Frequently Asked Questions

 
 

What happens next?

If you are interested and would like to know more than please contact me. I will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your ceremony and to determine if I am the right celebrant for you

What happens after the phone call?

Expect to meet with me for at least one and a half hours.  I want to get to know you, so that I can provide you with a perfect ceremony and to do so, takes time. If you are out of the country at the time - don’t worry we can Zoom!  

First there is a fun quiz (no peeking at each other’s answers) and then I will ask you more detailed questions; such as what do you require? When is it? How many people are invited? What colours are important for you?

I want to give you the best ceremony ever, so I need to know all about you and the details of what you want

What music can I have?

You can pretty much have whatever you want from Debussy to Disney, Katy Perry to Doris Day!

You can mix and match contemporary with classical, easy listening with traditional hymns

What other things can you do to make my celebration special?

Unlike church or a registered premises, you are not limited in what you can do e.g. in wording or length of service. There is no particular structure to adhere to and so the sky is the limit. You can include symbolic gestures within your ceremony to make it unique and special to you, this could be anything from handfasting to lighting a unity candle. I will work with you to find the best way to interpret your celebration

Can I write my own promises?

Absolutely yes! As you are not restricted by contractual language normally associated with a wedding, you are free to write whatever you want. Remember this is your ceremony your way but if you find that thought anything but liberating I can also help you choose the words you want to say to each other

What do I get for my money?

You get me and my undivided attention! I will only commit to one ceremony a day. Once you are on my books I will work flat out to design a ceremony that is exactly what you want, complete with a bespoke script. Each script is unique to the individual booking and is crafted over many days and each script is like you, a one off.

Can I have godparents for my naming ceremony?

Yes

The title of godparent is mostly associated with a christian baptism and the role of the godparent is to act as a spiritual guide and support to a child. If you are having a naming ceremony it may well be that you are not particularly religious but still want a public announcement of your child. In this situation the “Godparents” can be referred to as such or more commonly, as supporting adults or guide parents. Their role is to be a permanent fixture in your child’s life and their role can be loose or fixed. Their role could be as simple as promising to always take your child to football matches!

What type of ceremony do you offer?

I offer a full range of services, if you don’t see what you want here please contact me  direct and we can create something just for you

Is a celebrant led wedding legally binding? 

In America and Australia, celebrants are licensed to a offer legal and contractually binding marriage.  However, currently in the UK celebrants are not. Therefore if you want a celebrant led wedding you will need to get the legal bit out the way first - simple and cheap. Pop down to the registry office with two witnesses pay around £60 and get the boring bit out the way.  Then come back and let’s start planning the wedding ceremony that you really want to share with friends and family!

Why would I choose a celebrant for my wedding ceremony?

Let’s see

If you and your partner share a religious belief then you are likely to marry within your own faith. If you are civically minded, you might well choose the registry office with its no-nonsense direct approach.  However, if you want anything outside of this, you need to come to me. Unlike the registry office or faith based weddings, I can offer you unlimited choice over the ceremony. You can choose everything from what music you would like, what readings or poems you would like, to what elements of religion or symbolism you would like

You can create your own symbolic gestures which can be incorporated into your ceremony and as your ceremony doesn’t need to be licensed you can have it where you like, whenever you like, literally anywhere, on the beach at dawn, in a woodland glade or lavender field - or more conventionally at any number of venues, from 5-star hotels to campsites, swimming pools, or restaurants

As you see the list is fairly endless!

You can even have a glass of champagne in hand ready for a toast at the end of the ceremony (try doing that at the registry office!)

As a  celebrant, I can tailor-make the ceremony of your dreams and I will deliver it for you - you will be in safe hands with me

Do you charge for travel?

Anything over 25 miles from my home address is charged at 0.45pence a mile. I also charge accommodation if your ceremony requires an overnight stay. This is all made clear before you book - there are no hidden costs!

Are you insured?

Yes I have full public liability and professional indemnity insurance and am happy to show you this information.

What is a blessingway?

A Blessingway is a celebration based on an old Navajo tradition which is celebrates a woman’s rite of passage into Motherhood. Unlike baby showers which are about the baby, Blessingways are about empowering the mum-to-be. This is done by gathering the women in her life around her to spoil her, allay her fears, inspire her with confidence and lastly enjoy a feast together

This is a joyful way to spend an afternoon with the supporting women in a woman’s life and is full of love and laughter leaving mum-to-be ready for the new dawn that is parenthood

Name your top 5 films and top 5 music likes

Well these things change all the time, I like a lot of things, today I would say Films: Fifth Element, Calamity Jane, Pulp Fiction, Night of the Demon, It’s a Wonderful Life.

For music: Elbow, Katy Perry, Ella Fitzgerald, James Taylor and So Ji Sub!