Photo: Celebrant’s own

You will have lots of exciting things to plan for your big day, which at times may be a bit stressful. My role is to take as much of that stress out of organising the actual ceremony as is possible, so that you can relax and enjoy it.

A typical sequence of events:

You get in touch by email or phone

Please give me some outline information, such as the date for your planned ceremony and where you are thinking of holding it.

We have a preliminary discussion

We arrange to have a brief, no-obligations conversation, preferably by Skype or Facetime, so that you can ‘meet me in person’. This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other a little bit and, most importantly, for you to decide if I am the right Celebrant for you.

You can also ask any questions you might have about Humanism and the process. I will explain how I work, what you can expect from me, and what it will cost.

I also look forward to hearing a bit more about your plans for your big day.

Booking the date

Once you decide to go ahead, I will send you my standard contract and ask you to book the date with your deposit. I will also send you some questions to help get your creative ideas flowing.

We meet up in person to plan your ceremony

I will meet you at a location of your choice where we will spend approximately two hours going through your initial plans and ideas for your ceremony in detail. I will also ask you lots of questions about yourselves and your interests to get to know you as individuals.

I don’t expect that you will know everything that you want to include in your ceremony at this point, for example, which readings or music you want to incorporate. I can make suggestions to help you get started if necessary.

Your vows are one of the highlights of the ceremony and I and will explain the different ways that you can do this.

Your family and friends can also be involved as much as you wish, perhaps during symbolic acts or gestures readings.

None of this is obligatory, but it might give you some inspiration.

We keep in touch

I will send you an outline plan of your ceremony based on our meeting to make sure I have got all the details right. I will also ask your for any additional information I might need to put together a rounded, personalised ceremony. We may need to meet again, depending on how easy this is and how much we need to discuss, or we may simply exchange information by email or telephone.

I send you a draft ceremony to consider

I will write a draft ceremony and send it to you by email at least eight weeks before your wedding day. This gives ample time to fill any gaps and make any changes to make sure that you are completely happy with the final ceremony. One of the key things that distinguishes a Humanist ceremony is that it is completely tailored to your wishes.

You may also choose to have a commemorative certificate (this is not an official document). I can design one to reflect your other wedding stationery if you wish.

The rehearsal

I want you to feel as relaxed and confident on the day as is possible. A quick run through the ceremony at the wedding venue beforehand can be a big help.

Don’t worry – we won’t perform the whole ceremony word by word. This would take away the magic from the day itself. But we will go through all the practical details so that you know where you need to be and when and can identify any issues that might arise.

We can also do some power, sound and time checks to make sure everything will run smoothly when the time comes.

Your wedding ceremony

The big day arrives and you can enjoy a ceremony that is designed purely for you. I will be there in plenty of time to make sure that everything is in place and that the venue staff know what is happening.

I will also meet your photographer and explain the key events during the ceremony so that they can be in the best place to capture some wonderful images of your day.

A keepsake

You will receive a keepsake copy of your ceremony that is printed on high quality paper and will be something for you to treasure in years to come. You can also show it to people who were unable to make your wedding for whatever reason. I will also send you an electronic copy.

Farewell

I will say goodbye and leave you to enjoy the rest of your celebrations. Your feedback is important to me. You can either complete the form I will leave in your presentation pack or go to the ‘Leave Feedback’ tab on my website.

Tell your friends and family

Please tell all of your friends and family about your experience of a Humanist wedding ceremony and pass on my details as appropriate.