The groom, Ashley, had been present the day Bethan chose her wedding dress, because his was the opinion that mattered the most to her. They got ready together in the morning, because that’s how they feel happiest and most relaxed.
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Otto’s parents had gone all-out on making the day a celebration - from classics like balloons, drinks and a spectacular cake to the more elaborate touches like a massive gazebo in the garden and a pizza van parked up in the drive.
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It was a hot May afternoon, the day school sweethearts Kate and Saul got married. And the sunshine just made everything pop: the bright white ceremony room of Newcastle’s Secret Tower, the vibrant flowers, the mismatched zesty hues of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Everything just glistened and glowed, up in the rooftop venue looking out over the city.
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Tom’s a pilot and there was a big contingent of pilots in the room. I did my best flight attendant impression (God love their friends for laughing at my dad jokes), pointing out the different exits for the bride and groom and confetti line, asking phones to be on airplane mode, and announcing that the seat belt signs were off.
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The rehearsal was brilliant and we were all laughing - it didn’t feel like a rehearsal as much as a mini wedding, Sam in her Bride t-shirt and glittery skirt, and giddy friends and family spilling out over the first few rows. The vibe was set and I knew the next day would be fun.
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One important thing I think I’ve learnt is that while the content of what you say is absolutely paramount, the quote from Maya Angelou is oh-so true: “At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel”.
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This wasn’t a job I thought I’d got at first. Rhiannon, her then-fiancé Doug and I had a video call to see if I was a good fit for them but the signal was TERRIBLE. It was so frustrating when you feel like you have one chance to help a couple feel like they’re in safe hands.
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Working with Laura to prepare for her beautiful little boy Archer James’ naming day took me back to my first job out of university - back in mid noughties - when Laura and I both worked in advertising.
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Doing this job has opened my eyes to how funerals can be - and the celebration of life for Chris Oliver was the least ‘funeral-y’ celebration I’ve done yet.
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When I arrived at the venue for Mike and Lisa’s wedding, I can honestly say it took my breath away. The ceremony was laid out in the woods, pine trees stretching up into the blue September sky over an aisle laid with pink-toned carpets and lined with pink-toned flowers.
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Mourners poured into the room in their dozens and soon it was standing room only in a room that seats 100. Then it went from standing room only to having to open the glass doors and have throngs of people standing in the car park, watching in…
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There were two parts of the ceremony that made it particularly special, the first of which being a poem that Fliss’ big sister Violet had written for her little bestie’s naming day.
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One of my favourite things is hearing how a couple met, and Kat and Liam possess one of the best meet-cutes I’ve heard yet: they met at an open mic night when she was encouraged up to sing and he was provided as guitar back-up.
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This wedding ceremony will forever go down in my happy memory bank as The One Where I Got to Sing. Rather than traditional hymns we had something more akin to karaoke and it was glorious, singing Stand By Me and The Bare Necessities.
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One of my favourite parts of a naming ceremony is the names themselves, and hearing why they were chosen. Max and Olive, with their West African heritage being hugely important to their mum and dad, have been given traditional Ghanaian middle names to mark the day of the week they were born.
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Hugh was a determined, resourceful and resilient man who, as a child of 13, was brought to post-war Britain from his childhood home of Kenya, left at boarding school with just a cheque for the fees…and didn’t see his family again for two years.
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From the outset I loved Ella and Charlie’s energy - perfectly-matched party animals who clearly adored each other. They had a real vision for their wedding - chic, fun and epic - and boy, oh boy if they didn’t pull. it. off.
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We did something really special in Gayle and James’ ceremony: after they exchanged rings I produced a pueblo vase and explained the history of the New Mexican tradition. The vase has been part of Pueblo life for centuries; traditionally used in weddings, but they've become a moving symbol of love. Traditionally the vase is filled with holy water, but…we went with champagne
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Planning for Sophie and Peter’s wedding ceremony made me feel like I’d taken my fledgling celebrancy business a lil’ bit international, taking place between my home in Northumberland and theirs in Darwin, Australia.
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The couple had gone through multiple rounds of IVF to have their precious twins and so it was emotional hearing about their journey, delivering the story in front of their loved ones, and meeting the people (“their village”) who had played such supportive roles…
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