Breaking the rules: Who will walk down the aisle first?

It’s time to make your processional, progressional! Who walks down the aisle first and why? One of the logistical questions I ask all my couples as a Celebrant is: ‘Do you want a traditional entrance with the groom waiting at the front with me and then the bride entering last, or try something different?’. And I really, really want them to say: ‘No! We want to try something different!’. But more often than not, in fact always, they want the brides big entrance.  ‘It’s her day’, the husband-to-be invariably says.  Well actually guys, the day belongs to BOTH of you!  I mean that’s very gallant and all that, but c’mon – its 2018.  We want equality in everything (rightly so)…

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Unity Candle Ceremony: Everything you need to know

a celebrant leads a couple through a Unity candle ceremony at their wedding

As you move into the beautiful bond of marriage, it isn’t uncommon to feel the need to recognise this life-changing moment in a memorable, symbolic way. One modern wedding tradition that remains popular is that of the Unity Candle Ceremony. A Unity Candle Ceremony is a great way to personalise your wedding ceremony; plus, it is arguably the tradition rooted in the most romance! What is a Unity Candle Ceremony? A Unity Candle Ceremony is when a couple each takes a lit candle and simultaneously lights what is known as the “unity candle”. This symbolises their joining together as a family while maintaining their individuality. Here at The Celebrant Directory, we have seen a huge increase in couples integrating Unity…

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Wedding Traditions: The low down on Ring Bearers

Here at The Celebrant Directory we are constantly on the look-out for different ways we can change up tradition, adding that extra sparkle when it comes to your wedding day.  However, there is one particular tradition that tugs on our heart strings with overwhelming cuteness which is Ring Bearers! What part does a Ring Bearer play in your Wedding? Typically, the Ring Bearer will be a boy who is around the ages of 4-8 years old. They could be related to you or a godson or even a close friend who has children who are a part of your lives. The Ring Bearer is tasked with the responsibility of carrying the wedding rings down the aisle behind the bride. This…

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Celebrant Feature: Who walks the bride down the aisle?

“Of all the walks we have taken together, today is my favourite.”  That is one of many lovely sentiments that a bride can offer her escort when they have been given the honour of walking a bride up the aisle on her wedding day. The beauty of getting married in this era of ‘anything goes’, means that brides, grooms, and couples can choose exactly how they wish to honour that moment when all eyes are on them walking up the aisle. With wedding ceremonies being influenced less by tradition these days, and with much more of a blank canvas than they were years ago, there are so many other options for a bride or a couple to walk up the…

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Wedding traditions and where they come from

The story behind the traditions… When you’re planning for your wedding, you probably find yourself automatically planning for things such as wedding rings, a white dress, bridesmaids or groomsmen. But do you know the story behind those traditions, and what the meaning of them is? Here’s a look at some of the most popular wedding traditions and where they came from. Wearing a White Dress Wedding dress shops are full of beautiful white dresses which are often seen as symbolising purity. Did you know that the trend of wearing white actually only dates back to the 1800s when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white dress when she married Prince Albert? In fact, brides would usually simply wear their best…

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5 Wedding rules that were made to be broken

Weddings come with a lot of traditions, but who says you have to stick by them? Whether you’re having a white wedding in a local church, or jetting off to the Bahamas for a sunset beach ceremony, it’s YOUR big day, and you only get to live it once. If you’re feeling uncertain about what your day should include, here are five things you really shouldn’t be worrying about, as these rules were made to be broken. 1. The bride’s parents should pay for the wedding This tradition started hundreds of years ago in Ancient Greece, when women were considered chattel and the bride’s family had to give money to the groom’s family in the form of a dowry –…

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How to modernise traditional wedding rituals

So, ceremony rituals are a new thing right? Well no. Wedding rituals, symbolic or not, have been with us for ever and a year. Weddings themselves are a ritual, a rite of passage, a culturally or religiously defined act. In most countries, weddings have a legal status. In the UK, the legal registration of a marriage is a slightly different matter to the ritual of the wedding ceremony. Hands up if you are not familiar with this wedding ritual; No prizes I’m afraid, but if you answered ‘the exchanging of rings’, then you can give yourself a pat on the back. Many people don’t realise that there is no legally binding need to exchange wedding rings. It is however, one…

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Walking down the aisle: Tradition v Modern Day

The opportunities for getting married in the 21st century have never been so abundant and choice so diverse.  The world has shrunk; traditional ‘local ‘ customs have now become global, and we, certainly here in the UK, are allowed to marry the partner of our choice, regardless of race, creed, sexuality or religion. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before people the world over have the same freedoms as we enjoy. Its seems that the world is certainly heading in this direction which makes total sense. Life is about love and more importantly, loving whomever you choose, without judgment and discrimination. In today’s wedding world, there is no right or wrong way of getting married, having a wedding ceremony or…

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