Frequently Asked Questions

A registrar is employed by the local authority and has the power to conduct a legally binding marriage and civil partnership ceremony.
Marriage ceremonies delivered by registrars must be delivered at a local registry office or at a licensed wedding venue.
The content of a civil marriage ceremony follows a standardised format and cannot include any content with reference to faith or religion. Ceremonies are generally quite short approximately 10 minutes.
A celebrant led ceremony is written specifically for you and with you. It’s a very personal and bespoke ceremony written to capture your personal beliefs, values, individual style, and preferences. Most couples I work with like to incorporate all the traditional elements of a religious wedding ceremony such as vows and exchange of rings and the first kiss, but they also want to have the freedom to choose their content, incorporate their readings and write their promises which are relevant and meaningful to them.

Unfortunately, not now but things look set to change very soon with amendments to the Marriage Act in progress. It’s an exciting time and there is an acknowledgment at government level that couples should have greater choice on where they can get married, what they can say and who can legally deliver the ceremony. I hope to be able to say very soon that celebrants can undertake the legal aspect of your marriage.

If you decide to have a celebrant led wedding ceremony you will have to register your intent to marry with your local registry office. This can be done simply and cheaply before your wedding blessing with a celebrant.

To avoid disappointment, I would say the sooner the better, as the wedding season can get busy. It also means we have more time to plan and get creative.

Yes, absolutely, it’s a given!

Yes, you can choose any venue that takes your fancy this might be a licensed venue or somewhere more personal to you like your local wood or park or your favourite beach. You may want to venture further afield to somewhere exotic or you may be thinking of something much closer to home like your local pub or back garden. You choose the date and time to suit you and I can be there to deliver the ceremony with my umbrella and wellies if needs be.

No is the short answer, this is very much down to personal preference. Some couples choose a celebrant led wedding ceremony as it’s important to them to be able to share the personal vows and promises they have written for one another. For many couples they might need a bit more help to find the words they want to say and are more than happy for me to write their vows so they can read them or repeat them after me.

A humanist celebrant will only offer a secular or non-religious ceremony; their service is based purely on humanity and reason. They have no religious beliefs and so do not include any religious content in their ceremony.

 As an independent celebrant my personal beliefs do not influence or shape the content of the ceremony. The wedding script is truly person centred and shaped around your personal beliefs so can include religious content, such as a prayer if you so wish. Equally, as an independent celebrant I’m comfortable with performing an entirely non-religious ceremony. It really is your day, and you should do it your way.

For some couples who wish to celebrate and incorporate wedding traditions and rituals from their separate faith and culture we can create a script that threads these together creatively and respectfully.

You will find that the cost of a registrar and celebrant are very similar. Whilst there is a small additional cost around £50 for the legal paperwork (this needs to be done separately at the registry office). The current fees for a registrar to attend your venue its comparable to a celebrant. However, with a celebrant led wedding ceremony there are no time restrictions on the length of the ceremony which can make it more intimate and personal.

There is also an additional benefit to having a celebrant led wedding. Couples get to know the celebrant during the time they work together creating and preparing the ceremony script so on the big day a familiar and friendly face is there to guide you through the ceremony.

Yes of course, I think having family and friends involved is important.  I would be happy to coach and support a friend or family member to write and deliver the ceremony for you. I would also be happy to write the ceremony for them to deliver or co deliver. I have been asked to co deliver the ceremony with a family friend and this can work well. So many options and there all for the taking!

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to drop me an email. 

Wedding celebrations across the world are steeped in tradition, layered in history and symbolism capturing the diversity of different cultures and customs. A celebrant led ceremony enables people to add additional enhancements and touches to their ceremony which captures their imagination.

Not every couple will want to add  an additional enhancement to their ceremony  but here are some of the most popular ceremony ideas and enhancements to wet you appetite.

Handfasting

Handfasting’s is a simple yet visual acknowledgement of the couple’s commitment. Handfasting has no specific religious connections and is performed by couples with varied religious and atheist beliefs.

Handfasting –  is one of the oldest symbolic marriage ceremonies which has been practiced for thousands of years and spans several cultures. There is a consensus that the origins of the ceremony are pagan. In ancient Britain, it was traditionally the way that couples were officially married before the Church became involved in weddings.

The ritual involves binding together the couples’ clasped hands in coloured ribbons (the colours representing different meanings), or cloths or cords historically the cords were not untied until the marriage was consummated. This is where they originally got the term “tie the knot”.

Tying the Knot

The use of knots and ropes in wedding ceremonies is popular and used in different ways across different religious and cultural groups including Jewish, Hindu, French, and Mayan wedding ceremonies. In the UK it has become increasingly popular for couples to hand pick elements from traditional wedding rituals and add and incorporate them into their own wedding ceremony and adapt them to reflect their own personal preference and style. Tying of the knot is commonly associated with the traditional handfasting ritual discussed above. The tying of the knot reflects and symbolises the binding and union of the couple and the tying of each knot reflects each vow taken. Tying of the knot is also a popular addition and enhancement for couples wanting to renew their wedding vows to one another.

Jumping the (besom) Broom

Jumping the broom is a popular ceremony addition in the UK and in the US. In the UK. The tradition is believed to have originated in Wales in the 1700 Roma communities whose marriages were not recognised by the church.  Instead, they used marriage rituals such a jumping the besom broom (besom weddings) to publicly declare their commitment and union

The jumping the broom is a time-honoured wedding tradition in which the couple jump over the broom together during the ceremony.  The act symbolises a new beginning and a new chapter welcoming of the new and sweeping away the old. The broom creates a threshold for the couple to cross over together into their new life as a couple. The act can also be used in vow renewals to represent a new stage in their marriage. Today, wedding brooms are made with a wooden handle and natural bristles and are decorated and kept as treasured keepsakes.

Unity Candle

The unity candle is becoming increasing popular in wedding ceremony and vow renewals it routes are referenced to both Christian and pagan roots. The ritual symbolises the new life of the couple coming together as a union. The custom involves the bride and groom coming together traditionally with their own often thin tapered candle which in turn or together they would light a new candle which is often bigger than the two single candles. The individual candles may be blown out by the couple out remain lit alongside to represent the individuality both the bride and groom within the unity of their marriage. This couples may choose to open this up to involve the whole congregation or the bride and grooms’ families been involved in carrying the candle.

The unity is also used naming ceremonies to reflect a that those present at the ceremony will surround the child with love. It can symbolise the growth of the family and can be effective and symbolic where families may have reconstituted the candle represents the unity of the two families into their new family formation.

Sand Ceremony

The sand ceremony became increasing popular in wedding ceremonies in the 1980’s the ceremony was often seen as an alternative to the unity candle ceremony which derived from Catholicism.  The sand ceremony itself is representative of the old Hebrew tradition, the Salt Covenant. Today the pouring of sand reflects into a jar or vase symbolises the unity and merging of the couple, it reflects togetherness and a lifelong commitment. The ceremony captures a visual merging and unity. There are generally 3 different colours sands, and the bride and groom will take it in turns to layer the two colours in a clear bottle, vase, or box. At the bottom or top there will be a third colour to represent the shared colour of the couple.  This can be done to represent the couple or their family. The sand can be mixed, and people can add meaningful trinkets and things of importance or collect their own sand from the beach.

The sand ceremony can be a used across a range of ceremonies from naming ceremonies, adoption, and family unity ceremonies using sand captures the unity and the coming together of couples and as a family.

Ring warming

The warming of the is a common Irish wedding tradition which involves the wedding rings often tied together with ribbon or placed in a bag and being passed throughout the wedding congregation. Each guest will clasp the ring in their hands offer a blessing or good wish to the couple via the ring.  This often works well for a smaller wedding.

Oathing Stone

The oathing stone is a Scottish tradition routed in an old Celtic tribal tradition. Tribal groups were known to have had an immensely powerful affinity and connection to the place they lived and settled.  And oaths made on the stone near water or stone were seen to be more binding. The ritual was believed to help root the couple’s future in the wisdom of their pasts.

The traditions of the oathing stone in wedding ceremonies have been interpreted and evolved over time and for many couples it is a visual symbol of setting their vows and their promises in stone to one another it’s a physical form of their commitment and solemn promises to each other. Today our couples may spend time looking for a stone on the beach which might standout to them, or the place has sentimental value or meaning to them. The couple will hold the stone during their vows and the sentiment is that the vows and promises they make are strong and binding. Couples may choose to decorate the stone, put their names or aspects of the vows engraved on the stone as a keep’s sake. 

The Rose Ceremony

The rose is often associated with a symbol of love. The couples exchange of rose buds symbolises giving and receiving love and nurturing love and forgiveness throughout their lives. The rose is often exchanged at the end of the ceremony once the couple have been pronounced man and wife as a first wedding gift as a statement of love.  The rose ceremony has many variations, and the ritual can often involve family members to symbolise the coming together of two families.

Wish Stone

This ceremony enhancement is a lovely way to include family and friends in the ceremony. Wishing stones can be incorporated nicely into weddings and vow renewals but also for baby naming ceremonies. On arrival at the venue, family and friends will be encouraged to write a wish for the couple, or the new baby, onto the stones. These stones a are then placed into a jar, which can be opened and reflected upon over time or read out at during the ceremony.

Loving Cup 

The use of a loving cup at a wedding is an old ancient Celtic tradition but the cup is also used in Irish, French, and Jewish traditions and culture. 

The use of a loving cup in a wedding celebration involves the bride and groom taking and sharing their first drink together from the love cup. This symbolises them coming together and their unity as a couple and the coming together of the couple’s family. The two handled cup or quaich as its referred to is used to toast and celebrate their love, devotion, unity, commitment, and this symbolic ritual often comes towards the end of the ceremony.

The cup will be filled with a wine which has both sweet and bitter tones. This reflects the bittersweet aspects of life and their love journey. The sweet elements reflect happiness, joy, peace, hope, love, and the bitter tones reflect disappointment, sorrow, and grief they will support each other through.

 Just a few ideas to get you started, instead you may wish to create your own personal and symbolic wedding ritual/ enhancement  and start your own wedding tradition.