I Do Your Ceremony

What an unforgettable day!😍

Thanks to the kind invitation from the lovely Victoria and Adrian of Gorgeous Events, I had the pleasure of taking part in a supplier photoshoot at Wressle Grange recently. They’re the events coordinators for a range of new wedding venues near me and are hugely supportive of 'I Do' Your Ceremony because we share a passion for personalisation of weddings so its perfect for the couple. They're also owners of the legendary mobile bar, Ales and Cocktails!

I felt honoured to be part of this beautiful day and to have the opportunity to work with some of the truly talented suppliers our industry is lucky to have! From the stunning venue to the carefully curated details, everything came together just magically (apart from the weather, but hey!) ✨

Shoots like these are the perfect inspiration for couples who are planning their big day to see the work and differing styles of a variety of suppliers!

We had an absolute blast and everyone was truly lovely. Take a look at the talent of these amazing suppliers 👇

Venue: Wressle Grange
Shoot Organiser: Gorgeous Events - Yorkshire
Photography: Louise Pollitt Photography
Flowers: Flowers by Raspberry Wild
Styling: Luna Moon Events
Cake and sweet treats: Sweet Chic
Tipi: Jorvik Tipis
Bridal Dresses: Treasured Brides
Wedding Stationery: Scatter Studio
Suit: Fallen Hero
Bridesmaids Dresses: Joy's Bella Bridesmaids
Model Couple: The Smits
Bridesmaid Models: Mel Strangeway Izabelle Ashworth
Hair: Rachel Marie Hair & Make Up
Makeup: Hannah Louise Beauty
Bar: AlesandCocktails

Unity ceremonies or rituals are a gorgeous way to symbolise two lives coming together.

You may have seen or heard of traditional unity rituals like the charming lighting of a unity candle or blending of sand that are popular choices and which I’ve done many times with couples in the past.

But how about a bonfire unity ceremony? 🔥

It’s certainly a unique and memorable option, perfect for outdoor weddings! It’s something I just had to mention near bonfire night 🥰

Your lighting of the firepit or fireworks together as a couple symbolises the passion and strength of your love, with the crackling noises and golden hues create an enchanting backdrop!

Telling a little of a couple’s love story so far is a really personal part of the unique ceremony I write for each of my lovely clients. As I get to know them and learn what are the memorable milestones of their journey together, I weave their own words into the wedding ceremony script to set the scene for their big day and prior to the exchange of their personal vows.

If they choose, I can narrate some edited highlights of their story as a pair, for instance, how they met and their first impressions of each other, funny stories of first dates, the proposal story, the way their partner has changed their life, what they particularly love about them - and their faults and quirks they tolerate for love!

That personalisation is what makes each ceremony so different and special – and most commented on by the wedding guests who say they had no idea that a wedding ceremony can be so moving, memorable and a true one-off! (Unlike when I was a Registrar and practically knew the words off by heart because I’d said the same script so often!)

My couples often opt to sit down to face their friends and family as their love story is told. I love these images of the gorgeous Alethea and Amelia taken by the hugely talented Katy Howe, which captures how relaxed they were and how much they loved reminiscing and celebrating what makes them tick as a couple.

Thank you, you lovely ladies for letting me share your wonderful day!

📸: Katy Howe Photography
📍: The Owl Barn at Little Seed Field

I’ve loved the variety of the many wonderful summer weddings I’ve performed this year, with some gorgeous choices of pinks and cream, multi-colour pastel and plain white with foliage all being very popular in 2024.

But now as I move into the last few weddings I have booked this year, it will be lovely to see autumnal colours as a choice – a warm glow and the rich tones of red, orange and browns – just lovely!

Autumn has always held a special place in my heart, and there's just something so striking about the warm ruby and burnt orange tones of the season 🥰

What would you choose?

Just look at these beautiful bouquets captured by Monkeymole Photography at Mark and Georgina's wedding, the stunning arrangements by Bethan of Bureau Botany at Thicket Priory - North Yorkshire Wedding Venue, as well as photos from Moor & Moon photo and film at Hannah and Nick’s ceremony at Middleton Lodge Estate.

Tips for couples to help with planning a Celebrant-led wedding ceremony 🥰

There are so many things to consider when planning your special day and it can often become quite overwhelming, so are here are some more tips for those of you on the journey of planning your Celebrant-led wedding ceremony 👇

💛 Reach out to your Celebrant or other suppliers if you are ever stressed about an aspect of the wedding or just want to check in. I’m here to support you every step of the way.

💛 Try not to overthink stuff (easy to say, I know!) and accept that no wedding goes exactly to plan but don’t let it distract from your happiness. Surround yourself with experienced, unflappable suppliers you like and trust will stay calm and smooth everything out for you, so you don’t even notice and glitches!

💛 If there is something which is personal and precious to you as a couple which you would love to include in the ceremony script – then yes, absolutely! That ability to make it personal is what a Celebrant-led ceremony is all about.

Share your tips below and if a Celebrant-led wedding sounds like a good option for you but you're not sure, or if you have any more questions, please drop me a message!

You can send me a DM or email [email protected] and I’ll be happy to arrange a chat 😊

📷: Scott Carney Photography
📍: Horton Grange Country House

It’s a real pleasure to work with so many different venues 🥰

Although I have some regular places where I perform many ceremonies, like the wonderful Thicket Priory - North Yorkshire Wedding Venue, one of the most interesting things about being a Celebrant is the huge variety of venues I work in and how unique each wedding setting is.

For instance, in September, I performed a beautiful wedding ceremony at Grantley Hallon the Thursday, before performing another in a tipi at Goole Rugby Club two days later on the Saturday. Both equally special for the couple and their guests, but so very different!

So wherever you might want your big day to take place (with a Celebrant, you are not restricted to those which are licensed or approved for civil marriages), I’d love to hear from you - let’s make it happen! 💛

A waggy wedding? Hell, yeah!

I absolutely adore dogs and I just love it when couples include their dog (or dogs!) in their wedding ceremony.

As long as the venue allows it, I’m more than happy to welcome your pets in your ceremony - they make great ringbearers too 🐶

Here’s an extract from a fun poem that could be incorporated into a ceremony of a couple who love their dog almost as much as each other!

‘Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog’ by Taylor Mali

First of all, it’s a big responsibility,
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you’re walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain’t no one going to mess with you!
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defence?

On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn’t like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.

But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.

📸: Katy Howe Photography
🏛️: The Owl Barn at Little Seed Field

Can we include any readings, poems, or personal stories in our ceremony?

Absolutely! I have a huge collection of readings examples I share with my clients to give them some inspiration or, of course, they are welcome to research their own.

Couples often choose to invite a member of their family or a special friend to share a reading during their wedding ceremony. It’s so moving when the person reading it has selected or even written it themselves and kept it a secret from the couple until the big day!

If a couple finds a reading they love and want to include, but don’t have a volunteer confident enough to deliver it, I can perform it for them as part of the ceremony script – after all, public speaking is what I do!

A reading can be in many forms, serious or light-hearted, from a poem, an extract from literature, a song lyric, a quote from a film, a poem in another language reflecting family culture, or a religious reading if that’s important to you - I’m not a Humanist Celebrant, so I am happy to include spiritual content to respect a couple’s beliefs.

Sometimes a couple may like to choose a reading to say to each other – here is an example of one that works really well for that (cue the tissues!)

‘In You’ by Ms Moem

"Our fingers entwined
You touched my heart
You looked into my eyes
And love took spark.
My fingers in your hair
Your hand on my waist
Our lips locked together.
My favourite place.
I knocked on love’s door
And it was you let me in.
I heard tenderness in your voice.
I found warmth in your skin.
You’re the place I call home;
I belong nowhere else
Because, in you, I found contentment.
In you, I found myself."

📸: Josh Couchman of Side By Side Wedding Photography
📍: Camblesforth Hall and Grange

Tips for couples to help with planning a Celebrant-led wedding ceremony 🥰

Perhaps you’ve just got engaged and you’re exploring your options, or you’re well into the swing of wedding planning! Either way, it can be a daunting (but very exciting!) time for you as a couple, so to help you a little bit, here are some of my tips 👇

💛 Don’t try to please everyone, this is your special day and it should be all about you both as a couple and how you want to celebrate it.

💛 There are no things you must do! Traditions are just conventions, not rules. If you want to walk down the aisle together as a couple – why not!?

💛 Have a dressed down walkthrough rehearsal at the venue on the eve of the big day with just the key people with an active role. It really melts away those nerves!

Are there any other tips you would add to help couples out? Please do pop them in the comments below!

📸: Never Ending Stories

Here’s another lovely review from one of the amazing couples I’ve had the pleasure of working with this year 🥰

Alethea and Amelia had a stunning day at The Owl Barn at Little Seed Field near Ripon earlier this year, gorgeously captured here by Katy Howe Photography. It was really special to be a part of their beautiful day.

And here’s the review they kindly left for me:

“We just wanted to say a huge thank you for being our Celebrant and for being such a special part of our big day.

The ceremony was perfect and so many people commented on how personal and lovely it was. You made the process of writing the script so easy and enjoyable, we’re very glad we met you that day at Little Seed Field.

Thank you very much for our lovely card and for the little gift. It’s also wonderful to have a copy of the script and our vows, many thanks!!”

Thank you to each and every couple who leaves a review or gets in touch after the big day, it means so much to me!

📍: The Owl Barn, Little Seed Field
📷: Katy Howe Photography

I was thrilled to receive this charming and very personal thank you card reflecting the warmth of the gorgeous Olivia and Tom.

From the very first time we spoke and over many months of crafting their ceremony until it was genuinely true to their personalities, I just loved getting to know them; valuing their sincerity and relishing their sense of fun.

You two really remind me that as a Celebrant, I have simply the most rewarding, fulfilling, best job ever!

Swipe the image to read the very kind words they sent me 🥰

📷: Amy Lou Photography
💐: Emma the Florist
📍: Thicket Priory - North Yorkshire Wedding Venue

Do you know why I offer an adaptation of a Handfasting?🤔

Many Celebrants offer the optional extra of a Handfasting to enhance a wedding ceremony if it appeals to a couple. I too am very pleased to include this charming custom and I briefly explain its ancient origins to the wedding guests during the ceremony, but I do an adaptation of a Handfasting and refer to it as a Handtying, as the couple literally ‘tie the knot’ during their ceremony.

A Handfasting is essentially a Pagan ritual involving the binding of the couple’s hands as symbolically their souls are joined together for eternity and special words are said reflecting those beliefs. But because I’m not a Pagan, I have adapted this ritual for the ceremonies I craft for couples.

If they choose to, my clients can also opt to have a cord or ribbons wrapped round their joined hands as they say their own, personal promises or more traditional wedding vows. They then slip their hands out of the loop created and they ‘tie the knot’ forming a love knot, never to be untied, representing the joining of their lives together. It is a very moving and visually attractive symbolic ceremony enhancement which many of my couples simply love!

And what an attractive, meaningful keepsake their Handtying love knot is!

📷: Never Ending Stories

I was thrilled to see a Google review come in recently from Catherine and Chris, whom I worked with in June 2023 at Pinchinthorpe Hall. It made me look back on their celebration last year and remember what a truly gorgeous day it was 🥰 There's lots more genuine reviews from couples on my Google page if you want to check me out! (just search 'I Do' Your Ceremony)

It’s never too late to leave a review and you’ve never ‘missed the boat’ - it’s so lovely to receive your feedback, no matter how long ago your special day was!

Catherine and Chris wrote - “Jackie was a fantastic celebrant for our wedding celebration. She spent time getting to know us and gave us the tone of a ceremony that we really wanted. Perfect in every way.

She asked for information from us and worded it so beautifully for the ceremony it was fabulous. She offers a full range of different additions you might want to include and offers a full range of suggestions for readings to get you started on those.

Is she a standard celebrant? No - a guest from our wedding recently attended a ceremony led by another celebrant and said our celebrant was so much better. Thanks Jackie.”

Thank you both for taking the time to write such lovely words!

If a Celebrant-led wedding sounds like something you might be interested in for your special day, or if you have any more questions, please drop me a message! 💛

📍: Pinchinthorpe Hall

Things that make me go WOW!

How gorgeous is this photo?! 🥰 It speaks a thousand words about the two beautiful brides and their relationship, but also the talent of photographer Julia Healey who took the shot!

Another York-based supplier, I love working with Julia. She is fun and creative with her photography, taking care to make everyone feel comfortable. Not only that, but the images and moments she captures are just fantastic.

Just like I do as an Independent Celebrant, Julia understands that each couple and every wedding is different, so she aims to really get to know each couple in order to capture the feelings and memories that will make their photographs special and personal.

If you’d like to hear more of my recommended suppliers or want to chat about how a Celebrant-led ceremony could work for you, please drop me a message or email me at [email protected].

📷: Julia Healey Photography
📍: Barlow Woodseats Hall

Things that make me go WOW!

I’m so lucky to work with so many suppliers in the wedding industry and so many of them do an amazing job every time, never failing to impress me.

Another fantastic supplier I’d like to showcase is the wonderful Emma the Florist. She is unbelievably talented and did the amazing flowers at Olivia and Tom's beautiful wedding at Thicket Priory earlier this year!

Every single arrangement of flowers was truly gorgeous, from the bouquets to the table settings and entranceway displays. The colours were stunning too and looked perfect with the bride and bridesmaids’ dresses 😍

📍: Thicket Priory - North Yorkshire Wedding Venue
📷: Amy Lou Photography