Tina & Kevin’s “amaze balls” Alternative Wedding Ceremony

25th January 2017

Most brides and grooms worry about being “different”, not our couples!!! And especially not Tina & Kevin! Their ceremony was never going to be a production line it was always going to be an alternative wedding ceremony that was unique, colourful, relaxed and personal, just like them. Many thanks to photographer Ella Omerod and of course Tina and Kevin for allowing us to share their wedding day shots at the awesome Camp Katur. Enjoy! This is definitely one for the fashionistas and Dr Who fans! Forget the big white wedding, think Vivienne Westwood, black and gold, henna tattoos, gothic, sci-fi, motorbikes and dogs….lots of them. It’s just so “amaze balls” it had to be Tina and Kevin’s alternative wedding ceremony!! We loved creating their ceremony it was sooo unique in so many ways; eccentric but natural and meaningful, traditional but alternative, wild but romantic and cool but understated. It will probably take most brides a little out of their comfort zone, so be warned!

Here’s what Tina said after they had had their “first read” of their ceremony script:

“Everything perfect. Love the reading, it had Kev in tears at the zombie bit.” You’ve done a fab job. You are a secret genius. You really got us in one. Thanks so much you are amaze balls. Xxx”

Tina and Kevin are big kids never really wanting to grow up and both share a love of music, motorbikes, dressing up, Halloween and horror films.
Tina never thought she would meet someone like Kevin. “What took you so long to find me here…. What took you so long to make it here….I’ve waited all my life” were the lines from Tina’s entrance song “Moduin” by Sometree. It was a particularly emotional time for Tina; her dad had recently passed away so she chose to walk down the tree-lined aisle alone carrying a single candle to represent her father’s spirit and to acknowledge that the honour of walking his daughter down the aisle was his and only his. Tina’s family roots lie in India so keeping the candle alight was important and symbolic. Kevin and their faithful black labrador, Sabbath, by his side, met Tina half way to symbolise her being given away to Kevin.  We over over the moon when Tina told us about her fabulous hooped black and gold skirt and black shirt by Vivienne Westwood; she looked amazing and like no other bride. She was unique and perfectly her. We chose readings for them that reflected their love of sci-fi and of their faithful friend and “baby” Sabbath; “Scientific Romance” by Tim Pratt and and “Falling in Love is like owning a dog” Taylor Mali. Tina and Kevin wanted to include nature in their ceremony so we created a four elements part to their ceremony that included Earth for physicality, Air for intellect, Water for emotions and Fire for passion and incorporated their personal promises to each other. We created an iced flower bowl and brightly coloured water which was poured over their hands to represent the fluidity of their relationship. 

Tina and Kevin had each written seven promises to each other, which they said out loud as they circled the fire seven times representing each of the seven promises they made to each other.
Each promise was “written” into the earth by their feet and then into their hearts as they placed their hand over the others heart and said ““I am the words and you the melody, I am the melody and you the words”. Guests joined in blowing bubbles into the air to represent a love that grows with every breath they take. 

Bet you’ve never seen a Tardis ring box before, now you have!! The rings were passed around their guests as a ring warming before exchanging rings. As the ring warming took place guests were transported back to England 1562 to a conversation with an extract between Doctor Number 10 and Queen Elizabeth, just to check that we didn’t have any imposters! Tina’s bouquet continued the Dr Who theme using a sonic screw driver and handmade paper flowers  from comic books.

The bride and groom were showered with rice confetti symbolising fertility before they made their exit to “New Noise” by Refused. If ever a photograph captured the spirit of what we do it is this one! “Thank you for all your hard work. We are still on cloud nine. We had the best day ever.” Tina & Kevin

Here’s a little video of Tina and Kevin’s first dance to “I think we’re alone now” by Tiffany. Way to go babes!

If you’ve been inspired Tina & Kevin’s “amaze balls” alternative wedding ceremony and celebrations and would like us to create a more personal and unique ceremony that makes you feel “this is us” at your private home or estate, off the beaten track or outdoor location then drop Jan a line: ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk. You can find more inspiration and real weddings here. If Country and Western is more your kind of alternative wedding check out Leanne and Kristian’s cowboy barn wedding ceremony.

Laura & Paul’s Yorkshire outdoor seaside wedding

19th January 2017

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside , oh we do like to be beside the sea…the quaint seaside villages of Whitby, Robbin hood’s bay, Staithes… well you’re in for a treat! Paul and Laura wanted to bring their own personal twist to their outdoor seaside wedding ceremony and celebrations from the ceremony words, to the handcrafted decor, to the traditions including “Something old, something new, something borrowed to which they appropriately added “Something brewed”!  Here in Yorkshire we like our locally brewed beers and ales, with both on tap, including their very own wedding ale “Brewley Wed”, Wold Top Brewery was the perfect alternative wedding venue for this creative, stylish, party-loving couple.  You’ll see why it was featured in Rock My Wedding when you see the fabulous photography by Chris and Anneka from Bloom Weddings.

For the boys, the day began with a drop (or two) of JDs to warm their cockles before heading off for a final “walk of the groomsmen” on the beach with Laura & Paul much loved pooch Olive- the perfect outdoor seaside wedding ritual!

Followed by a final groomsmen send off consisting of fizz and cigars!

Meanwhile back her the fisherman’s cottage Laura and her gorgeous bridesmaids got down to the serious business of looking absolutely gorgeous!

Here in Yorkshire, when you’ve ‘settled down in love’ your instinct is to buy a house together and make a family or should I say get a dog! In Laura and Paul’s case a dog called “Olive”. 

An emotional Laura walked down the aisle to a very beautiful song called ‘Arms Around Me’ by Jens Lekman  that reflects their love of eating and drinking, music and the festival spirit and socialising.

It’s one of the best feelings in the world when you know you have that special someone in your arms next to you who will see you through the high and lows of life, someone who is always looking out for you, someone who makes you feel like the best thing since sliced bread and is proud to have you on their arm. One of the poems we chose for them was “Someone Warm to Hold” by Glastonbury poetry slammer Tony Walsh- a slightly edited version! It’s real, it’s passionate, it’s just Laura and Paul!

As huge Bob Dylan fans Laura and Paul repeated a few lines from ‘The Wedding Song’ as they exchanged rings: “I love you more than ever, more than time and more than love, I love you more than money and more than the stars above, I love you more than madness, more than waves upon the sea I love you more than life itself, you mean that much to me.”

As Vic & Bob would say “we love a good sing song, don’t we”! So to close the ceremony they had a big sing ‘Baby I love you’ by the Ramones played by the fabulous Mila Lee.

Julie & Suze’s ‘Holy Molars’ outdoor wedding

17th January 2017

A trip to see the dentist doesn’t rate highly on anyone’s list of “to dos” for sure; but ‘holy mollars’ on this occasion our day with consultant dentists Julie and Suze at Camp Katur was right up there at the top! The awesome Marianne Chua Photography captured some EPIC moments throughout their same sex outdoor wedding ceremony and barn celebrations. We also had the pleasure of working alongside Marianne on Leanne & Kristian‘s, fun country and western barn wedding featured on Rock n Roll Bride, also at Camp Katur- another awesome wedding to feast you eyes on!

Julie & Suze’s wedding was a weekend of celebrations starting with Friday night pizza oven and hot tubbing party just to get things warmed up ahead of the big day.

Julie and Suze wanted a much more personal same sex outdoor wedding ceremony that made them feel “this is us” held in a place that captured their love of the outdoors. We created their same sex outdoor wedding ceremony to celebrate their union as a couple and as as a family with their little boy and their two lovely four-legged companions Mojo and Bertie the sausage dog. We also co-ordinated their the rest of their celebrations in the characterful Yorkshire barn.

Who said never work with animal and dogs? Both Joseph and ring bearer Mojo came into their own during the ceremony. Julie and Joseph danced down the aisle to “Uh oh we’re in trouble” by Shampoo  and Mojo, handsomely dressed in a flower collar, impulsively decided to make up his own dance; proving the point that everyone should ‘be more dog’ in love and marriage!

Suze walked down the aisle to ‘Be my forever’ by Christina Perri and Ed Sheeran with her pretty flower girls and page boy. In addition to their own personal promises to each other  Julie and Suze made promises to Joseph and in return he promised to “always be their knight in shining armour” …bless, what a love!  Suze and Julie each read poems dedicated to each other as a surprise on the day that described their love and heritage; Julie being a reet Yorkshire lass read an ace West Riding dialect poem called “Love song” by Gordon Allen:

“Keep thi lips for love, lass, An keep thi lips for me;

Share, if that mun, thi beauty, Ant ’twinkle i thi ee,

An don thisen i’ fol-de-rols For all the wo’ld to see-

But keep thi lips for love, lass, Oh keep thi lips for me.”

Suze being a bonnie wee lassie read the very well-known romantic “Red, red rose” by Robert Burns.

Everything was sealed with a kiss, a wee dram and an Irish Whiskey toast in honour of Julie’s dad who had sadly passed away.  Everyone came together at the end for a big sing hymn ‘Jerusalem’. As new brides-to-be you may not be aware that as qualified independent celebrants our couples are free to keep their ceremony completely secular or include any spiritual or religious references.

The celebrations continued in the woodland picnic area with a ploughman’s lunch then it was up to the sparkly barn. They had made some wonderfully personal touches as a nod to their professions as oral surgeons; a sparkley disco ball made from dental mirrors and an order of the day sign saying ‘holy molars’! They dined on roast hog and danced the night away to music by the fabulous acoustic duo Colour Blue. We had such a wonderful day not only planning, writing and conducting their EPIC same sex outdoor wedding ceremony but also co-ordinating on the day. Julie and Suze are such an amazing inspirational couple with a fantastic family and we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness. xx

GRAB A COFEE AND ENJOY!

Debbie & Steve’s festival wedding

20th September 2016

In september this year we created Steve and Debbie’s wedding ceremony and co-ordinated their celebrations, it was such a cracker that it will come as no surprise that  Juno and Joy also wanted to share the love!

Destiny and a love of festivals certainly played a very important part in bringing Steve and Debbie together and an integral part of their wedding.  On a last minute jaunt, three years ago to the day, two strangers travelled to the Isle of White, along with thousands of others festival goers, to experience the “Bestival” music festival. Little did they know that they were going to meet that special someone who would change everything.

As homage to this they chose to hold their wedding at this stunning location “festival style” on the anniversary of their chance meeting at Bestival.We married Steve and Debbie in September this year in the beautiful rustic barn at Camp Katur in Kirklington, North Yorkshire that they had fallen in love with on first sight. It was the perfect blank canvas location for their festival wedding to create their own little bit of festival chic that they appropriately named  “The Isle of Wright” wedding festival or as we called it “Aisle of Wright”!!!

Like all our couples, they were looking for a unique place that would allow them to have a more relaxed and personal ceremony and celebrate their marriage their way, which in their case was festival style. Their ceremony told their story through the loves and likes of their relationship.

The festival spirit is about having fun and shared experiences, a love of music, celebrating friendships and all that is good in life and these are all the things that they wanted to share and embrace with their friends and family. So in true festival style their festival wedding celebrations were not just one day but a whole weekend! Perfect!

As guests arrived they received their own”The  Isle of Wright” festival wrist band and checked into the fabulous glamping accomodation in meadow pods, wooden cottages, yurts, bell tents and safari tents soaking in the atmosphere and enjoying a pre-wedding warm up night of re-unions and laughter under the stars.

The next morning the sun was shining and  preparations began! It was an early start for us adding the final touches to the ceremony area in the barn and the amazing Papakata so that the Debbie and her family could enjoy the day from start to finish.

Her beautiful hairpiece designed by Firenza Floral Design and  her beautiful long sleeved  lace gown by Stewart Parvin (the same designer as Pippa Middleton apparently!) looked stunning!

Bridesmaid dresses were complimentary shimmering shades of pastel.

The brides bouquet and floral arrangements were created by the fabulous Firenza Floral Design, bold yet delicate and romantic.

Steve and his groomsmen, looking equally dapper dressed in dark blue suits and cravats, waited in anticipation of the bride’s arrival.

Debbie & Steve wanted a ceremony traditional in structure but completely personal and bespoke with a relaxed festival vibe. They chose to include the traditions that were important to them and made her entrance with her father to the very beautiful song that still gives me goose pimples “Come away with me” by Norah Jones.

Debbie and Steve’s personal commitment to each other was first sealed when Steve proposed to Debbie. He’d gone to a lot of effort to make it a special and romantic event, and despite nearly missing the flight, the hotel double-booking and the restaurant not having his specific table reservation, he did it ….out popped that short and sweet little but life changing question “Will you Marry me?”

To which Debbie replied “Yes, but will you say some more stuff?”!!! So in their ceremony he did!! When they both made their personal promises to each other!

We chose to incorporate three wonderful poems each with a different message and and tone to reflect their relationship and love for each other. “Love connections” By Jemarie Ragudo, “Yes I’ll marry you” by Pam Ayres and “The magic of love” by Helen Steiner Rice.

A rustic wooden ceremony table was laid with candles and flowers and their certificate which was signed by both their parents as “Someone like you” by Paolo Nutini was played.

The first part of their wedding festival on “the main stage” ended with “The Kiss” to seal their promises and personal commitment to each other and a confetti showers to “You’re all I need to get by” by Aretha Franklin.

Debbie and Steve then made their way down to the summer meadow in an opening in the forest to join their guests for some top notch food served by Eat me Drink Me.

No festival wedding would be complete without a VW camper van!

The celebrations then continued down in their Papakata that over looked the festival wedding village. Each of their tables were named after a festival they had been to and music and entertainment was by the very creative and quirky TJ and his suitcase on the mouth organ followed by their DJ friends.

Debbie and Steve’s festival wedding was everything they had dreamed of and more.  It was stylish, beautiful and contemporary but most of all it was personal and unique. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Debbie and Steve over the last year to help make it such a personal celebration. A big thank you to Photographer Jo Irvine and of course the fabulous Debbie and Steve themselves for allowing us show a new generation of brides and grooms what a wedding should be about.

If you would like us to create a more personal and unique centrepiece to your day and tap into our boutique wedding services then drop Jan a line: ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk. You can find more inspiration and real weddings here.

Contributors:

Celebrant: Jan Shillito, Celebration Ceremonies & Weddings

On-the-day co-ordination: Celebration Ceremonies & Weddings

Photography: Jo Irvine Photography

Venue: Camp Katur

Teepee: Papakata

Bell tents: Glampit

Flowers : Firenza Floral Design

Music: TJ and his suitcase

Catering: Eat me drink me

Roast hog: Travelling Pig

Soundsystem: Elation DJs

VW Campervan: Dubstrips

Breakfast van: Chips and Things

MUA: Stephanie Brooke

Hair stylist: Cassie Shawyer at Koko Hair

Cake Nina Design by Nina Porvey

Gown: Stewart Parvin

Mark & Ann-Marie’s ‘The Moon and The Stars’ destination wedding

18th March 2016

We have been waiting a long time to share this awesome destination wedding ceremony and celebrations captured by the incredibly talented destination wedding photographer Ed Peers…but as they say the best things come to those who wait so you’ll see why it’s has been featured in Rock My Wedding! It was one of our personal favourites of 2015. ENJOY!

This boutique and personal outdoor wedding ceremony and fairytale location at Camp Katur made Ann-Marie and Mark’s wedding so unique.

“It stole our hearts from the moment we saw it on a damp July afternoon. The rolling meadow, quirky glamping pods and woodland ceremony area gave us a tremendous canvas.”

The venue didn’t feel like a wedding venue nor did the day feel like a “typical wedding”.  Finding unique and off the beaten track places is something that both Ed and I are always drawn to and love to be part of creating and capturing. Camp Katur in North Yorkshire, with it’s secluded meadows surrounded by woodland, is one awesome destination wedding location and right here on our doorstep in the UK. 

Think off the beaten track, magical woodlands, long grassy meadows, Hansel and Gretel style wooden cottages, two “mad-ly in love” physicists and their unique and personal “the moon and the stars” outdoor ceremony and celebrations and you’ll start to get a feel for it!

“It was an incredible feeling to wake up on the day, peek out across the meadow to see our nearest and dearest gathered together between the trees and the long grass.”

Ann-Marie never enjoyed having her makeup done in the past but make up artist Louise Lunn did such a great job of making her feel special but still looking like her.

Lisa Brogan complete the look by styling my hair in a side bun which worked really well with the birdcage veil from Etsy which added something special to the overall look and definitely helped me feel like a bride on the big day.

Ann-Marie chose a Jenny Packham dress which she fell in love with. The visit to their boutique was the most enjoyable of all the appointments she’d been to and all of the dresses felt amazing to wear!

From being a little girl Ann-Marie had always dreamed of going to the moon and had even written to NASA when she was a teenager!

“I want to hold you close and whisper in your ear, all I need is here, the moon the stars and you” A very befitting entrance for a star-gazing bride who, as a child, was mesmerised by the moon and the stars. Watching a recording of Armstrong take the first steps on the moon while at primary school was one of those significant moments that had a lasting impression on Ann-Marie.

The words, the readings, “the moon and stars” lantern and ceremony entrance paper hanging styling and the music all came together to tell their story of how their two planets collided, their shared love of science, astrophysics, the great outdoors, and of course, each other.

“The ceremony and opportunity to celebrate the commitment we were making to each other was hugely important to us. We knew we didn’t want a traditional ceremony, but didn’t know exactly what we did want!  Jan was incredible. She designed and created a ceremony with the right balance of uniqueness, tradition and meaning. We felt at ease as soon as we met her and as we talked through our backgrounds, shared interests and how we met, it soon felt like she’d known us for a lot longer!

Sitting down and reading her first draft of our script was the most enjoyable and emotional part of planning the whole day. It was truly memorable. Our ceremony became a moon and star themed story of ourselves, our interests and as Jan described, “how our two planets collided”. The ceremony was incredibly personal and really set the tone for the day. It was highlight for us and we’d absolutely recommend it.”

Lorna & Liam’s “Claps of Thunder” Woodland Ceremony

25th January 2016

Saturday 2nd August 2014.  Lorna and Liam’s wedding day was never going to be run of the mill but that’s why it’s is featured on Rock “n” Roll Bride!  Liam and Lorna, like all our outdoor wedding couples, did have a wet weather plan B, but it would have had to have been “BIBLICAL” to stop them having their outdoor wedding ceremony in these beautiful North Yorkshire Woodlands. The morning kicked off with rain but  no-one could have imagined twelve months prior when planning their ceremony the little twist mother nature had in store to welcome the new Mr & Mr Walker!

When you see some of the truly stunning and atmospheric shots of this unique day captured by  Ryan at ShutterGoClick you’ll see why they wouldn’t have swapped it all the tea in china, (or more appropriately, all the beer in Yorkshire!).

Who needs sunshine anyway, when you’ve got these glorious heads of sunshine shining right back at you! It couldn’t have been a better choice of flower for that day, big bright yellow smiles bringing cheers of happiness and celebration.

Lorna even had a new Sunflower tattooed on her arm to mark this special occasion, a permanent reminder of her wedding day and the happiness she felt starting out on a new life adventure with Liam by her side. Dressed in white & converses, she was ready to rock n roll!

Liam felt like he all the time in the world, no hustle and bustle, no big fuss,  just the calming pitter patter of rain falling amongst the trees and on his transparent pod retreat *slash* bridal love nest set back in the woodland.

The bridal party were driven down past the wedding village of teepees, yurts and meadow pods to the entrance of the woodland.

As guests entered the ceremony area to be seated they were offered a lovely personal touch where they could choose their own button holes from the a selection of flowers in decorated jars on logs stands.

A sightly nervous groom stood by my side awaiting his bride, surrounded by trees, nature and all their friends and family.Perfect!

Despite both being musical and performers, Lorna and Liam had made the decision when planning their ceremony, not to have any music throughout the ceremony. They only wanted to hear and enjoy the sound of nature.

Just as the ceremony was about to start the rain stopped and something spectacular happened. No one could ever have predicted in a month of sundays that Lorna would be making her bridal entrance to claps of Thunder!  It was awesome. Mother nature was obviously giving her seal of approval by playing her most dramatic fanfare. There are some things in life that you just can’t book, thunder is one of them!!

A proud father handed over his beautiful daughter to the love of her life. She looked absolutely stunning with her long flaxen hair.

The ceremony was personal but still in keeping with tradition, her father gave her away, they said I do, made promises to each other and exchanged rings. It included the little personal touches that made it their own and a moment in time that they will never forget.

A few months before the wedding Liam posted this wonderful declaration of love on Facebook. They were the words of a man who has found his true love and partner in life, for sure!

To celebrate this, we read a beautiful poem called “Love” by Roy Croft that described their kind of love for each other.

For Liam and Lorna, the break in tradition was being able to hold their ceremony in the perfect place that made them feel “this is us” and for their ceremony to have the same look and feel as the rest of their celebrations-a chilled, outdoor festival event. Camp Katur was their perfect alternative wedding venue, a fabulous location and the perfect blank canvas for couples to make their day their own.

For them Life is about creating sharing and experiencing life events and this is what they set out to achieve with each part of their wedding day.

The woodlands were beautiful, mysterious and atmospheric.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Walker. Oooo very Vic Reeves Liam!

And as you can see the celebrations continued with hook a duck and Coconut stalls….

… And lots of fun and games that continued into the weekend. Not many brides get to do this at their wedding!!!!

So brides and grooms, just remember the moral of the story is “Some people feel the rain, other just get wet!” Make sure you’re not one of those who just get wet! Happy days!

A big thank you to Ryan for allowing us to use his shots of the ceremony we created for Liam and Lorna.

Variety IS the spice of life, so if you feel inspired by Liam and Lorna’s alternative wedding ceremony or have found your own unique alternative wedding venue and would like to find out more about how we can make your wedding ceremony and celebrations unique and personal then drop Jan a line ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk

Celebration Ceremonies & Weddings write conduct and style bespoke and personal wedding ceremonies at private homes and estates,  in off the beaten track alternative wedding venues and outdoor wedding locations across the UK. Jan offers a very personal service; she is not only a qualified independent celebrant but also a qualified designer and project manager who be as hands on or off as you like to help you design, plan and co-orinate your wedding.

Leanne & Kristian’s Country and Western Wedding ceremony

20th June 2015

This wedding ceremony and wedding celebrations was truly unique and one of our favourites so far this year and we were not surprised when alternative wedding blog Rock n Roll Brides wanted to publish it! Every bit of Kristian and Leanne’s personalities came shining through each and every part of their day from the beginning to the end. This, combined with our bespoke ceremonies and their offbeat location at Camp Katur  on the Camp Hill Estate in North Yorkshire, made it a such a personal and unique experience.

All credit to the extremely talented London photographer Marianne Chua who did a superb job at capturing the real spirit of our couple and the atmosphere. Harrogate became the meeting point for all our cowboys and cowgirls where they were picked up and taken to their country and western wedding destination. When we first met Kristian and Leanne in Harrogate, they already had a clear vision for how they wanted their day to look and feel. For months their family and friends thought their idea for a Country and Western wedding and dressing up  was a joke , but the reality eventually sunk in! Themed weddings can either go two ways “cheap and nasty” or  “awesome”; from the moment I met them I knew they were both clearly talented, creative and open to ideas so I knew we could help make their ceremony totally awesome and the centrepiece of their day.

Like most couples, their only reference were traditional ceremonies so when it came to their ceremony they had little idea of what was possible and what their ceremony COULD be.  This soon changed when we discussed a few ideas of how we could make their day unique and personal and incorporate a country and western wedding theme into their ceremony; it only confirmed their own belief in their vision and were going to stick to their guns and go for it (excuse the pun). But to make it work and have the full effect, EVERYONE had to dress up so the dress code was strictly country & western wedding, cowboys and cowgirls. And how amazing did everyone look!! EVERYONE made such an effort and despite their initial concerns EVERYONE agreed it was the best wedding ever. This country and western wedding ceremony was held in one of the most  beautiful rustic barns in Yorkshire with straw bale seating. It made the perfect blank canvas venue for them put their stamp on and turn into a cowboy ranch style ceremony area. The ceremony was totally bespoke and was relaxed and fun,  just like them! We suggested ideas of how to make their ceremony a more personal, one that reflected their personalities and style and that would make it a memorable and fun experience for them both and their guests.

Contrary to tradition, the Groom, Kristian, made a BIG entrance arriving at the barn “revving” his Mustang. Wow!! He greeted his guests, tipping his cowboy hat as he walked down the aisle to “Welcome to Nevada” Jerry Reed. The bridal party entrance started with our two beautiful flower girls dancing down the aisle throwing petals in the air to cheers and whistles followed by Leanne’s bridesmaids. Not every bride wants to walk down the aisle, Leanne said “why walk when you can dance!” Very true!! Leanne wanted a more fun arrival of the bride so she and her two very sweet flower girls and bridesmaids-and her dad-danced down the aisle to a choreographed  entrance of “A little Less Conversation” Elvis Presley. Amazingly Leanne made her own bridal gown, a corseted number, which was absolutely stunning, she’s a very talented designer!

The ceremony kicked-off with a great quote by Kristian’s favourite comedian Bill Hicks: “The world is like a ride in an amusement park. And when you choose to go on it you think it’s real because that’s how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it’s very brightly coloured and it’s very loud and it’s fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time and they begin to question: “Is this real, or is this just a ride?” For Leanne and Kristian it definitely IS real and they will be on this ride for a very long time! We also incorporated a ring warming ceremony so that their friends and families could all feel part of their ceremony and suggested a poem called “Online Dating” by Trecie Roberts which was very funny and reminded them of their own online dating experiences. Our ceremonies are not “stuffy” and “bland”, they tell stories and include personal touches and promises to each other that make it their own.

It was very moving when it came to their promises to each other, Kristian was always the one who thought he would fill up opening up his heart and reading his promises out loud in front of a barn full of cowboys but in fact it was Leanne, but she made it through. These were very special moments that they will remember when they’re 94 and still drinking Jack Daniels! To capture how they felt about each other on the day of marriage, their hopes and dreams for their partnership and friendship we suggested that they write letters to each other to be kept with a copy of our script and opened on their 10th Anniversary, these letters were exchanged after the exchange of rings. At the end of the ceremony we played “I was made to love her” Stevie Wonder and they were serenaded by guests shooting cap guns and poppers instead of traditional confetti! Instead of just a couple of people signing a wedding certificate they wanted all their friends and family to be witnesses so Leanne chose wooden hearts for guests to write a message and pin in the display boxes that they could then hang them on a wall in their new home and be reminded of their special day everyday. The ceremony was followed by drinks, speeches and a superb BBQ laid on by Big D’s BBQ in the perfectly dressed orangery.

Toasts were made with large shots of Jack Daniels in small Kilner jars and drunk from a straw- perfect! Then it was back to the barn for the first dance or should we say “fake” first dance!  Leanne and Kristian took to the dance floor arm in arm pretending to do a traditional smooch which suddenly turned into something much more in line with Kristian and Leanne – Shaka Khan “I feel for you”. Everyone else then joined in and had an absolute ball. Needless to say that the dancing continued well in the night thanks to Last Chance Saloon Band who kept guests young and old on their feet dancing with their cowboy and cowgirl partners with all the laughter of ceilidh. We were very honoured to meet and work with such an inspiring and fun couple.  We loved every minute of making their dream wedding possible, creating their awesome ceremony and co-ordinating everything on the day. We wish them every happiness. And for brides-to-be planning your wedding and ceremony take a leaf out of Leanne and Kristian’s book, be creative, make it personal & unique and don’t forget to be awesome!!!! Yeeehaaaaaa!!!!!! If you would like us to make your wedding day and personal and unique experience, drop Jan a line ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk

A surprise wedding ceremony

24th January 2015

Lets face it, we all like surprises!  On this particular occasion in April it really didn’t get much better; so we wanted to inspire you with Katie and Mathew’s real wedding.

We were introduced to Katie and Mathew by Nikki at I Do Weddings and together we a mastered a top secret plan to disguise their wedding day as a 30th Birthday party for Matthew.

Neither of them wanted a big formal wedding ceremony just a “real wedding”, one where their three children, Theo, Bobbie and Rebecca, and all the people they loved could enjoy a relaxed, fun, party atmosphere- but with a twist!

Their chosen venue was their own home in Yorkshire and the Papakata transformed their beautiful gardens into the perfect outdoor party space.

They say “home is where the heart is” well, it was certainly true for this lovely couple. For them, having their wedding ceremony at home was integral to becoming a family unit.

Guests arrived on this sunny Saturday in April to what looked like a very special 30th birthday celebration; the drinks were flowing, music playing, 30th ballons floating in the breeze and tables set out for a celebratory meal.

As our “birthday speech’ was about to start their two gorgeous boys arrived with grandad holding scrolls saying “SURPRISE” and “MUMMY AND DADDY ARE GETTING MARRIED”.

It was just soooo sweet!  Everyone reacted firstly with a big “awwwwww” and then a “What???” as the penny dropped!

In came Mathew wearing a matching blue striped jacket to his boys and looking like the cat that had got the cream! There were cheers and laughter for the birthday boy and groom.

Then their daughter Rebecca and grandparents entered followed by Katie, our surprise Bride and her bridesmaid Sarah to a cover of “Diamonds” by Alice Olivia.

 The atmosphere was amazing, full of laughter and surprise, and a few tears!

Katie’s dad then read a lovely poem about “family” touching the hearts of young and old.

The ceremony was unique and totally bespoke, as are all our ceremonies. Not only did our ceremony allow them to have it at home, but it also gave them the freedom to say what they wanted to say and promise to each other and tell their personal story in their own way and style.
Theo and Bobby thought it was great and enjoyed being part of this marriage of a family, not just a couple.

For their daughter Rebecca it was a a special honour to be the ring bearer. The rings were tied with ribbons onto a slice of log.  Katie and Mathew made their promises to each other and exchanged rings. I’m not sure either of them could really believe that they had actually managed to keep everything a secret and were now husband and wife!

The ceremony closed with an great song “Bonfire Heart” by James Blunt , we just love the lyrics especially the chorus- have a listen.

Days like these lead to…
Nights like this lead to
Love like ours.
You light the spark in my bonfire heart.
People like us—we don’t
Need that much, just some-
One that starts,
Starts the spark in our bonfire hearts

Big congratulations to Katie, Mathew, Bobbie , Theo and Rebecca, we loved every minute creating your ceremony.

Then the party started. Good food and music are the perfect combination, especially with singing waiters!!  How happy are they?!!

If you’d like Celebration Ceremonies & Weddings to help you create your kind of wedding ceremony in a special place; at home, a private estate, an off-the beaten track unlicensed venue, alternative wedding venue or outdoor location or need help finding one then do get in touch we’d love to be part of making it unique and personal. ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk

Many thanks to Zoe and Dominic Wright for use of their superb photos, and to Katie and Mathew for allowing us to share their day and inspire other couples to do it their way.

Soul mates & a wedding ceremony full of symbolism

25th January 2014

This wedding inspiration is pure romance and the ceremony had all the ingredients of a true love story, where a beautiful bride and groom found their soul mates.

At the end of August we conducted a very personal wedding ceremony for a very sweet couple at their country home & gardens in the Peak District. Thank you both for allowing us to share a few of the special moments from your ceremony that were captured by the talented photographer Matt Priestley. 

All our wedding ceremonies are special, but this one told a particularly beautiful story of two individuals from different parts of the world and different cultures whose paths crossed and destiny brought together- well a spanish cooking lesson actually! In this case, paella was their food of love!

Instead of going down the more traditional route of a church wedding ceremony they decided to find their own way of expressing their love for each other, making promises and commitment to each other in a place that was meaningful to them.

Getting married at home was an important part of making their day personal as it would be the place that they would nurture their love for each other, weather life’s adventures and be the place that they would yearn to return to when away.

The ceremony itself was held under an ash tree, outside and alongside nature. The ash tree was traditionally thought to be protective and ward off evil. Some believe you can even invoke love using its leaves; it is often seen carved in churches around the country as “The tree of Knowledge” and commonly thought to be a sign of good luck.

Ash wood is also very strong, touch and yet elastic and it is said that a joint of ash will bear more weight than any other wood. Just as their relationship, it will burn for a long time with an intense heat.

After saying their vows and promises to each other they exchanged rings signifying their endless love and unity.

In addition to the exchange of rings they wanted incorporate a Spanish tradition dating back to 11th Century called “Las Arras” where the couple exchanged a set of thirteeen coins was presented by the mother of the Groom. Historically, they symbolise Jesus and his twelve apostles and the exchange of coins represents the groom’s promise to provide for his family and the brides trust in his ability to do so.

In Spain, the coins are usually stamped with the  family coat of arms or your own personal monogram which is a lovely personal touch which could be kept as a keepsake and family heirloom. Here at Celebration Ceremonies we also offer design services so if you are interested in a bespoke monogram drop Jan a line. You can of course, add your own meaning and symbolism to the coins for example if you loved travel you could incorporate foreign coins to represent the countries that you have travelled to or want to travel to during your married life.

The Groom had written a beautiful poem for his bride called “Una Notche Mas”-“Just another night” and was a very special moment in the ceremony. Those carefully chosen words will say close to their hearts and remain in their souls for the rest of their married life.

If you have been inspired by this wonderful romantic home wedding ceremony or are planning an interfaith wedding and want us to help make your wedding ceremony unique & personal to you then drop Jan a line: ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk

Have a look at our other wedding ceremony inspiration and if you too are a couple from different parts of the world or different cultures you may also be interested in our blog on interfaith weddings recently featured on The Secret Wedding Blog

Emily & Sean’s boho woodland wedding

20th January 2014

Emily and Sean a super duper couple and a dream to work with. Not only are they such a beautiful couple that ooze style, they are beautiful on the inside too, so kind and thoughtful and it’s no wonder they are surrounded by so many friends who also adore them. Their boho woodland wedding ceremony and celebrations at Camp Katur was one of our favourites of 2014. Festival Brides loved it too and what’s not to love? It was outdoors, in a beautiful meadow surround by woodlands, the atmosphere was chilled and the sun was shining. Sean and Emily wanted Emily and Sean wanted to create one of those life-experiences that reinforce friendships and consolidates relationships; they both felt it was time to “say out loud”, in words, what they really feel about each other and the commitment they had already made to be together.

They wanted their ceremony to be totally unique to them, not traditional, quirky fun and meaningful that told a romantic, moving story of their relationship and love for each other told in their own style.

Their outdoor wedding was a weekend affair not just a wedding day. It was a chance for friends and family to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life to reunite, catch up, chill, dance, eat and be merry sleeping under the stars. Emily: “It sounds cheesy but our friends and family were probably the biggest inspiration for our wedding; we were very clear about wanting to have a weekend-long celebration for everyone to enjoy and get stuck in – and party and celebrate and dance with us! Our friends/family are all very laid-back and enjoy life.” The ceremony as held in the woodland, we styled the circular area using hessian and white lace drapes and ties and simple ferns to create and alternative “altar”. The aisle was lined with tree stumps topped with a plethora of vintage jugs and teapots filled with flowers grown by Sean’s mum in her allotment; just knowing the TLC that had gone into growing and nurturing made them so very extra special. Emily: Jan arranged all of the decoration and styling of our woodland ceremony area on the day – she helped us to plan everything in the lead up to the wedding and gave us some amazing ideas for how the area would look.”

Sean and his groomsmen had their own dressing room yurt, outdoor shower and had even remembered to bring a long mirror. We love his Emily and Sean socks especially knitted for him by his very talented mother in law- such a lovely touch.Emily look stunning in her backless lace number designed and made  for her by Vivienne at Sophie Louise Bridal Boutique in Boston Spa, North Yorkshire. Yes, she looked a million dollars but everything was about the experience and creating memories; her mud-caked shoes are  kept in the box to serve as reminder of the how much fun she had.

Guests made their way into the woodlands to the seated area collecting confetti cones of dried petals, lavender and rice.

Emily and her entourage of beautiful bridesmaids, also dressed in white, added the finishing touches as she waited to be escorted down the aisle by her dad who was wearing a fabulous red top hat! We love this cheeky shot as Emily head off to meet her groom to the sound of her entrance song “Strangers” by The Kinks, “We are not two we are one”

Emily: ” Music was a huge inspiration for us. My Mum & Dad were real music lovers and so I was brought up with the wonderful tones of The Velvet Underground, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Motown…. I could go on forever… and Sean certainly gets his love of funk & disco from his parents too. So having the right music was really important to us as it just sets the theme of the day and can be hugely emotional”

Emily: “The ceremony itself was wonderful – crafted for us by the amazing Jan Shillito and just so personal and beautiful. We love our family and friends as well as music and readings so all of this played a huge part in our ceremony. I love literature so Jan included quotes and readings by Oscar Wilde and the very beautiful and romantic “I carry your heart” by EE Cummings; Sean is more of a self-confessed geek so we incorporated “Notes on Marriage” by Charles Darwin. The ceremony ended with Sean and I walking back down the aisle to “She’s A Rainbow” by The Rolling Stones. We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting way to mark our marriage.”To marry or not to marry? was Charles Darwin’s big question in his notes on marriage so, we asked for a little help from their family and friends  … it was a resounding YES, YES YES!!In a traditional ceremony and wedding celebrations the mother of the brides and groom don’t feature, they are always “backstage”. Not Emily and Sean’s mums, they were each thanked for their unconditional love, encouragement and support they have shown throughout their lives; for allowing them to be themselves and follow their own paths and dreams in life. As a token of their appreciation Emily presented each of the mums with a flower from her bouquet.

Before they exchanged rings and completed their personal committment to each to each each made personal declaration and promises to each other.

Emily’s started with:”For most people, today is just an ordinary day. The sun rose, the earth will spin, babies will be born. But for me, today is an EXTRA-ordinary day, because today I get to marry my best friend.” Sean’s started with: “Emily, you are the biggest part of me. My best friend, my lover, my confidant and my darling. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met and I simply think you are wonderful in every way that I can conceive.”

To complete their ceremony Bridesmaid Zoe beautifully read the very romantic “I carry your heart” by EE Cummings. Such a moving reading and the perfect end. Our newley weds were then showered with the rice, lavander and petal confetti- a fab biodegradable alternative but it hurts!!!!!

The celebrations continued over in the sun-kissed meadow and Papkata with fish and chips feasts, a friends and family bake off, pork pie wedding cake, a surprise musical procession by The New York Brass Band and dancing round the fire under the stars ’til the early hours.

Emily: ” I don’t know what we would’ve done without Jan – she was just amazing from start to finish. The planning in the run-up to the wedding would have been a complete and utter shambles if it weren’t for her and her on-the-day co-ordination was so much more than that! She was (and is) honestly like Superwoman. She made our so personal and so perfect for us, and all our friends and family loved her – she was a guest as much as she was anything else (although she was working her a*se off so I’m sure she didn’t feel that way!) and spent the afternoon making sure everyone was ok and had everything they needed and that the day ran smoothly.”Contributors:

Venue: Camp Kátur
Photographers: Renata Stonyte and Bradley Potterton
Celebrant: Jan Shillito of Celebration Ceremonies & Weddings
Bride’s Dress: Sophie Louise Bridal Boutique
Bride’s Make-Up: Zara Cantara
Groom: Suit – Victor Valentine; Shirt – TM Lewin
Groom’s Shoes: Office
Bridesmaid Dress: ASOS
Tipi: Papakata
Flowers: Home Grown by Groom’s Mother
Pork Pie Cake: Wilson Butchers & The Cheeseboard
Catering: Chips and Things via Camp Kátur
Band: New York Brass Band

If you would like us to create a more personal and unique centrepiece to your day and tap into our boutique wedding services then drop Jan a line: ceremonies@janshillito.co.uk. You can find more inspiration and real weddings here.