Gayle + James | July 2023
“Sarah completely made our wedding day. She is warm, personable and unbelievably passionate, so really understood and celebrated our story along with us.”
One of the loveliest parts of this job is when a couple welcome you into their relationship with open arms (oo-er vicar, not like that) and really reveal to you what brought them - and keeps them - together. Gayle and James were so warm and open with me from our first meeting, and I sort of fell in love with the pair of them.
At our second meeting, on a Sunday in Newcastle, I was out with my family so, before a coffee catch up just me and the newlyweds-to-be, all of us - my husband and twins in tow - ended up having a little wander round the Baltic Gallery. All six of us rode up and down in the glass lifts and “wow!”-ed at the hundreds (and hundreds) of kittiwake nests from the balcony roof. Gayle and James were as interested in my little family as I was in them. It was lovely.
The afternoon before their wedding we had a short rehearsal in Brinkburn’s Manor House, and it was both exciting to witness Gayle and James’ giddiness and be able to see the room so different before its beautiful, floral transformation (thanks to genius of The Allotment Florist).
We did something really special in Gayle and James’ ceremony, at their own request. After they exchanged wedding rings I produced Gayle’s family’s pueblo vase and explained the history of the New Mexican tradition to their guests. Gayle’s sister-in-law (and one of the gorgeous bridesmaids) is from New Mexico and she and Gayle’s brother have lived out there for years. Part of Pueblo life for many centuries, the vases were traditionally used in wedding ceremonies, but they've gradually evolved into a symbol of love. The vase has two spouts at the top and they represent the separate lives of the bride and groom. Traditionally the vase is filled with holy water, but…we went with champagne. All I can hope was that it was cultural appreciation and not appropriation - it was a really joyful, special moment in the service.
Gayle drank from one side, and James the other, as I assured Gayle’s mum in the front row - who had brought the delicate family heirloom from home - that I wouldn’t drop it. And luckily I didn’t.
The wedding felt so warm, right from the start. Talented (and ever-so lovely) violinist Charlotte Kennedy played to everyone’s delight as guests arrived, and for Gayle’s walk down the aisle. Charlotte’s electric violin rendition of 90s fave No Scrubs, that friends danced in their seats to as we all waited for the bride to arrive, ended up going viral on TikTok.
Photos by Elaine Slipper Photography
One of my other favourite moments in the ceremony was when I asked the “gorgeous ring bearer” to come up - I made a real song and dance to the assembled guests about how beautiful, smart and special this boy was - knowing we’d arranged for one of Gayle’s tiny, bow-tied American nephews to be brave and come to the front. Only his bravery wasn’t quite at ring-bearing levels and as I looked up from my folder, finishing my introduction of “the cutest guy you ever did see” instead I saw a blushing groomsman coming forward with the rings, much to the hilarity of his mates. And all of us. It was such a funny moment…the perfect example of when little things go “wrong” and the end up even better.
“We still receive compliments from our guests on how wonderful our celebrant was, and we couldn’t agree more! An absolute highlight of our wedding and we could never thank Sarah enough!!”