Outdoor Wedding Archives • Page 2 of 2 • White Rose Ceremonies

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!

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.

Have the Wedding of Your Choice!

1 January 2016/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

You can have the Wedding of your choice. The only thing that you have to do is to make sure your marriage is legally binding. Traditionally this has presented you with only two options. To have your Wedding at the Register Office or to be married in church where the church ceremony reflects your faith.

If a standard Register Office or a Church Wedding is not for you, consider the third option – using the services of a Civil Celebrant.

Every Wedding is unique. No two people are the same. The circumstances in which you met are not exactly the same as anybody else. Your life ahead will not be the same as anybody else’s and so there is no reason why you should have the standard script delivered at the Register Office or Church.

We love beautiful weddings that ooze tradition but we also love alternative weddings that ooze individualism. Whatever your preference, imagine your Wedding guests leaving at the end of the day with praise on their lips about your special Wedding day.

We can help you achieve that if you can change your perception of a ‘real’ Wedding. Change it from a Register Office or Church wedding to one that is conducted in a location that you connect to emotionally, such as in a forest, a field, a beautiful formal venue, your home or a beach.

Your ceremony will be much more significant to you as a couple because you have been involved with your Celebrant in writing your Wedding script. And so, your ceremony will be much more meaningful, emotional and joyful than a standard ceremony.

We must emphasise that, in England and Ireland, you do need to go to the Register Office with two witnesses to complete the legal marriage. At the time of writing this blog, this takes 15 minutes and costs £46. This can be special in itself. Go with close family or friends in jeans and t-shirts or make it part of your celebrations and enjoy a lovely meal afterwards.

Then prepare for your wonderful ceremony with as many family and friends as you wish in the location of your choice. You can have a unique Wedding Ceremony that reflects who you really are.

Your New Year’s Resolution? To have the Wedding of your choice! Contact us for more information via our website at White Rose Ceremonies, email us at whiteroseceremony@btinternet.com or call us on 07725 795316.

Photos courtesy of:

Bill Bowman Photography

Yokan

David Waldron, White Rose Ceremonies

Chris Taylor Photography

Labyrinth Wedding Ceremony

7 September 2015/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Astrid and Patrick held their Labyrinth Wedding Ceremony at the beautiful Tofte Manor in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire.

A Labyrinth Wedding Ceremony is of special significance. Astrid and Patrick entered the Labyrinth and then each took a separate path, meeting again in the middle, symbolising the different paths they had been on before they met. They embraced the present as they celebrated their wedding vows and celebrated their future together as they left the Labyrinth on the same path.

Astrid and Patrick were surrounded by family from America, Denmark and England for their wedding celebrations.

There was a wonderful atmosphere at the rehearsal with happy greetings, smiles, laughter and sharing of memories.

A beautiful High Tea was provided and, after our rehearsal we slipped away, leaving the family to spend their evening visiting some beautiful local hostelries.

The wedding day was hot and sunny, the guests were dressed to impress and the Labyrinth was decorated with beautiful flowers.

White chairs had been placed around the edge of the Labyrinth and a harpist, flautist and violinist played music as the guests took their seats.

Astrid arrived with her father, looking positively ethereal in her beautiful gown and with flowers in her hair. She and Patrick walked the Labyrinth with their flower girls and their ceremony began after they met at the beautiful crystal stone in the middle.

There was laughter and tears, an emotional exchange of vows and rings, readings by family and a beautiful rose ceremony. The guests formed an aisle which Astrid and Patrick walked through as they left the Labyrinth and confetti flew high in the air.

Celebrations followed on the lawn in front of the house with champagne, croquet, giant jenka, an ice-cream van and flags symbolising each nation represented by the bridal party and the guests. A delicious wedding breakfast was served after which the guests danced the night away.

It was a real privilege to lead this wonderful Labyrinth Wedding Ceremony and we can’t thank Astrid and Patrick enough for asking us to be part of their wedding celebrations.

Photographs: David Waldron

Location: Tofte Manor, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire

Where will you hold your Wedding Ceremony?

15 July 2015/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

A Debating Chamber, a field, a labyrinth, a supermarket, Cambridge University Colleges, an Inn, a Mansion House, a barn, a privately owned old hall, a working farm, village halls, a family home – these are just some of the locations we have delivered unique wedding ceremonies. Where will you hold your Wedding Ceremony?

We are contacted by many people who are frustrated not just by the standard script that’s delivered at ‘normal’ wedding ceremonies, but by the lack of opportunity to hold their Wedding Ceremony at a location that’s special and personal to them. Provided you complete the legalities at your local Register Office, we can then deliver your wedding ceremony wherever you want it. OK, we don’t jump out of planes, bungee jump or get naked, but other than that we are very flexible!

We also provide our lovely wedding couples with our unique White Rose Wedding Book which has over fifty pages of ideas for your wedding ceremony. How to involve special people, wedding vows, ring vows, different ceremonies to consider and lots (and lots!) of readings and poems. We include those special moments where you say “I do” in all our ceremonies. We deliver very special traditional wedding ceremonies but we can also mix it up, ensuring your guests are intrigued and engaged throughout the whole ceremony.

As well as providing you with a super copy of your Wedding Ceremony Script and Certificate afterwards, we also bring our own wellies, umbrellas and spare outfits to cater for all weather conditions!

Our focus is on you and what you want in your ceremony – and where you want it. We can deliver your Wedding Ceremony outside in the fresh air or inside at your home, local hall or at a formal venue. Here are links to some of the stunning venues where we have delivered ceremonies:

Tofte Manor, Bedfordshire

The Old Hall, Ely

Nonsuch Mansion in Surrey

Downing College in Cambridge

The Cambridge Union (Debating Chamber)

Still feeling frustrated by lack of options? We have more unusual locations for our wedding ceremonies coming up in the next year or so. Contact us for more information by using the the contact page on our website, calling us on 07725 795316 or emailing us at whiteroseceremony@btinternet.com.

Happy planning.

Festival Wedding

3 May 2015/in Celebrant /by Rebecca Waldron

Emma and Dan’s Festival Wedding was a riot of sunshine, laughter and love. A sensational field setting with bunting, flowers, hay bales, a beautiful willow arch, vintage ice cream van, tractor rides, saxophonist, pizza oven, a marquee, pom-poms and some specially selected tableware provided a wedding that was delightful in every sense.

Emma was committed to the the tradition of keeping her nervous groom waiting and arrived very sedately in a vintage VW Camper Van. Guests who had been chatting and laughing together while waiting were all up on their feet, eager to get the first glimpse of the beautiful bride.

Bridesmaids entered the ceremony area first with Emma and Dan’s gorgeous baby girl which brought a few tears to Dan’s eyes even before he saw Emma. The wedding ceremony included a touching hand fasting, readings, music and promises of love.

We ended with signing of the certificate, a marriage blessing, cheers, applause and hugs all round.

The afternoon celebrations included Pimms, icecream and music. The wedding breakfast commenced after the speeches from the best man, the bride’s parents and, of course, the groom himself. Pizza was served from the mobile pizza oven. Dancing went on late into the evening with a silent disco finishing the celebrations.

We had a fabulous time leading the celebrations for Emma and Dan. It was a truly happy day for a wonderful couple, their family and friends.

Emma and Dan gave us a super testimonial:

Thank you thank you thank you!! You were amazing from the moment we met you. Everything was perfect and you made our day so special, we couldn’t have asked for more…xxx”

Acknowledgements:

Yokan Photography

Elsie’s Ices – Ice Cream Van and Bike

David Waldron of White Rose Ceremonies

We had a really fabulous day – thank you so much to Emma and Dan for asking us to conduct their Wedding Ceremony!

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