53 PLANNING SOS MEET KAREN FROM KAREN IRVING CEREMONIES Who should consider a Celebrant and why? If you don’t want a church wedding, then all couples should at least consider a Celebrant. A good Celebrant will get to know you and draw out little snippets of information through conversations during meetings and their wedding questionnaire and go on to create a bespoke ceremony that’s representative of you as a couple. We tell your love story without restrictions and in a way a registrar cannot. If you want to include a symbolic element for example a hand-tying ceremony, a religious verse, a friend to sing a sea shanty or your children to be included in your ceremony in a child friendly way all of this is possible. That’s setting aside the fact that you’re not required to hold your ceremony in a licenced venue. A Celebrant led wedding is allowing you the freedom to hold your wedding in surroundings of your choosing. I work alongside fabulous venues both licensed and unlicensed and they all want couples to have the most memorable wedding day. I personally don’t book more than one ceremony in a day as it’s important to me that my couples feel special and I don’t have to go rushing off to another wedding, so if in the rare instance there’s a delay I can just roll with it. At the moment, Celebrant led ceremonies aren’t legal in England or Wales and a couple are still required to attend a registry office to carry out the legal paperwork, usually in a small room with minimal guests and at a fraction of the usual registrar costs. But momentum is building and there’s an active campaign to change legislation to allow Celebrants to legally marry a couple. Don’t get me wrong I’m not anti-registrars; Celebrants and Registrars can work together within a ceremony successfully, but I believe there’s a place for the creativeness and personal approach of a Celebrant and it’s important couples are aware they have a choice. When do I book? Ideally as early as possible to allow time for your Celebrant to get to know you both and create your perfect ceremony, however, I’ve created and delivered a ceremony with eight days’ notice. Celebrants are also a good source of information if you’re looking for a particular type of venue or supplier as they come into contact with lots of different types and styles. What should you consider before choosing the person to conduct your wedding? Do we feel comfortable with our choice of person, were they relatable? Were they knowledgeable and able to make valuable suggestions? Did they understand our vision for our wedding? Did we feel listened to? What questions should a couple ask? What sets you apart from other Celebrants? What’s your ethos and why should we chose you as our supplier? What happens if you’re unwell or unable to perform our Ceremony? Do you have any experience in the type of ceremony we require? What’s included in your fee? MEET JEN FROM JEN’S TRAVEL BOUTIQUE Decide on a budget and start researching destinations. Try and book long haul around nine to 12 months in advance with short haul bookings, around six to nine months although be aware that the ‘honeymoon suite’ or more superior rooms may already be booked. Consider a destination that neither of you have been to. A new adventure together makes it even more special and memorable. I’d usually suggest starting off with a few days relaxing and unwinding from the excitement of the big day. Then maybe include some activities or try exploring or a twin or multi-centre holiday if you want to experience different locations. Remember jet lag and exhaustion from the big day may take its toll! Always round off with at least a couple of days to reset before heading back to the real world. Traditionally, the honeymoon immediately follows the wedding however there has been a marked increase in minimoons and familymoons. This can be due to budget or simply that the chosen destination is not at its optimum season to experience in all its glory. Minimoons can fill that gap of wanting to round off the wedding celebrations with a break and familymoons include your children for that trip of a lifetime! The Indian Ocean has always been a hugely popular destination, home of the Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles. However, less commercialised Greek Islands are fast becoming a popular choice to switch off and unwind. Jen’s Top Tip: Use a travel agent to alleviate the stress! Make the experience unforgettable like swimming with dolphins or upgrading your flights! Visit: www.karenirvingceremonies.com Visit: www.instagram.com/jens_travel_boutique www.sallyrawlinsphotography.com
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