NEILU & TREVOR AT HEDSOR HOUSE

There really is nothing more wonderful than wedding photos. And images from a gorgeous summer wedding on a chilly day are particularly cheering, especially these images by And Your Story from Neilu and Trevor’s wedding ceremony and celebrations at Hedsor House. With guests flying in from around the world for the occasion, the stage was most definitely set for an incredible day and, as you’ll see, incredible is an understatement…

All For Love London worked their floral magic around the venue with flowers trailing and tumbling wherever you looked. The huge arch of flowers around the entrance was just a hint of what awaited guests inside and the decorations in the ceremony room were breathtaking. The phrase ‘bringing the outside in’ has never been more appropriate!

Neilu and Trevor’s celebrant-led wedding ceremony was just a dream and their personal vows really said it all. I also spoke to one of their friends as I was writing the ceremony and these beautiful words had to be included in the script as they painted such a glorious picture of this delightful couple. You can always tell a lot by the reaction guests have to moments such as a couple’s ‘first kiss’ or when they head back down the aisle after the ceremony. It was fair to say that there was a lot of love for Neilu and Trevor in the room as their guests brought the house down!

The whole day was a blend of traditional and modern touches whilst also referencing the couple’s heritage with an intimate vow exchange before our ceremony. Wedding planner Katrina Otter and her team, as always, ensured that everything ran like clockwork and let me tell you that the couple, their guests and all the suppliers involved in this exceptional event appreciated all their efforts.

I’ll leave you with a few more details from the day and let’s all look forward to warmer, brighter months ahead…

YANGZI & JIAN AT SOMERLEY

There are some weddings that aren’t just worth the wait, they are so incredible that you’ll always feel that the wait somehow made them all the sweeter. This was certainly the case with one of my last weddings of 2022, Yangzi and Jian’s glorious celebration at Somerley, planned with such grace and precision by Katrina Otter Weddings and captured by Rebecca Searle Photography.

Delayed numerous times by the pandemic, Yangzi and Jian’s wedding was nothing short of incredible. I mean, just take a look at the florals! All For Love London filled Somerley with towering, cascading arcs of roses, blooms and greenery that were the most perfect backdrop to this longed-for celebration.

Somerley is also a remarkable wedding venue. If you’ve watched recent series of The Crown, you might well recognise it but let me tell you, when you approach the house, making your way down the long drive, it really does take your breath away.

But there is no doubt that it was Yangzi and Jian who, quite rightly, got all the attention on the day. They are a truly lovely couple - gentle, heartfelt, and emotional and being with them was such an honour. Their ceremony spoke of love across the miles, hopes for the future and their roots in their shared histories. Beautifully chosen music from Apollo Strings added yet more atmosphere to the occasion and there were definitely more than a few tears of happiness that afternoon.

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait and Yangzi and Jian deserve the very best of everything as they, finally, get to enjoy married life.

ANDREEA & LUCAS AT NONSUCH MANSION

Well, here we are in autumn and the madness of summer is behind me now. Weekends are now not packed out with weddings and the pace of life has slowed a little. It’s so lovely to be able to take a breath and spend some time looking back on the glorious weddings that I’ve been privileged to conduct this year. Today, I’m turning the clock back into early September and remembering the joyful occasion of Andreea and Lucas’s wedding at Nonsuch Mansion.

Image by Shelby Ellis

Andreea and Lucas are, quite simply, one of those couples that make you smile. Positive, open, engaging and always delightful to speak to, it was an absolute delight to be able to be with them on their big day. As they’d had to postpone their wedding a number of times due to the pandemic, the atmosphere at their ceremony was something special as we all finally got to send them into married life with a big smile and a lot of love.

Image by Shelby Ellis

Expertly co-ordinated by Georgina of Georgina Alexander Weddings & Events, everything was perfect and, of course, having the super talented Shelby Ellis Photography on hand to capture everything was equally fabulous.

Image by Shelby Ellis

I loved every minute of working with Andreea and Lucas and I love how they included so many personal touches in their day - the flowers on their cake, for example, were the national blooms of their family’s countries and they’d also placed lots of photos of them around the venue and I know I loved looking at them! This was such a memorable day and I’m beyond happy that, after the delays, it was certainly a wedding worth waiting for.

Image by Shelby Ellis

“Tamryn was absolutely amazing and a delight to work with, we are so happy we had her as our celebrant. She put together and conducted our ceremony and it was one of our favourite parts of the day! It was so personable and reflected exactly who we are as a couple which made it extra special. The entire ceremony, including our vows, were beautifully written and all of the words made us feel so emotional. We will cherish the memory of our ceremony forever.”

— Andreea & Lucas, September 2022

Image by Shelby Ellis

A MAY WEDDING AT THE VICTORA & ALBERT MUSEUM

In May, I was absolutely honoured to lead a wedding ceremony at the world-renowned Victoria and Albert Museum. This spectacular venue was transformed in just an hour and a half after closing to visitors and the result was, as you’ll see, utterly extraordinary. Expertly planned by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner and captured by Imogen Xiana, the ceremony in the beautiful Raphael Gallery is one that I’ll remember for a very long time.

Image by Imogen Xiana, wedding planning by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner

This was a ceremony full of tradition and sprinkled with personal touches. It blended details from around the world with individual stories in the most incredible setting. The Raphael Cartoons, seven immense tapestries that are true treasures of the Renaissance, lined the ceremony space and behind us, the golden, gilded altarpiece certainly brought the drama.

Image by Imogen Xiana, wedding planning by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner

I was lucky enough to be inside the venue whilst it was being transformed and to call it a ‘military operation’ is absolutely justified. Teams from Veevers Carter wheeled in endless trolleys full of florals while Caper & Berry set up an entire catering kitchen in a corridor in record time. When the guests arrived, it seemed impossible that just 90 minutes before, the last visitors of the day were being ushered out and the privilege of being there ‘after hours’ for such a unique wedding was undeniable. I was smiling the whole way home!

Image by Imogen Xiana, wedding planning by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner

Image by Imogen Xiana, wedding planning by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner

MY THOUGHTS ON THE LAW COMMISSION REVIEW

Wedding rules and regulations are ‘confusing, out of date and restrictive’. Not my words but the words of the Law Commission who published their long-awaited report into wedding law last week. To those of us who’ve been keeping an eye on the progress of this report, it feels like it’s been a long time coming but it appears to have been worth the wait as the Commission has made a clear statement to the government that things to be updated soon if marriage is to keep pace with the rest of society.

Celebrants, venues and those in the industry who are most impacted by the somewhat archaic regulations surrounding wedding ceremonies certainly had a lot to say when the report was published and, in my ‘other’ role as senior writer at Love My Dress, I wrote a reaction piece to the review speaking to celebrants and others. You can read it here…

So, overall the review is positive and forward-looking - now we just need the government to put as much energy into legislating for marriages that work for everyone as they seem to have for their own personal culture wars. Here’s hoping…

ASHLYN & HUNTER AT ARDINGTON HOUSE

My Jubilee weekend was absolutely packed with weddings and frankly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Five weddings in one week meant that I was out and about with ceremonies at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Holywell Hall plus country venues in Berkshire and, a close-to-home wedding at Oxfordshire’s Ardington House.

Image: Cristina Ilao

Ashlyn and Hunter were incredible. From our first call, chatting across the Atlantic about plants and gardening to the day itself where these two wonderful people made their vows in the way they’d waited so long for, it couldn’t have been more perfect. The skies were blue, the breeze lifted the leaves on the trees and family and friends made it so clear just how much Ashlyn and Hunter were loved. It was a joy to be with them.

Image: Cristina Ilao

“We just wanted to thank you so much for leading our ceremony at Ardington. It honestly felt like a dream. After more than 2 years of trying to make it happen, it felt so surreal. The ceremony was absolutely perfect. And so many people (even vendors!) commented on how much they loved how the ceremony was laid out and our personal vows. It felt very inclusive and organic, and the ring warming was the cherry on top.

It sounds cliche, but those few days at Ardington were probably the best days of our lives. So thank you again for your part in the magic!”

— Ashlyn & Hunter, June 2022

Image: Cristina Ilao

Image: Cristina Ilao

JUBILEE WEEKEND WEDDINGS

It’s fair to say that the Jubilee weekend was perfect for weddings! Couples certainly made the most of the extra day of holiday and in fact, the whole week was busy, busy, busy with weddings aplenty!

Emma and David certainly knew what they were doing when they chose a midweek wedding as their celebrations were the start of the long weekend and it was a joy to join them at Ufton Court in Berkshire for their wedding ceremony. The barn at Ufton Court is a great location for a ceremony (particularly on a hot day when it’s lovely and cool!) and Emma and David filled it with so many personal touches and handmade details. Their ceremony was equally personal and love was most definitely in the air!

Image: Chris Kemp Photography

“Sorry we didn’t say it on the day but we wanted to thank you for the amazing ceremony that you led for us on Wednesday. Everyone said that you made it so personal and they thoroughly enjoyed the proceedings.”

— Emma & David, June 2022

Image: Chris Kemp Photography

The weekend also gave me a chance to visit one of my favourite wedding venues, the stunning Holywell Hall, for Sabina and Ryan’s wedding. They chose to hold their ceremony in the beautiful deconsecrated church on the estate and every time I’m lucky enough to lead a ceremony here, it takes my breath away. Sabina and Ryan also took my breath away - both looked stunning and the ceremony really did have it all. A big shout out to the guests for responding so loudly to their cue in the ceremony and to Sabina and Ryan for being so utterly fantastic to work with!

The church at Holywell Hall (by me!)

“Thank you so much!! You were amazing and everyone said it was the best wedding service they had ever been to! xx”

— Sabina & Ryan, June 2022

2022 IS GO!

After a little winter downtime, I can offically say that 2022 is go!! The last few months have been packed with meetings and discussions for what are sure to be utterly glorious ceremonies but it’s now time for weddings, weddings and more weddings!

The beautiful Easter weekend saw me hit the road for my first ceremonies of the year and they could not have been more perfect. The sun was shining, the blossom was blooming and everyone was most certainly in the mood to celebrate. It feels great to be back, conducting ceremonies for the loveliest couples and, when I flick through my diary, there’s certainly so much to look forward to in the coming months. 2022 will be overflowing with celebrations and, after the last few years, what could be better?

“Just a quick note to thank you for last weekend... we loved having you with us and you made the ceremony so special and personal.”

— Hannah & Adam, April 2022

On that note, I’m now fully booked until November 2022 with some dates late over winter ‘22/’23. 2023 is filling up too so if you’d like to work with me to create a ceremony that will be totally unlike any other, do get in touch.

A little look back to a ceremony in summer 2021 - Naomi & David at Euridge Manor. Planned by Jennifer Louise Weddings with photography by Poppy Carter Portraits.

LAUREN & OLLIE AT KEW GARDENS

Well, I might be on my festive break but I had to hop online to share Lauren and Ollie’s beautiful August 2021 wedding that’s been featured on the incredible wedding blog, Style Me Pretty, today.

Lauren and Ollie’s day was just fabulous. Late summer at the world-famous Kew Gardens - what could be better? The day was planned to perfection by Emma Joy The Wedding Planner and the spectacular florals by Larry Walshe were simply incredible. You might actually have already seen them on BBC1’s Chelsea Flower Show preview but here they are again, in all their glory, captured by Taylor & Porter.

I absolutely adored this ceremony and it was definitely a privilege to conduct it and to share the moment with two warm, kind-hearted and utterly loved-up humans.

There’s much more about the day over on Style Me Pretty, including full details of the whole team who made the day so memorable.

“We just wanted to write to say a HUGE thank you for creating such a beautiful ceremony for us last weekend. It was everything we had hoped it would be, moving, personal and just such a special way to close one chapter and look forward into the next! We had so many people come up to say how much they loved the ceremony & how good you were. You really do have a magic touch.”

— Lauren & Ollie

WEDDING VENUES OF 2021

So, the sun has set on my last wedding of the year and I’ve now got a few quiet months to reflect on the last eighteen months - from co-founding and running the What About Weddings campaign with Annabel Beeforth (Love My Dress) and Jessie Westwood (Studio Sorores) to getting back to conducting weddings with the most wonderful couples AND looking forward to 2022, there’s been a lot going on.

Cute details at Holywell Hall

Gorgeous florals at RSA House

This year, or more accurately, June through to the end of October, have been jam-packed with weddings and I’ve been lucky enough to conduct ceremonies at some incredible venues so here’s a little round-up of where I’ve been this year - perhaps you might be inspired if you’re still venue hunting!

My first wedding of the year was not too far from home at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons here in Oxfordshire and then I was off on my travels for the rest of the summer - From Brympton House and RSA House to Euridge and Kew Gardens, the backdrops to this year’s ceremonies have been unforgettable.

Reflections in the sunshine at Eurdge

I’ve been lucky enough to visit the glorious Holywell Hall for lots of super ceremonies and I’ve popped down the M4 to Asylum Chapel as well. It was a joy to go back to Hillfields Farm this year and the journey to Oxnead Hall was so worth it as I was able to lead a wedding ceremony for a friend’s sister, so very special. There have also been so many weddings at homes and in stunning gardens where friends and family were finally able to gather to celebrate. Oh yes, it’s been an amazing year!

And 2022 is shaping up to be rather special too. I’ll be heading back to the heavenly Pynes House on a couple of occasions, dashing down the road to Hedsor House and revisiting some of my favourite venues from this year including Euridge, Holywell Hall and discovering lots of new places and spaces too so I’ll see you here this time next year to tell you just what they were all like!

Just before a wedding at Kew Gardens

Peeking into the church at Holywell Hall

An atmospheric wedding at Asylum Chapel

p.s. all photos in this feature were taken by me!

ALEX & ROSS AT HOLYWELL HALL

Holywell Hall is most certainly one of my favourite venues. Not only is it expertly managed by Katrina Otter and her exceptional team but it’s beyond beautiful. The Walled Garden, the church, the grounds and the absolute sense of privacy and peace and belonging that you have there is just incredible. And on a late September Saturday, the sun shone on Holywell and Alex and Ross, a couple who I will love for the rest of my days.

From our very first conversation (that should have been a quick call but lasted hours!), Alex and Ross were all about personality and personal touches. They asked friends to write readings, we included a handfasting using some very special tartan and personal ‘surprise’ vows, and their whole ceremony was packed with love - for friends, for family and for each other. I felt so very honoured to be part of this heartwarming celebration and hearing the laughter, seeing the smiles and feeling the love at Holywell that day certainly lifted me. This wedding was everything.

“From the very first moment we ‘met’ you on Zoom, we could feel your love, warmth and a sense of joy and happiness radiating from you and we knew there was no one else we could ever consider working with. You created a ceremony that exceeded our wildest dreams and for that we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and it is something we will never forget. The love, the joy, the energy and deeply personal ceremony was beyond perfect - and every guest said it was the best and most genuinely loving ceremony they had ever experienced. For us, the ceremony was always the most important part of the day - the reason we were all there and you quite simply made our dreams come true. All our love forever.”

— Alex & Ross

Images by James Kelly

ANDREA & DAVE AT ASYLUM CHAPEL

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be able to share some of this year’s amazing weddings after such a long time! Every ceremony this year feels so incredibly special and there’s a real atmosphere of love, gratitude and pure enjoyment in the air at every single one and Andrea and Dave’s July wedding at the extraordinary Asylum Chapel in London was one I won’t forget.

As you can see from the images in this post, not only is the backdrop to this ceremony stunning but Andrea and Dave make the most gorgeous couple and the ceremony was such a delight. Personal vows, beautiful readings, laughter, tears and every emotion in between - what more could you ask for?!

“We just wanted to say thank you so much for being there on our day!!

We had so many comments about how fantastic the ceremony was, about how well you spoke and how you made it just the right amount of funny and emotional. You really were an absolute dream to work with and you made it so special for us from start to finish - we honestly can’t thank you enough! We’re so glad you could be with us for the day, you really are so sensational at what you do!”

— Andrea & Dave

CAMILLA & TOM AT HOLYWELL HALL

And here’s a little look back at a high summer wedding at Holywell Hall, beautifully captured by Samantha Ward Photography. It was a delight to work with Camilla and Tom, through postponements and the pandemic, and to see them at their wedding was just such a treat. Holywell looked incredible in a way that only Holywell can and the sunlight pouring through the stained glass windows in the gorgeous church just made everything even more special. I have to give an honourable mention to Camilla’s spectacular dress too! Check out the utter fabulousness below…

I always love the images taken as a couple leaves their ceremony. There’s always something amazing just radiating from the newlyweds - love, pride, possibly a little bit of relief but there’s also so much hope and gratitude too. All that coupled with a unique, never-to-be-repeated happiness makes it such an extraordinary moment and the image above really shows that. I just adore it and I’m so so happy for Camilla and Tom and after all the delays, their day was absolutely worth the wait.

“We just wanted to say how amazing you were. Our ceremony was just perfect and honestly, so many guests commented on how fabulous you were and how the content of the ceremony was so engaging and heartwarming with the right amount of humour. We completely agree with them and could not have asked for it to have been more perfect! We described you to Cara & Kat, our wedding planners, as a ray of sunshine as really that’s what you are, regardless of the pandemic and the stressful nature of planning a wedding in general you were always so uplifting and happy whenever we spoke to you on Zoom that it really was a pleasure to have you as our celebrant!”

— Camilla & Tom

TEN THINGS TO TELL YOUR WEDDING CELEBRANT

I absolutely adore this time of year. With wedding season not that far away, evenings and weekends are full of conversations with couples as we start to work on their wedding ceremonies. I’ve put together this little guide of things to tell you wedding celebrant although the advice works for any style of ceremony. Over the years, I’ve found that the key to smooth celebrations is always communication - when people know what you want, they can make sure everything is perfect. So, here are ten details to share with your celebrant so that they can lead your amazing ceremony.

Jess and Ed at Pynes House. Image by John Barwood Photography

1. What are your timings? Obviously your celebrant will know the start time of your ceremony but share more than that if you can. What time will guests be arriving and taking their seats? What time will any pre-ceremony music start? What time will you and your partner be arriving? As a guide, I always aim to arrive one hour before the start of each ceremony so that I have time to talk to everyone involved in the ceremony, answer any questions and even listen to practices of vows if needed.

2. What do you want to be called? I’m a Tamryn who’s called Tam by almost everyone I know so if you’re usually known by a shortened version of your name, decide how you’d like to be referred to in your ceremony. Similarly, do you want to be ‘the newlyweds’, ‘the bride and groom’ or ‘Mr and Mrs’ at the relevant points in your ceremony?

3. Are you ‘unplugged’? If you’ve decided not to allow guests to take photos during your ceremony, let your celebrant know and they can include a gentle reminder at the very start of the event.

4. Who has the rings? Give your celebrant the name of the keeper of the rings! I always double check before the ceremony starts that the rings are exactly where they should be.

5. Who’s giving readings? Now this is something your celebrant will need to know as they write your ceremony but again, names are useful! I always offer to make contact with anyone giving readings before the day and I always speak to those giving readings when I arrive. I always carry spare copies of the readings too!

6. Do you want to sit down? Standing in front of all your guests, particularly during summer weddings, can be a bit much so do you want to sit down? Some couples like to sit after the introductions so that they can see the reactions of their guests to the first part of the ceremony and the readings.

7. What’s the vibe? This is so important - what’s the vibe you’re wanting to create? Do you want a laidback, super relaxed ceremony? Or do you want something with a little more gravitas? Would you like a touch or humour or are you more about the tradition and the emotion? Similarly, I always ask about the dress code so I’m suitably attired for the moment!

8. What do you really want to include/exclude? Are you keen to include any ‘traditional’ wedding elements in your ceremony or do you definitely want to ditch certain things? Would you like to add in some alternative elements or are you mixing religions or cultures? Celebrants are fantastic at crafting ceremonies that work perfectly so if there’s something you’d like to incorporate, you only have to say (or ask for suggestions if you’re not sure what’s possible!).

9. What are you doing after the ceremony? If you need guests to move off to a particular spot at your venue for photos or drinks, let your celebrant know and they can include a line about this in the ceremony at an appropriate moment. Similarly, if you want guests to throw confetti as you walk back down the aisle, tell your celebrant and they can help you get that perfect confetti moment.

10. Is there anything you’re particularly worried about? This is possibly the most important thing to mention so that your celebrant can do everything possible to make sure your ceremony is just wonderful. For example, I worked with a bride who really wanted to read her own vows but was worried that, on the day, the emotion might be too much. So, we wrote two versions of the ceremony and is decided, literally in the moment, which version we went with. Everything can be managed if worries are shared.

TIPS FOR OUTDOOR WEDDING CEREMONIES

There are so many reasons why couples choose to work with a wedding celebrant. However, when I speak to my lovely clients, there’s one reason that comes up time and time again - outdoor wedding ceremonies. As a celebrant-led wedding can take place anywhere, everywhere is a potential venue. I’ve led ceremonies in woodlands, in gardens, in a vineyard and even on an island in the middle of the River Thames! If you like the thought of taking your vows outside, here are a few tips to make sure that your ceremony is absolutely perfect.

Image: Dominique Bader

• Always have a Plan B. Whatever your plans, you can’t control the weather. Always have a back-up plan in case of showers and make sure that all your suppliers know what this is. Also, decide who’ll make the decision to move to the alternative plan and when they’ll make that call.

• Get creative with your seating. To make sure that everyone feels part of the ceremony, you could seat everyone in a circle around you or even let some guests stand whilst others sit. Of course, if you like the traditional format, that works perfectly too.

• For summer weddings, consider where the sun will be when you work out the layout of your ceremony space. You might want to make sure you’re standing in shade or that you’re not facing into the sun and squinting throughout your vows! Little details but they’ll make a big difference.

• Think about microphones. I’m pretty good at doing ‘the big voice’ when needed but if you want to make sure everyone will be able to hear your readers, or your vows, you might need to think about mics, particularly if you’ve got lots of guests.

• Consider your backdrop. It might be that you’ve got a particularly pretty spot in mind that will form the backdrop for your ceremony or you might install a super cool backdrop to frame you both. A great backdrop really does make a difference and really brings the wow-factor.

• Don’t be afraid to sit down! Standing up throughout your ceremony, particularly on a hot summer day, wearing a big dress or heavy suit, can get hot and tiring. Why not set out two seats so that you can sit down for part of your ceremony?

If you’d like to talk to me about your own outdoor wedding ceremony, do get in touch. I have a real soft spot for al-fresco ceremonies and would love to work with you to create something super special.

YOUR VERY OWN WEDDING CEREMONY

The term ‘wedding celebrant’ is one that you’re probably going to hear a lot more of over the coming year, even if you’re not quite sure what it means right now! You see, over the last decade or so, we’ve all become rather brilliant at personalising every aspect of our wedding days apart from the most important bit – the ceremony itself.

Now I know that you can choose your readings and choose your music but aside from that, the format of your ceremony has remained pretty much untouched for years. It’s true that more locations have become registered for ceremonies but there are still a whole heap of restrictions in place that could well stop you from having the style of ceremony that you want in a spot that means the world to you at a time that suits you best.

Victoria & Jon, 2018. Image by River & Fern.

However, with a celebrant-led ceremony, you can absolutely throw that rulebook out of the window. If you want to hold your ceremony in a park, on the beach or in a meaningful location that’s not legally registered, you can. As the saying goes - any time, any place, anywhere.

Now as great as that sounds, that’s not even the best bit. What makes a celebrant-led ceremony so very special is you. Instead of repeating standard words in a ceremony led by someone you might well not have ever met before, your wedding ceremony becomes totally and utterly yours when you work with a celebrant.

Vows written by Wild & Oak. Image by Hannah Duffy.

When you work with a celebrant, your ceremony is extra special. Instead of a script drafted by government bureaucrats, someone who’s got to know you and your amazing, wonderful, personal story writes yours with care.

You can include elements from various religions and cultures that are significant to you, you can involve many people in many ways and if you’ve got children, pets, extra special friends or adored family members who are no longer with you, they can all be included and honoured in a way that works for you.

Compare that with a ‘traditional’ ceremony where to become legally married, you need less than fifty words. Your history, your relationship, your hopes and dreams for the future don’t have a place in what should be the centrepiece of your wedding day.

Lucy & John, 2019. Image by Sanshine Photography

I can also promise you that your ceremony will still ‘feel’ like a wedding. We’re so conditioned to believe that weddings can only follow a certain pattern in certain places that it’s easy to think that anything else will somehow feel ‘wrong’ or ‘less’.

But this is your day, your relationship and most importantly, it’s your love story. You do have the option to tell it in the way you want and when it’s such a unique and special thing, doesn’t it just deserve the most personal celebration ever? I’m very sure it does.

GOODBYE 2019

As we head towards the end of the year, I so hope that you’re finding time to relax and wind down over the festive period. Whatever you’re up to, have a marvellous time.

2019 was an absolutely fantastic year for Wild and Oak - I conducted my weddings than ever before and I was lucky enough to work in some truly stunning venues with the most amazing, loved-up and downright gorgeous couples. Every wedding was special and I have so many wonderful memories of all these happy occasions.

Lucy & John, 2019. Image by Sanshine Photography

There’s also no doubt that, for so many reasons, 2019 gave us all cause to think. Whether you’re worried about climate change, upset by Brexit or dealing with any kind of family or personal ‘stuff’, the past 12 months might not have been easy. I think that in the midst of all manner of upheavals, there’s something brave, admirable and utterly hopeful about a wedding. Two people choosing to go forward into the unknown together is nothing short of a miracle and it’s a joy and an honour to be part of those miraculous moments.

So, when those New Year bells bong, let’s raise a glass to love and lovers everywhere.

Sarah & Nick, 2019. Image by Dominique Bader

HELEN & CARL AT HILLFIELDS FARM

This summer is a certainly a busy one for me. Not only am I lucky enough to be conducted gorgeous weddings across the country most weekends, I’ve also just got married myself! Add in the fact that my 2020 diary is starting to fill up too and it’s fair to say summer 2019 is keeping me on my toes…

Anyway, I’m going to share some of the brilliant weddings that I’ve been part of over recent months and I’m going to start with one close to home, held at the hidden gem that is Hillfields Farm. This amazing venue was new to me and when Helen and Carl got in touch to talk about their wedding plans, I couldn’t wait to see it for myself.

And it’s brilliant - gorgeous gardens, oodles of fab indoor space, loads of flexibility and DONKEYS! Oh yes indeed, donkeys. Could there be a better welcome to a countryside venue?

Helen and Carl’s ceremony was very special indeed. Helen is a florist with her own shop not too far from Hillfields and Carl is a part-time wedding videographer so there was a serious amount of wedding knowledge floating around. As you can imagine, the flowers on the day were insanely beautiful and I can’t wait to see the film of the day either.

The ceremony itself was full of things that represented Helen and Carl - great musical choices, personal and heartfelt readings, some laughs and a few emotional moments. The sun shone, the guests were fantastic and the day was expertly managed by Claire Ambler. I loved every minute of it and I’m super excited as I’ve just been booked for another wedding at Hillfields next year. Hurrah!

Thank you so so much for the amazing ceremony - I’m so surprised I didn’t cry! Who would have thought it! Thank you again, it really was the perfect ceremony.

Before the ceremony - photo by the lovely Claire Ambler

ROSIE & JOE AT HIGH BILLINGHURST FARM

Well, summer is already in full swing here and the next weeks and months are jam-packed full with fantastic weddings for equally fantastic couples. Yes, I might be biased but…!

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, high summer started with a bang with a truly lovely wedding and you might have already seen some of it. The Body Coach, aka Joe Wicks, married his girl, the gorgeous Rosie, at High Billinghurst Farm in Surrey and I was honoured to conduct their woodland wedding ceremony.

Image by Conor McDonnell

Planned by the talented Katrina Otter, Joe and Rosie’s wedding was a glorious day with fairground rides, amazing details and oodles of love everywhere. Their ceremony took place in a quite little woodland with guests sitting on wooden benches as Joe and Rosie stood beneath a lush floral arch and took their vows.

The ceremony was packed with personal details, heartfelt vows written by the couple, stories and memories and even a poem, written for the occasion by Joe’s Mum which had a good number of guests dabbing their eyes!

One of my favourite moments of the day actually came after the ceremony as I was walking back through the meadow and Joe, Rosie and their guests were calling their goodbyes and waving like crazy. The happiness radiating from them all will be something I’ll remember for a long long time.

If you’d like to see more of the day, take a look at these features from Hello!, The Daily Mail and Heat.

WILD & OAK ON COUNTRY HOUSE WEDDING VENUES

I absolutely love the fact that more and more people are getting excited about celebrant-led weddings. Over the last few months, I’ve definitely notice a growing interest in personal, unique and individual ceremonies from couples and wedding professionals. The fabulous Country House Wedding Venues group are part of this movement and they invited me to talk about personalising your ceremony with a celebrant.

My feature is now live on their brilliant website so why not have a read here? When you’ve finished, I thoroughly recommend browsing through their collection of inspiration articles or taking a look at their collection of wedding venues if you’ve not yet found the perfect spot for your wedding.

Here’s a little snippet from my article to whet your appetite…

“When it comes to weddings, one size absolutely does not fit all and as everyone has become very used to personalising every element of their wedding day to make sure it absolutely suits who they are, why not personalise your ceremony too? It makes total sense doesn’t it? The highlight of your wedding day, the big moment, the focal point for the entire celebration should suit you. It should be yours, and yours alone. It should be a beautiful reflection of your lives, your story, your hopes for the future and, most importantly, it should be all about you.”

A huge thank you to Country House Wedding Venues for asking me to talk about ceremonies with celebrants and here’s to individuality!