Hand On Heart Celebrant

Each of my weddings are memorable, but recent highlights include: Steve and Amelie whose wedding I presented 40% in French to include the bride's family. Alex and Yasmin who had a beautiful Westernised ceremony, but asked me to also lead their Indian styled wedding the second day, with many Muslim traditions. Then there were A & R: 2 brides in love, eloping to a forest. Meanwhile, V and R for whom we included unsuspecting family and friends with a surprise re- marriage, kept secret for months!

Creative, flexible, fun loving, kind, inclusive.

I love the diversity of my clients in terms of age, life experience, culture, gender identity, especially as feedback has recognised my aim to support, welcome and encourage all. Love is love in every beautiful way it is truly presented. I am also proud to provide free family and couple ceremonies for those supported by my local Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City, without conflict of interest as I do not offer funerals or celebrations of life there. This was my way of giving something back to an organisation who took such special care of my Mum and aims to bring light through a happy shared moment for a wedding or vow renewal, in the darkest of times.

Book a celebrant not a registrar, even if you have a licenced venue. To do this cheaply, organise an appointment, not a ceremony, to sort the legal requirements at a registry office cheaply (approximately £105). By doing so you are then free to have your wedding celebrated whenever, however and wherever you choose. Many local authorities are limiting appointments, so book as soon as possible.

I do love dog ring bearers - and children actively involved in symbolic actions such as the sand ceremony or leap of faith, with a threshold broom. But sometimes a beautiful memorial candle or poem can bring the essence of a wedding to everyone present. Sometimes the inclusion of cultural traditions, such as the Baarat drumming or Nikah ceremony in a Muslim tradition can be breath takingly beautiful, as can the simplicity of the warming of wedding rings, to include everyone present.

Through Bride Book, a Wedding Fair, via social media or through a recommendation, often a first enquiry may be a phone call or email, DM on social media - or an introduction at a wedding you attended as a guest, which I led as a celebrant and this inspired you to book me. Once initial contact has happened, we meet either face to face - or via Zoom if preferred. Reference to social media and reviews are sent to you, to inform your decision and confidence in booking me as your Hand On Heart Celebrant. At a meeting, I listen to your thoughts and plans for a dream ceremony and hear some detail about how you both met, key moments together and who you would like to be actively involved in the ceremony. if face to face, this can be at your venue, if already booked, or a coffee shop. This can be arranged around work and family convenience, including evenings and weekends. From there, I can recommend suggestions to enrich your ceremony through symbolic actions such as handfasting - and so much more. We all sign a booking form, but you still have 14 days to decide if you want to confirm the booking. In that period, if you choose to go ahead, then 50% of the agreed fee is paid. I start to collate examples of vows, linked to what you seemed to prefer, to start you both thinking and will liaise with you each separately, to keep each of your vows a lovely surprise for your partner on the wedding day. I will send examples of symbolic actions which you seemed most interested in during our discussions, offering to loan any resources - or order for you to keep at cost price. I begin drafting the first of a number of ceremony scripts, with prompts to encourage further thinking and decision making, to break down the process into more manageable tasks. The final ceremony script is agreed ideally 6 weeks before the wedding, at the very lest, 4 weeks prior to your big day. Payment is usually 4 weeks prior to the wedding for the final 50% owed, as noted in the signed booking form. I am available for reassurance and further meetings during the process. Photographer, venue and other relevant suppliers have a copy of the script with 'stage directions' to ensure the setting is clear and everyone knows what is happening and when. On the day, I pop in to see both of you on site, if that is something you would like.

The couple planning to remarry, some years after their divorce, in their garden, with unsuspecting guests not realising they were coming to a surprise wedding! With gorgeous ring bearing dogs and the shock followed by delight of guests as they realised what was about to happen, was priceless!

I give couples thinking time, before deciding to formally go ahead with me as their celebrant, to multiple drafts, with prompts to encourage big decisions to be broken down o more manageable tasks. Multiple options are offered based on listening to couple's interests and preferences. As a professional coach I am an interested listener and offer options but never forget, the final choices must be right for my couples. My mantra is always #yourdaytourway.

Every love story is unique and through time spent well, my couples trust me with their very own journey, giving me permission to bring it to life in their ceremony. An honour, I never take for granted.

When I give the couples space to share their vows and hear the words from those email drafts, kept secret for so long, ignite the love between two people in front of those they love most in the World.