led service is a short, standard wedding script, with limited choices. They are very short (usually 10-15 minutes), and as they do multiple marriages in one day you won't meet your registrar before your ceremony itself. You are also restricted to having your service in a licensed wedding venue. With a celebrant you have the freedom to decide on the content, time and location of your service - it can literally happen anywhere.  I will get to know you both and tell your story the way you want to tell it without restrictions to create a truly beautiful and personal experience. 

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Q - Is it a legally binding ceremony?

A celebrant-led ceremony is separate to any legal formalities. You will need to attend the Registry Office before or after your ceremony to sign the licence. When you attend your legal service, it is worth remembering that you can save your vows and your ring exchanges, along with all other personal details for your Celebrant-led ceremony.  It is not a legal requirement to do this when you sign your papers. Just inform the registry office that you would like to do this.

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Q - Where can we have our ceremony?

Unlimited Locations – having a Celebrant lead your Wedding Ceremony means you have complete flexibility over your venue – anywhere, anytime outside or inside.

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Q - What does your package include?

My Wedding Ceremony package includes:

• Face to face or video consultation to get to know you both (and vice versa)

• Personal bespoke ceremony scripting

• Access to my poem and reading library

• Unlimited contact with me in the build up to the wedding

• Help with writing vows

• Advice on ceremony structure, 
  music,  and ceremony photography

• Your bespoke wedding ceremony officiated by me

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Symbolic Elements

Q - What is hand fasting?

Handfasting is a pagan ritual, which is where the phrase ‘tying the knot’ comes from. It is a symbolic way of joining a couple together. The pagan belief is that the cord should be the height of your body. Couples can choose how they would like to be tied together, and whether that is until the end of the ceremony, only for the hand tying portion of the ceremony of for the entire day. Couples can be tied together with anything. It might be something that has a symbolic meaning for them, or simply something that ties in with the colour scheme of the wedding. Lots of couples want to have hand fasting because of the visual as opposed to the origins.

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Q - What is a sand ceremony?

A sand ceremony is a very visual way for a couple to come together. It is a fun way to bring other members of the wedding party into it too. You could for example get other members of your family or friends to take it in turns to add sand to the bottle. The wedding sand ceremony expresses the coming together of two people or two families into one new family. It is a very simple idea that can be incredibly powerful. Typically, each person has different coloured sand and takes turns pouring it into one clear vessel, forming a layered effect. If you have been married abroad you could collect sand from the beach where that took place to be the foundation for it. You could use sand from different significant places or different colours - there are lots of choices, both for the sand and what kind of vessel you pour it into.

Q - What is a ring warming?

A ring warming is when you give your loved ones the opportunity to hold the couple’s wedding bands with a wish, blessing or prayer for your marriage. Believed to be an Irish wedding ceremony tradition, the warming of the rings takes place when the couple's wedding bands are passed around by guests during the ceremony. Each person is asked to briefly hold the rings in their hands while also saying a short, silent prayer for the couple (if desired). It is a nice way of putting some content into the ceremony if there are some religious people coming as they can have a moment of quiet contemplation and bless the couple. By the time your rings make it on to the fingers of the couple they will be saturated with the love of their friends and family.

Q- What is jumping the broom?

Jumping the broom has origins in Wales where the idea of living together was well established as a practical option in rural communities. Couples would place a broom stick in the doorway of their house, hold hands and jump over the broom into their new home and new life together – literally swept off their feet. Jumping the broom is a symbol of a new beginning, sweeping away the old and welcoming the new.