Alternative Wedding Archives • Page 2 of 3 • White Rose Ceremonies

Conduct your Wedding Ceremony, Outdoor Wedding Ceremony, Rebecca Waldron, Civil Celebrant, White Rose Ceremonies

You CAN have an outdoor wedding ceremony!

5 February 2017/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

You can have an outdoor wedding ceremony in England and Wales. Just open your mind to a slightly different way of doing things! Outdoor wedding ceremonies are not limited to venues that have a license for a ceremonies in their grounds.

Think outside of the archaic marriage laws that exist in the UK and you can have the ceremony of your choice.

Many of our brides have had their outdoor wedding ceremony in gardens, in fields, by lakes and by the sea. They were more than happy to complete the “wedding admin” beforehand. They then had a completely bespoke wedding ceremony in a place of their choosing.

They chose to share their personal and unique promises of love with their families and friends through the very personal service that we provide. You won’t know who your Registrar will be until your ceremony starts, but you will always have developed a friendship with us, your Celebrants.

All you have to do, after completing the notice requirements, is arrange to go to the Registrar’s Office with two witnesses. There you can complete the legal administration of your marriage. You don’t have to pay extra for a Ceremony Room, you have the right to request the basic package and use a Registrar’s Office. (You will find that availability is limited. Your local council wish to make as much money as possible through use of the Ceremony Rooms).

After that you can have your outdoor wedding ceremony wherever you want! And it will be completely unique to you. We had our wedding ceremony on a beach in North Norfolk and it was so wonderful that we started our business!

If you have any questions about this please do get in touch. There is no obligation to book through us, we are more than happy to talk about what celebrants do and how they do it!

Planning your Wedding? Plan your Ceremony!

29 January 2017/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Planning your Wedding? Plan your Ceremony! Start your special day with a Wedding Ceremony that will really ‘wow’ your family and friends!

We know that there is a lot to think about when planning your wedding. The venue, the dresses and outfits, photographer, caterer, entertainment, flowers, wedding favours. You spend all your time on Pinterest creating mood boards for the most perfect wedding.

But what about the perfect Ceremony?

Imagine your guests focussed on you both, laughing, clapping! Probably shedding a happy tear and totally engaged with you as share your promises of love with each other.

Want to sing? Well, let’s sing! Want to remember a loved one who has passed away? Let’s light a candle. Want your pet to be the ring bearer? Yes – let’s do it!

When you plan your Ceremony with a Celebrant, they provide you with a fresh and unique approach. Celebrants get to know you. They write your script and weave the story of your journey as a couple throughout the Ceremony, making it completely personal to you. Your script will never be the same as another couple and that is guaranteed!

Celebrants also have great ideas when it comes to including special people too! As for your venue, it can be wherever you want it to be. Inside, outside, at home, at a formal venue, in a tipi, marquee, in a forest, by the sea – anywhere you want.

And the legal paperwork? Just complete it with two witnesses in the basic ceremony that all registrars should offer. You don’t have to use a special room. The legal documentation can be held in the registrar’s office. Our couples at White Rose Ceremonies call it the ‘admin appointment’!

We love our team of Celebrants at White Rose Ceremonies but there are other fabulous Celebrants out there as well. So wherever you live, you can have an amazing Ceremony conducted by a Celebrant.

You can plan your Ceremony with us, of course! But there are also other amazing Celebrants who we highly recommend:

Katie Deverell at www.ceremonydesigner.co.uk

Ellie Farrell at www.alternativeceremoniesuk.com

Katie Keen at www.trueblueceremonies.co.uk

Judy Mansfield at www.cherish-ceremonies.co.uk

So – planning your Wedding? Plan your Ceremony! Have the most fantastic start to your wedding celebrations! We wish you lots of love, joy and happiness x

Chris Taylor Photography

Celebrant Wedding for Your Special Day

11 January 2017/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Looking through the photographs of our weddings, we realise how privileged we are to become friends with many of our lovely wedding couples. And this is what happens when you book a Celebrant Wedding.

It’s important to form this relationship because ,when it comes to your big day, you want a friendly face and somebody who knows exactly what you want for your celebration.

Whether your celebrant wedding is on a farm, in a Labyrinth, at a formal venue, or in your garden, we make every effort to make sure that you feel comfortable with us and that you trust us to conduct the ceremony that you want.

Read on to find out how we do this…

We visit you several times and, without being intrusive, we get to know you. As part of your package you receive our Wedding Book. It’s full of resources that provide you with lots of choice for your ceremony such as unity ceremony, handfasting, rose ceremony and many other ideas.

We have lots of lovely ways to include special people – grandparents, children, friends and even your pets…

We include a rehearsal so that you become familiar with where to stand. We also talk to your ushers and bridal party about where they should be and, if they are not at the rehearsal, we will talk to them before the ceremony starts.

After your celebrant wedding ceremony, we wish you all the very best for your married life and that we hope to keep in touch. And we are so very happy that we do exactly that – keep in touch. Enjoy your day!

Scottish Australian Fusion Wedding

14 August 2016/in Celebrant, uncategorised /by Rebecca Waldron

Sarah & Joshua’s Scottish Australian Fusion Wedding was held at The Great Barn at Manor Farm, Bourn in Cambridgeshire. Built in 1266 The Great Barn was dressed in festival lights and candles, providing a beautiful and atmospheric environment for the ceremony.

With Sarah’s Scottish background and Joshua’s Australian background, this wedding was destined to be an interesting fusion of both cultures. There was a wonderful mixture of traditional Scottish kilts and contemporary short-sleeved shirts, braces, bowties and boutonniere of Scottish thistle.

The bridesmaids wore pink while the flower girl wore white and carried bouquets of white gypsophila. Mitsie, the Puppy Bridesmaid, wore a garland of pink and white flowers.

The Father of the Bride looked resplendent in ceremonial Scottish dress complete with bearskin hat as he escorted his beautiful daughter up the aisle.

Sarah carried a delicate bouquet of blue, pink and white flowers. She wore a stunning sleeveless embellished dress with a long veil edged with lace which floated behind her as acoustic guitar was played during her walk to meet Joshua.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids flanked Sarah and Joshua throughout their wedding ceremony. The ceremony included everything that Sarah and Joshua wanted. This included a lovely reading by their seven year old flower girl. With vows made, rings exchanged and the commemorative certificate signed, the final words were said and the happy couple left to applause and congratulations.

Sarah and Joshua’s Scottish Australian Fusion Wedding celebrations continued long into the evening at The Willow Tree in Bourn. After their wedding they provided us with a lovely testimonial:

“The service we received at White Rose Ceremonies was absolutely fantastic. Rebecca and her team were extremely supportive, whilst at the same time kind, caring and patient. My new husband and I cannot thank Rebecca, Pam and Dave enough for giving us the ceremony we have always hoped for and it was perfect. This was thanks to all of their time and dedication in tailoring it to how we wanted it. I would highly recommend White Rose to anyone looking for a top class and customised service.”

We had a wonderful time with Sarah and Joshua, preparing their special ceremony. We wish them lots of love and luck and every happiness in the future.

Celebrant: Pam McCarthy, White Rose Ceremonies

Photographs taken by: David Waldron, White Rose Ceremonies

Ceremony Venue: The Great Barn, Manor Farm, Bourn, Cambridgeshire

The Wedding Reception: The Willow Tree, Bourn, Cambridgeshire

Alice-in-Wonderland Themed Wedding

3 August 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Kim and Ched’s whimsical Alice-in-Wonderland themed wedding at Fen Farm, Lincoln, was a fairy-tale affair full of fun, eclectic details.

Kim looked stunning in a short ivory lace wedding dress with shoes from Irregular Choice. She had made exquisite paper bouquets for herself and her bridesmaids who were dressed in blue and white dresses. The groomsmen wore light grey suits with light blue accessories and matching boutonniere.

The three page boys were dressed in matching outfits of shorts, striped socks, light blue blazers, bowties and trilbies, a fabulous interpretation of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Kim and her brother arrived on a carriage pulled by The Mad Hatter and The White Rabbit – of course! Before the ceremony started, guests had written their good-luck messages on white stones and these lined the aisle where Kim met her groom, Ched.

An Oathing Stone was used when Kim and Ched’s repeated their wedding vows. In true Alice-in-Wonderland style, a little White Rabbit looked on throughout the whole ceremony. Readings were given by friends and the rings were presented by one of Kim and Ched’s dogs who both played key roles in the ceremony.

The celebrations then kicked off in style with a bar available from the 1966 vintage bus bar from Route 14 followed by a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the barn and a hog roast in the evening.

Kim and Ched’s Alice-in-Wonderland themed Wedding was full of love and laughter and we were very happy to lead the ceremony for them. They put a lovely review on our Facebook page, which we also show below:

“Amazing job done by Rebecca and David. They are terrific, wonderful, kind and friendly people that were confident and calming, and helped us create a ceremony from scratch, that was us through and through. Top of our list if we decide to have a naming ceremony for little bump! And a few fantastic photos as well. Thanks guys! Take care of yourselves.”

Kim and Ched – it really was our pleasure.

Photographs courtesy of David Waldron, White Rose Ceremonies

Kais & Chloe Golf Club Wedding, Rebecca Waldron, White Rose Ceremonies

Kais & Chloe’s Golf Club Wedding Ceremony

29 July 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Kais & Chloe’s Golf Club Wedding Ceremony was a celebration of their legal marriage in Turkey. They had married in traditional Turkish fashion with family and Turkish friends, followed by a quintessentially English wedding ceremony in St Ives Golf Club, Cambridgeshire.

With the room flooded by light from the golf course, the chairs were decorated with white covers and lilac and mint green sashes, matching the bridesmaids dresses. In recognition of the importance of parents, both Chloe’s father and her mother gave Chloe away to Kais. Chloe’s dear grandfather was also mentioned in remembrance.

Rings had been exchanged in Turkey so Kais and Chloe chose to have a wedding ceremony in the UK that included hand-fasting. The hand-fasting included the colours blue for tranquillity, patience, devotion and sincerity, lilac for power, piety, sanctity, sentimentality and white for purity, concentration, meditation and peace.

Kais and Chloe exchanged wedding vows and signed a commemorative certificate with friends. Also included in the ceremony was the beautiful “Doves Poem”, read by one of their bridesmaids:

Two doves meeting in the sky,
Two loves hand in hand, eye to eye;
Two parts of a loving whole,
Two hearts and a single soul.
Two stars shining big and bright,
Two fires bringing warmth and light;
Two songs played in perfect tune,
Two flowers growing into bloom.
Two doves gliding in the air,
Two loves free without a care;
Two parts of a loving whole,
Two hearts and a single soul.
Two dreams found before too late,
Two lives together bound by fate;
Two people cling to one another,
Two people in love with each other.
Two doves, can you see them soar?
Two loves – who could ask for more?
Two parts of a loving whole,
Two hearts and a single soul.
Author unknown

Kais and Chloe’s Golf Club Wedding Ceremony was full of love and laughter and we were so pleased to be part it. Their friends and family were very happy to be present with them at their ceremony. We could see this happiness, clearly reflected in the smiles and tears of all.

We received a lovely testimonial from Kais and Chloe and we wish them every happiness in the future.

“Rebecca is so lovely and made me feel very comfortable and calm with the ceremony in her hands, from the moment we met on skype to the actual wedding day. The ceremony was absolutely perfect, many of our guests said it was the nicest one they had ever heard. Thank you for everything guys, we had the most perfect day, which you played a huge part of”.

Venue: St Ives Golf Club, St Ives, Cambridgeshire

Photographs: Used with kind permission from Kais & Chloe

Rebecca Waldron, White Rose Ceremonies, North Devon, Cambridge, Birmingham

Heather & Geoff’s Outdoor Country Wedding

24 July 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Heather and Geoff’s outdoor country Wedding Ceremony was held in a beautiful cobbled courtyard surrounded by stunning thatched cottages, decorated with bunting.

The groomsmen wore tweed jackets with burgundy bow ties and the Bridesmaids wore blue tea-length dresses with polka dot bodices, edged in red.

Heather was escorted by her mother and made her entrance in a beautiful gown and shoes from Irregular Choice. The track ‘Lover of the Light’ by Mumford & Sons was played. There was such a lot of love for Heather and Geoff from their select group of guests, reflected in the smiles and tears as Heather joined Geoff.

Heather and Geoff put a great deal of thought into their Wedding Ceremony and wanted it to reflect their love of each other, the earth, nature and the wonder of the universe. Geoff adapted the ‘Blue Dot’ reading by Carl Sagan which painted a perfect picture of where we, the Earth and love fit into the universe.

The ceremony included a Handfasting using the colour blue, representing sincerity, peace, honest and open communication, loyalty and patience. Green, representing physical health, affection, compassion and a sense of caring and gold, representing energy, intelligence and longevity.

Heather and Geoff wrote their own vows and promises of love to each other and Geoff’s brother presented their wedding rings in a rustic ring box, provided by White Rose Ceremonies.

After signing their commemorative certificate there were a few final words. Heather and Geoff then left to the music of ‘Ho Hey’ by The Lumineers.

A few drops of rain fell during Heather and Geoff’s outdoor wedding ceremony but that didn’t affect the enjoyment or happiness of the Ceremony itself.

We had a really super time with Heather and Geoff and thoroughly appreciated the thought and care they put into their Wedding Ceremony.

Their connection was real and their love for each other was there for all to see. It was a real privilege to be part of their love story. We thank them for that and the wonderful testimonial below.

Testimonial

“White Rose Ceremonies have been one of our favourite wedding suppliers to work with. We’ve enjoyed our planning sessions as Rebecca and David have taken the time to get to know us and provided a personalised script unique to us. There have been lots of laughs along the way too, they’re great fun! On the day the blessing was everything we could have hoped for and our guests commented on how touching the special words were. Thank you for helping us to make the day we’d dreamt of.”

Photographs: David Waldron of White Rose Ceremonies

Boho Farm Wedding, Rebecca Waldron, Handfasting, Sand Unity, White Rose Ceremonies

Sarah & Ben’s Boho Farm Wedding

10 July 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Sarah and Ben’s Boho Farm Wedding was a colourful ceremony, full of love and symbolism. The trees were decorated with pompoms and family and friends were seated outside on chairs and hay bales. An arch complete with bunting and flowers formed the ceremony area and this was where we stood to await the bride.

Sarah’s stunning Boho wedding dress was teamed with a dark green crocheted shrug and a beautiful bouquet of roses, calla lillies and eucalyptus. Sarah and Ben’s children formed the bridal party, a cheerful procession of white dresses, deep-berry shrugs, happy smiles, skipping steps and sunflowers.

The Wedding Ceremony included an emotional reading by the Groom, hand-fasting and exchange of vows and rings. Sarah and Ben also took part in a sand ceremony with all their children, symbolising the unity of their newly formed family. ‘Happy Together’ by The Turtles was played while three different colours of sand were poured into the jar in beautiful layers and ending with combined colours, bringing together the united family. Even the short deluge of rain didn’t succeed in putting a dampener on their happy day. The sand, together with the hand-fasting ribbons made by White Rose Ceremonies® provide Sarah and Ben with wonderful mementos of their happy day.

The colours of the sand were of special significance to Sarah and Ben. Green representing the family’s connection to the earth, growth and new beginnings. Blue sand, representing truth, moderation and sincerity. And pink sand which symbolises love, tenderness and acceptance.

Bouncy castles, a hog roast and even a steam engine formed part of the celebrations after the ceremony and festivities were enjoyed long into the evening.

We had a lovely afternoon with Sarah and Ben and thoroughly enjoyed preparing their completely unique Boho Farm Wedding Ceremony!

Photographs: David Waldron of White Rose Ceremonies®

Celebrant: Rebecca Waldron of White Rose Ceremonies®

Venue: Sarah & Ben’s farm

Dress, flowers, hair and makeup: Made with love by friends

Coloured Sand: Confetti.co.uk

Hand-fasting: White Rose Ceremonies®

#andyfountainphotography #lgbtwedding #lgbt #celebrant #equalmarriage #aliceandjoanne #longstowehall #whiteroseceremonies

Alice & Jo’s Same Sex Wedding, Longstowe Hall

25 June 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Alice and Jo’s same sex Wedding Ceremony took place at the stunning Longstowe Hall in Cambridgeshire. Set in beautiful gardens, Alice and Joanne’s Wedding Ceremony was held on the Gazebo Island on the lake.

Having contacted White Rose Ceremonies in September last year, we met with Alice and Joanne several times to create a ceremony that reflected who they really are. Their wedding rehearsal was held at a location close to Longstowe Hall. We had a wonderful time with them and their families at the rehearsal, spending time walking through the ceremony so that they were completely comfortable with it.

The sun shone on their Wedding Day, guests were seated and the bridal parties arrived. Joanne walked with her father and bridesmaids first. Alice followed with her bridesmaids, escorted by her mother until she reached her father’s wheelchair. He was determined to walk his daughter to meet Joanne and to everybody’s delight, he did this. A very happy and touching moment that left us all with tears in our eyes.

Alice and Joanne’s Wedding Ceremony was emotional and funny in equal parts. Their rings were held closely in the palms of each family member to wish Joanne and Alice love and support in the marriage before being placed on their fingers. With beautiful readings and a signing of a commemorative certificate, Alice and Joanne’s happiness was there for all to see.

We had the perfect day with Alice, Joanne and their families. It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Alice’s father just three weeks after the wedding. He was a very special man and we were so glad that he found the strength to be there for Alice and Joanne on their happy day.

A poem for Giles – ‘He is Gone’

You can shed tears that he is gone,

Or you can smile because he has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back,

Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,

Or you can be full of the love that you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he is gone,

Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back,

Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

By David Harkin (adapted)

Photographs courtesy of: Andy Fountain Photography

Venue: Longstowe Hall

The Secret of Getting ‘The Kiss’ Perfect

5 January 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Planning ‘The Kiss’ and getting it perfect is as important as planning everything else. Your first kiss will be photographed and remembered by many people for years to come. And it’s very easy to get it wrong!

We witness many kisses as Celebrants and thought it worth sharing our experience of the kiss with you. Should it be a quick peck? Full on and passionate? Let’s talk about ‘The Kiss’.

A quick peck can seem cold, as if you are too uncomfortable to kiss. A full on and passionate snog will leave your Celebrant and your guests completely embarrassed. And, quite frankly, we all just wish it would stop.

Here are some ‘’no-no’s” that we have actually witnessed ourselves. Read these before we give you the absolutely perfect wedding kiss:

No dry pecks (very disappointing)
Absolutely NO tongues (it’s really not pleasant to watch)
Don’t go on kissing for ages (we get bored easily)
Don’t kiss each other so hard that lipstick is spread all over your face (you will be upset by the photographs afterwards)
No bent-over-backwards-tango kisses (losing your balance is very easy to do)
Don’t grab the veil or yank your partner’s head backwards (that hurts)
No panting or moaning (honestly, that is REALLY embarrassing)
No munching (yes, really, no munching)
And no dribbling (what can I say…)

So, what is the perfect wedding kiss?

The best kiss in our opinion is the ‘linger’. A soft linger on each other’s lips is romantic, loving and perfect for all those watching.

For those who want the technical details, a ‘linger’ is lips closed and pressed warmly on those of your partner. Linger there for about five seconds then break away. It looks so lovely that your Celebrant and your guests will be more than happy for you to have two or three more lingers. It’s very romantic, it’s loving and it expresses just the right sentiment. It’s great for the photographers and it’s not embarrassing for anybody who witnesses it.

So there you have it, ‘The Kiss’. And one final hint. It really is worth practising ‘The Kiss’. Take it from us, it’s great fun! And, what’s more, you’ll be more relaxed about it on the day.

Enjoy!

If you would like more information about the services we offer, please use our Contact Page or call us on 07725 795316.

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