HOLD ME CLOSE My hubby-to-be and I love Christmas and want to incorporate festive nods into our ceremony. Do you have any ideas of how we could do this? Creating a magical ceremony with festive nods is exactly what an independent celebrant will do. Whether you want a sprinkling of Christmas (or a great big dollop), you’ll work with your celebrant to create the perfect feel for your big day. Think about the music that you’ll come into and exit to, and if you want to have a favourite festive piece played during the ceremony. Readings can be themed, and even your vows and promises can be built around your favourite festive movies or movie quotes, the gifts you’ve given each other over the years, or the places you’ve visited over the season. Symbolic rituals can also be added. A wine, gin or mulled-wine blending ceremony can bring the season to life and is something that your lovely guests can be included in too. Blend your chosen drink, then have a tot ready for your guests to toast you with at the same time. Handfasting ribbons with themed colours, a candle ceremony to light your way, or a holly bush or ivy bush planting are just some of the limitless choices. Whether you choose one to highlight during your ceremony or to do a few to sprinkle even more magic on the occasion, your ceremony will be the highlight of your day, creating that wonderful Christmas cheer! Susan McGregor www.susanmcgregorcelebrant.co.uk BEHIND THE LENS Lots of photographers offer an engagement shoot, but we’re camera shy and don’t know if it’s really for us. What are the benefits? You should consider having an engagement shoot with your photographer for several reasons. An engagement shoot is an investment that not only enhances the quality of your wedding photos, but it is also a fun and meaningful experience. The shoot will allow you to establish a good rapport with your photographer. This familiarity will really help you feel more at ease in front of the camera on your wedding day, leading to more natural and authentic photos. One thing you must do is trust your photographer. I may ask my couples to do some strange things, but go with it! An engagement shoot provides an opportunity to practice posing and expressions. As a couple, you can experiment with different prompts, ensuring you appear your best in your wedding photos and know exactly what to expect. Engagement shoots capture a specific moment in your wedding planning journey. These images often reflect your personalities and interests, making them more personal and meaningful. The photos from your engagement shoot can also be used for wedding invitations, save-the-dates and wedding décor, adding a personalised touch to these important elements of your wedding. Samantha Clarke www.samanthajaynephoto.com www.samanthajaynephoto.com CAMERA READY How can we add seasonal touches to our wedding video? Your videographer should be able to capture the essence of the seasons, such as close-ups of falling autumn leaves, blooming flowers, rain, or a snowy landscape, giving your video a genuine seasonal feel. Choosing a venue that represents that season in its full glory is very important. If you’re having a spring or summer wedding, choose a venue with beautiful gardens where your videographer can capture blooming flowers, buzzing bees, and butterflies. Having the ceremony and reception outdoors will also look stunning and immediately show the season. A summer wedding in the fields, with tall grass as a striking backdrop for the golden hour footage and campfires for when the sun goes down, creates an air of outdoor romance. In the autumn, the amazing colours of the changing foliage will create a beautiful backdrop for your portraits, so look for a venue that has plenty of trees. For winter weddings, as most of the day will be indoors, consider reflecting the season in your décor. Lots of warm lighting and candles create a romantic, cosy, yet luxurious feel throughout the day. Of course, if you are lucky and are in a location where the winters are white, have something warm to wear over your wedding attire and go outdoors for those couple shots. Have your ceremony earlier than you would have if your wedding were in the summer, as we lose the natural light so quickly and there will be less time to capture your portraits. Work with your videographer and photographer to figure out when the sun goes down and set an optimal time for your ceremony. Tanya Allenby www.tanyaallenby.com www.tanyaallenby.com Scan to view video 54
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