Your Cheshire and Merseyside Wedding - Page number 56 - November/December 2021 (Issue 59)

FESTIVE SPIRIT We’re both obsessed with Christmas! How can we tastefully incorporate it into our ceremony? Christmas is such a magical time of year, so it’s no wonder you love the idea of incorporating it into your nuptials! With a celebrant-led ceremony there are so many ways you could include your favourite holiday to suit your personalities and style. If you’re outgoing and fun, perhaps you have a favourite Christmas song you’d like your congregation to sing and dance to during the festivities? If you’re looking for something more discreet though, why not consider an adaptation of a symbolic ritual known as a handfasting? This old Celtic tradition was historically seen as a legally binding contract of marriage, but today it’s used as a symbol to reflect how a couple’s lives are to be bound together. During this ritual, a blessing of your marriage will be read aloud and a beautiful handfasting braid will be tied around your hands. To incorporate your love for the season, the ribbons could feature your favourite festive colours. Why not add some delicate bells too, bringing a touch of sleigh magic to this visual and special moment in your wedding ceremony? These are just a few ideas, but with the help of a celebrant, the only limit is your imagination so your ceremony could be jam-packed full of Christmas magic! Sarah Boalch | www.northwalescelebrant.co.uk GREEN FINGERS Sustainability is important to us. How is it possible to carry this through to our wedding rings? As specialists in handmade jewellery, we actively encourage remaking existing jewellery into new wedding rings. This is doubly beneficial as it not only repurposes jewellery that you already own, thus reducing the need for mining, it also incorporates family pieces to make your wedding bands unique and full of meaning. They become a truly symbolic heirloom, there to be enjoyed and handed down through the generations. If this isn’t an option, then it’s possible to use recycled gold along with recycled stones to craft your bespoke rings. Rachael Whitwam | www.oharesjewellers.co.uk www.blu ebugphotos.com THE PARTY’S ON We’re super-excited about our Christmas wedding and want to include a nod to the festive season in our entertainment, without veering too much towards the tacky! What would you suggest? If you want a hint of the festive season without going too cheesy or overboard at your special celebration, there’s a great version of Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmastime by Jars of Clay that you could factor in. It really is wonderful, without being OTT. Try it! Paul Webber | www.tietheknotmusic.com 56