Here is a selection of Q&As from Your East Midlands Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@youreastmidlands.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Your day your way
Q. We want a customised service to make our day more personal and we're thinking of booking a celebrant. What would you suggest?
A. Julia Gaunt says: The beauty of having a celebrant-led ceremony is that you can choose to incorporate whatever you want into the day; there are no limitations or restrictions. You'll work with your celebrant to create an exclusive ceremony that's personal to you both, not a copy of someone else's day. Here are some ideas to make the day extra special…
- Choose your own style and decide if you want a traditional, religious or humorous ceremony. Create your vows and include meaningful words that tell the story of your relationship.
- Allow your family and guests to participate in the ceremony, from saying a reading or poem to singing your favourite song. Or why not allow the rings to pass between guests before finally reaching you both? Each person can say a little prayer or wish.
- Include memorable moments such as a sand or candle ceremony, which can involve immediate family or friends and gives you a keepsake of the day.
- Why not change the seating arrangements? You don't always need to have a centre aisle; this can be round or heart-shaped – the choice is yours.
- Ensure you create the wedding you want, let your emotions show and have the most amazing day.
Julia Gaunt, Jools Wedding Celebrant
www.joolsweddingcelebrant.co.uk
Love all around
Q. We've just started wedding planning, and I'm slightly confused about what a celebrant does. Can you help?
A. Julia Gaunt says: A celebrant is a professionally trained officiant who can perform both religious and non-religious ceremonies that can take place on any day at any time. The "I dos" can occur in a wide variety of properties, including country houses, barns, woodland areas, hotels, tepees and outdoor locations – anything is possible!
Celebrants work with couples to create bespoke ceremonies that show off their personality and style – it is all about the couple and is not limited by the 'must haves'.
We work with our couples to get to know them and find out what they truly want in their service. Some couples like to include family and friends by asking them to read their favourite poems, excerpts from films or perform a favourite song.
With a celebrant ceremony, no two weddings are the same as lovebirds can write their own personal and intimate vows. A celebrant's role on the day is to make sure everything runs smoothly and stress-free, while making sure clients are comfortable and confident.
Julia Gaunt, Jools Wedding Celebrant
www.joolsweddingcelebrant.co.uk
Exchanging love
Q. We want a personal wedding, and a friend mentioned hiring a celebrant for the ceremony. What are the benefits of having one on our special day?
A. Ruby Adds says: Independent celebrants will work with clients to create a beautiful, meaningful wedding ceremony that reflects you both. The experience will be truly unique, while depicting your love story in any chosen location; you can exchange vows during a formal service in a stunning stately home, on a remote beach, at a large woodland gathering or during an intimate garden party at your family home.
Your bespoke ceremony can include poetry, prayers, readings, music, religious content from any faith as well as beautiful rituals such as hand-tying, wine, rose or sand ceremonies. The possibilities are endless and very exciting.
Ruby Adds, Love Birds, Weddings & Events
www.mylovebirdswedding.com
Dream day
Q. What are the benefits of hiring a celebrant for our wedding day?
A. Natalie Beer says: A celebrant-led ceremony means that it can be fully bespoke, personal to a couple and exactly as desired. This could be more traditional aspects like readings, vows and ring exchange or perhaps pagan traditions such as handfasting or jumping the broom. Many celebrants love the unusual too, so if you want a moonlit ceremony under the stars, many of us would be fully on board for creating a night-time ceremony.
This celebrant-led ceremonies can take place in any location (with the owner/landholder's permission) including but not limited to venues registrars work in. This means that an outdoor space or unregistered venue that you've got your heart set on can be the location of your dream day. A celebrant will usually book one couple a day, so you have complete flexibility around what time you wish your ceremony to start rather than possibly having to fit around other couples on the day.
Natalie Beer, Velvet Moon Ceremonies
www.velvetmoonceremonies.co.uk
