how we'll develop your ceremony together...

1. Initial 30 minute telephone conversation or meeting:  you’ll get a feel for whether or not I am a good ‘fit’ for you (you’ll probably get a sense of that within the first few minutes and it’s okay to say if I’m not the one for you!)

2. Questionnaires:  I’ll email two questionnaires to you to get some basic facts about you and your thoughts about your ceremony

3. Meeting (either face-to-face or virtually):  we’ll plan your ceremony in detail from start to finish, and I can hear your stories that you would like to include.  I'll also help you to write vows and promises, and I'll suggest poems and readings, if required.

4.  Ceremony Brief:  I'll send you a summary of all the details we discussed so that you can be sure that I have understood exactly how you want your ceremony to run.

5. Draft your personalised wording:  I’ll draft your ceremony outline and the personalised sections, and I'll send those to you for comments and tweaks

6. Finalise your script:  together, we’ll agree a final version of your ceremony script and ceremony outline 

7. Ongoing contact:  I’m on hand to deal with any queries you may have, at any point up to and including your big day.

Important:  personalised ceremonies are a team effort, so I will need you to provide the information asked for by the dates we've agreed, please...

Script Writing Service:  you may just need help to write a script and ceremony outline and have someone else conduct your ceremony on the day.  That's fine!  I'll follow the same process as above - just contact me for more information. 

things to think about...

You can include a number of optional features to enhance and further personalise your ceremony.

We may be able to include rituals based on your family and cultural traditions, and you can even invent your own.

Additional ceremony options could include:

- ribbon hand tying

- lighting a unity candle

- sharing a quaich (Scottish loving cup)

- wedding band warming

- unity sand ceremony.

Please ask me if you're considering including a symbolic ritual within your ceremony.

on your big day...

I will be at your venue at least one hour before your ceremony start time.

I will liaise with all your key players including your venue organiser; musicians; photographer; videographer; anyone who has a practical role in your ceremony; etc.  We’re all part of the same team.

I’ll chat to anyone who has a starring role (e.g. ring-bearer; anyone doing a reading; singing; etc.)

I’ll chat to you both before your ceremony (either individually or together) to offer any last-minute reassurance, advice or tissues!

And of course, I'll officiate your ceremony according to the script and plan we have agreed.

afterwards...

I will disappear discreetly and let you get on with the serious business of celebrating with your family and friends.

I'll follow up with you a few weeks later to ask for your feedback about your ceremony - this helps me to continually improve.

just to be clear...

It's worth saying a word or two about what I do and don't do in connection with your ceremony.  My job is to plan the content and format of your ceremony according to your brief, do the necessary research, draft and finalise your ceremony script and other documents agreed, and to conduct your ceremony on the day. 

I don't:  book, manage or have any responsibility for your venue staff; musicians; florists; venue dressers;  photographers;  catering; etc.  And although I have the necessary Public Liability and Professional Indemnity insurance,  I am not responsible for the Health & Safety of you and your guests or any suppliers or staff working at your venue. 

Having said all that, in a crisis, I will lend a hand if I can - I have been known to roll my sleeves up and put bows on chairs or help get a bridesmaid into her dress...

Important:  If you are planning to hold your ceremony in a public place, to avoid any misunderstandings on the day, I will ask to see written permission from the relevant parties consenting to you holding your ceremony there.  It is your responsibility to obtain any permissions required.