Celebrate with The Celebrant

Hand Fasting/ Hand Tying– one of the most popular ceremony choices!‘  Tying the knot’ means to get married, but the knot tying ceremony is symbolic: as pressure is applied to the knot it strengthens, just like marriage. Some even believe the rope/ribbons will break before the knot comes undone. A take/twist on an originally Celtic wedding tradition, that can be performed with one or both hands, to help to make your ceremony feel more meaningful, personal, and full of occasion. Your guests probably won’t have seen it before and it gets a great response of awe and wonder as you tie your knot, it makes a great series of photographs too. Don’t worry it’s not complicated and we practise it together.

Once the knot is tied, it’s a lasting keepsake of your wedding day and can be displayed in your home. Most people choose coloured ribbons as the colours have various meanings or they just choose colours to match their wedding theme colours, or some choose cord.

Rose Ceremony  This is a great way of honouring the Bride & Groom’s mothers or other family members during a wedding ceremony. This signifies the bride and groom showing gratitude for the love bestowed upon them, this is done by asking their Mother/Parent to come forward so the couple can thank them and give their respective person a rose. 

Candle Lighting  If there are any special family members that cannot be there for the special day, maybe a lost grandparent or special family member, a candle will be lit and placed in a reserved seat, they may be gone, but most definitely not forgotten

Breaking glass based on the Jewish Tradition of Breaking the Glass it can be adapted. The breaking of glass at the end of a wedding ceremony reminds us of the fragility of life, the uniqueness of the moment, the shattering of the old and the beginning of the new. It can also symbolise a breaking down of the barriers and help create a world based on love, unity, peace, and understanding. The breaking of the glass is permanent, so too is a marriage and should last an infinity of time... just as long as it would take to re-assemble the broken pieces of glass. The best man will place the bottle before the groom and when the Celebrant declares the bride and groom to be “husband and wife” and says “congratulations, you may kiss your bride!,” the groom then smashes the bottle with his foot and kisses the bride.

Applauding and shouts of “Mazel Tov!” are appropriate in Jewish ceremonies at this point.

Wine Ceremony  This Ceremony represents the two individual lives which are now combined like the two wines into one single life. The drinking of the combined wine signifies the commitment you now make to live your lives as one family, The joining together of two families. The wine ceremony can also include each set of parents. They can bring a specially chosen bottle of wine to the ceremony. They will ceremoniously open the bottle (it can be prepared before the ceremony starts if participants are a bit nervous). This kind of ritual has been carried out through the ages. Sharing these rituals in ceremonies with family members and friends as you celebrate life’s milestones creates even stronger community and family bonds. They add something extra special to your wedding ceremony. Family members can take a part in the ceremony with you, and feel like they are a part of your ceremony instead of being only witnesses to it

Wine and Chocolate ceremony  As with the Wine ceremony, the wine and chocolate ceremony, represents the sweet and bitter moment life has to offer, and facing them together as a team 

Ring Warming/Blessing  Before the vows are said and the rings exchanged, the Celebrant will ask various selected members of the wedding party, or even the whole audience to participate in a ring warming. The ring warming is an opportunity to send the bride and groom good luck and love through a silent wish to the rings when passed to them. The participants are advised as follows “As you hold them in your hands, pause for a moment, and make your wishes for the couple and for their future before you pass them on to the next person. These rings will not only be a gift from one to another but will be given with the love, support and wisdom of their family and friends.”

Passing the Heartbeat  Starting with the bride and completing with the groom, (almost like a Mexican wave!) hands are joined around the group or audience, creating a giant chain, passing the love and heartbeat from everyone present, around, culminating in the bride and groom hand in hand, sharing the one heartbeat and love of all present

Unity Candle Ceremony   Lighting a Unity Candle during a wedding ceremony is a special way to symbolise two lives joining together as one. Children can be involved, ceremonial candles and stands are available and can be kept as a memento. “Bride and Groom, the two separate candles symbolise your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends, in other words, your lives before today. Lighting the centre candle represents your two lives are now being joined together as one.” There’s a great deal of flexibility within this ceremony, usually you would light the candles after exchanging vows but parents can be involved and children too, they can have their own mini-candle. Your unity candle can be personalised with scripture, vows, or a photo from your wedding, so it becomes a beautiful year-round keepsake. Many couples choose to relight the candles each year on their anniversary.