BEAUTIFULLY BESPOKE What are the benefits of hiring a celebrant for our wedding? You’ve named the date, booked the venue and decided what to call your social media hashtag for the big day, but the critical bit is the promises you make to the love of your life. If you’re having a civil ceremony, these are the words used by every other couple getting hitched. There’s not a lot of wriggle room for registrars or clergy to personalise a ceremony to reflect you as a couple. That’s where celebrants come in! We write and deliver bespoke ceremonies that tell your love story, like how you met, what you love about each other and why you want to spend your lives together. Think of it as a handmade suit or a couture gown; it will only ever fit you. We can’t do the legal bit yet, but that’s just signing a piece of paper. Instead, we can create something you and your guests will never forget. You can make personal promises and vows to each other with several symbolic rituals, including handfasting, where the phrase ‘tie the knot’ comes from, lighting a unity candle and exchanging rings. If you want to be a bit left field, how about alpacas as ring bearers or tequila shots at the end? Your celebrant will find out all about you while probably asking the best man and bridesmaids a few questions before creating the perfect ceremony that you get to approve based entirely on what you want. If you’re stuck for inspiration, we have tons of ideas. The best part of a celebrant-led wedding is that it can occur anywhere, like your favourite restaurant, stately home or back garden. Your ceremony should be uplifting and heart-warming. It should make your loved ones smile and maybe occasionally sniff. It’s a huge milestone in your life, and it should be all about you, so let’s do it! Jane Barbeary | Nuptials and Naming Ceremonies www.nuptials-and-naming-ceremonies.co.uk IT’S A SPRING THING I’m set to tie the knot next spring, and I’d love to include some of the season’s most beautiful flowers. What do you suggest? Tulips are the flowers most associated with the coming of spring, made famous in the Dutch Golden Age, and the subject of those gorgeous Dutch Master paintings. As much as I love them, especially the glamorous double ones, spring doesn’t always have to mean tulips. The start of the season is represented by the speckled hellebore in pale rose, pistachio and ivory hues, which are particularly lovely in buttonholes. After this come the early sleepy snowdrops of February, which look fabulous delicately placed in small and low bowls on any wedding tablescape. The blooming of the early spring blossom, blush magnolia, pure white cherry blossom and spirea stems quickly follow these florals and look so light and airy in any spring bouquet. As the season progresses, think of scented narcissi, frothy lilac and viburnum blossom, delft blue muscari and beautiful milky anemones with their velvety dark centres. April signals the arrival of one of my favourites of all wedding flowers, the plum-chequered tiny nodding heads of the fritillary, which give a sprinkling of fluttering flowers hovering over the top of wedding florals. A feeling of movement in a bridal bouquet creates such a mood of lightness. How about some jewel-like auricles in vintage terracotta pots down the centre of a wedding breakfast table? All my brides love the last bloom to flower, the queen of the springtime flower, the ranunculus with layered petals like a ballerina tutu. It’s a perfect alternative to peonies. Think of a spring wedding bouquet full of anemones, blossom, muscari, ranunculus and tulips. Nikki McKinney | The Bell Jar Flowers | www.thebelljarflowers.co.uk JEWEL OF THE AISLE What advice can you share when it comes to sustainable wedding jewellery? First, think about any vintage or antique jewellery you may already own. Maybe you have a piece passed down from your family that you haven’t worn because it’s not your style that could be transformed to create something new and wearable. Look for small-scale jewellery makers who often work with brides on bespoke designs and remodelling; this gives new life to old jewellery and reduces the impact your big day will have on the environment. If you’re looking for new wedding jewellery, choose a small brand or a jeweller who uses recycled metals and materials to eradicate the need for new precious metals to be mined. Handcrafted jewellery is the best way to ensure your pieces are as ethical and sustainable as possible. Independent brands who make their jewellery in the UK often use local sources and suppliers, which means your jewellery has a much lower carbon footprint. Finally, you’ll want to ensure that your jewellery is made to be long-lasting and versatile so that it can be worn beyond your big day for many years to come, adding to its sustainability. Sarah Naujokas | Myleti Jewellery www.myletijewellery.com www.flossandbea.co.uk www.meganwilson.net EXPERT ADVICE 69
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