Why Have a Celebrant Ceremony?
I may have already said this but I love weddings. Not just the dancing (I can’t dance) or the music, or the food (oh, how I love food!). I love the ceremony, the ‘full of love’ bit that should make everyone in attendance feel special, feel like they’ve just witnessed the greatest love story ever told.
It doesn’t always happen. I’ve seen wedding guests relax over drinks in the hotel bar while the Bride and Groom are ‘tying the knot’ in a nearby Church. The guests claim to have heard it all before and skip what is the most important part of the day.
I’ve been to weddings where the Church Minister wouldn’t allow secular music or a Registrar could not allow religious text.
Gay weddings where the couple have a strong faith but their religion doesn’t acknowledge their love or their marriage.
Weddings of two faiths where one faith took a step back, or both faiths were excluded from a secular service.
What I love about weddings is just that. Love. That’s what it’s all about, right? You love your partner and you want to publicly proclaim that love.
Love comes in all shapes and sizes and so should a wedding celebration.
Love is unique and your wedding day should be too.
Are you getting married so that you can have a party? Or a fabulous dinner, or a great band and some cool dance moves? Maybe it’s so that you can get dressed up for the day, although I doubt it.
The majority of us marry because we love our partner and we want everyone to know this and share in our happiness.
We need to shift the focus of the wedding day back to the celebration of the couples love for each other.
Your wedding day isn’t about the band, or the food or the flip flops in the ladies bathroom (although this is a most excellent idea).
Your wedding day is a combination of all those things but above all, it is about you two and your love for each other. And that love is why you are getting married.
WHY have a celebrant led ceremony?
The flexibility of using a whatever music or spoken words you like, secular, religious or a combination of both.
The flexibility of combining your beliefs and traditions if you are in an inter-faith, inter-racial or culturally diverse relationship.
The flexibility of having your wedding celebration at a time (outside office hours if you wish) and place, to suit you.
The knowledge that your Celebrant, the ‘Master of Ceremonies’ for the biggest day of your life, has trained in :
- Presentation skills – they’ll be perfectly groomed and dressed but not so much that they outshine the wedding party!
- Story telling – they will have met and listened to you as you describe your relationship; they know what questions to ask, what to leave unsaid and how to present your unique love story to you and your guests.
- Wedding customs – they will guide you regarding readings and music and have a reference library to find the perfect pieces for you.
- Wedding rituals – they understand the intricacies of hand fasting, the symbolism of this Celtic tradition; likewise sand blending, ring warming, Buddhist cups, water ceremonies, candles……the list of ceremony rituals is endless.
- Vows – they will guide you with writing your own or, should words fail you, write them for you.
A Celebrant will be unflappable, trained in public speaking and delivery and will know how to react should a baby guest start crying (or an adult, it’s not unheard of!), or a bridesmaid falls of a chair, a ring bearer loses the ring or the power fails.
On your celebration day, they will be your best friend, your confidante, your security blanket.
They are a Celebrant. I am a Celebrant
