Question 1

Is there any way that we can incorporate the autumn season into our ceremony?

Accepted Answer

Autumn weddings are just wonderful and can be very sustainable and economically rewarding because you will be using seasonal food and floral decorations. For your ceremony, you could create a space from a circle of pumpkins or include the ancient ceremony of handfasting (tying the hands together). This is a wonderful way to incorporate autumnal colours by using cords containing elements of orange, yellow and red and maybe some seasonal charms to decorate the ends. In early autumn, you have the lure of farm weddings, where you can hold your ceremony in barns, fields and even over an anvil! Imagine using straw bales as seats; these can be surprisingly comfy with a throw on the top. Later in the ceremony, a warming dram of whisky in a quaich, or 'loving cup', can lend an authentic Celtic edge before you jump the broom to celebrate your new lives together.

Question 2

We're thinking of having an autumnal wedding. What are  the advantages?

Accepted Answer

Autumn is my favourite time of year, and I absolutely love weddings during this season. The rustic settings, rich autumnal colours, and natural elements in abundance are what make autumn weddings truly special to me. Embracing a woodland setting is an excellent way to capture the essence of fall in your ceremony, and it also opens up so many excellent options for non-licensed venues for celebrant-led weddings. This rustic ambiance is perfect for DIY options, especially if you're on a budget. Dried flowers for bouquets and centrepieces are often resold online, for example. Another advantage of an autumn ceremony is the early golden hour and softer lighting as the leaves change and the evenings grow shorter – one of the many reasons photographers are so fond of autumn weddings too!

Question 3

We want a customised service and are thinking of booking a celebrant. How can we make our day more personal?

Accepted Answer

Couples put so much energy and thought into making their days reflective of their love story and their personalities, so it really should start with the most important part of the day – the ceremony! Registrars offer a one-size-fits-all service that everyone has seen before, but it can be so much more special. As a celebrant, I spend time getting to know my couples. Then, when we meet in person a few months before the service, we will start the writing process. There are lots of elements that you can incorporate, like hand-tying ceremonies, sand ceremonies and ring warming. The limit of your service is your imagination. Find a supplier that you get along with and work from there. Talk to a couple of celebrants and find someone who fits your vibe. The right person should be excited to work with you and to tell your story!

Question 4

How can a celebrant help us make our summer wedding extra special?

Accepted Answer

Imagine a summer's day. You are standing with your beloved in front of your family and friends. The day is perfect and you want to capture it forever, but how? A sand ceremony, of course! You can choose a vessel that matches your tastes and before the big day, work with your chosen celebrant, choosing sand colours and discussing what each one will symbolise. This can be so much fun! You can choose the colours yourself or include the friends and family you wish to involve. Sand colours are up to you and why you choose them is completely personal. For example, maybe the colours are favourites of yours. Maybe you can let your family members choose colours that represent them, or perhaps you just want to involve colours that symbolise the love you feel for each participant. Your celebrant will put this into words for you, and on the day, each of your chosen participants will add their colours to your vessel, creating a permanent reminder of your wedding day and the love and friendship that surrounded you, captured in a beautiful keepsake.

Question 5

What are couples doing differently in 2024 when it comes to planning their ceremony?

Accepted Answer

Three words: alternative, unconventional and pink! I see couples wanting to really push those concepts of an alternative and unconventional wedding, and truly make the ceremony central to the party and their celebrations. It's an exciting time for celebrants as we can really get creative. It's not only the ceremony, where couples are looking to be innovative, but they're seeking out alternative venues too. It's great to see more traditional venues, pivot and start to cater for the new styles and ways of hosting weddings. In addition to a party style ceremony, the colour pink seems to be on the way up! Yes, this particularly includes the guys − hot pink is hot! – this goes for outfits, décor and flowers. With a hint of orange, green and gold, your wedding is sure to really stand out − imagine those photos − so, funk it up by going pink!

Question 6

What is your advice on planning an outdoor wedding?

Accepted Answer

Outdoor weddings allow you to take advantage of the natural beauty of your surroundings, whether this is a beach setting, mountain backdrop or stunning gardens. Being somewhere that has meaning to you can create a more romantic and intimate setting for you both, and obviously makes for stunning photographs. Weddings held outside often offer more flexibility in terms of the number of guests you need to seat, as well as in your choice of décor. You can really bring your personality into the ceremony too with stunning floral arches and backdrops, which really fit the scenery. You can save on décor and lighting costs too as the natural beauty of your surroundings can provide a lot of the ambience. Spending time outdoors has been shown to have several health benefits, such as reducing stress and improving mood. Plus, an al fresco wedding can provide a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for you and your guests. Choosing a unique setting can create unforgettable memories to cherish for years to come. It's important to remember that outdoor weddings bring their own challenges though, such as inclement weather or accessibility issues but with proper planning, they can be beautiful and memorable.

Question 7

How can we incorporate our love of Christmas into our ceremony?

Accepted Answer

What could be more fun than a Christmas wedding and there are so many ways to incorporate the season into your ceremony. Here are a few ideas: Use hand-fasting ribbons in Christmas colours. Hand-fasting is so romantic as you loop the cords around both your wrists and tie an unbreakable knot – it's the origin of the phrase 'tying the knot.' You can use ribbons or cords, and for an extra Christmassy touch, why not add some small tokens to the ends such as baubles or decorations? Great colours to consider when choosing your Christmas-themed wedding palette are red, green, purple and gold, as well as snowy white for your hand-tying. Christmas unity candles. Use festively-themed candles for your ceremony. As the warm light of your individual candles reaches your joint one, you're united forever. Use Christmas-themed colours infused with the scent of Christmas.Fill your quaich (loving cup) with your favourite Christmas tipple. After you exchange your vows, take it in turns to hold the quaich to each others' lips, taking your first drink as a newly-married couple – Christmas bliss!

FAQs and expert advice about celebrant