Sam & David’s combined celebrant-led wedding at Milton End Barns, Gloucestershire
A combined celebrant-led wedding at Milton End Barns
Well, this was a first for me!
Sam and David were the first couple to approach me about a combined celebrant-led wedding ceremony with a registrar, for their wedding at Milton End Barns in Gloucestershire.
While I hadn’t experienced this type of ceremony myself before, I knew it was possible from speaking to other celebrants, so I was more than happy to work with Sam and David to create a wedding ceremony that felt completely right for them.
They had already been together for a long time, and it was really important to them that their friends and family were there as they completed the legal part of their marriage. At the same time, they were really attracted to the idea of having a wedding celebrant – someone who could personalise their ceremony and get the day off to a brilliant start.
Combining a registrar and wedding celebrant
Every council is different, so Sam and David liaised with their local council to find out exactly what was possible for their ceremony. We decided that Sam’s brother-in-law, who is very confident with public speaking, would explain to their guests how the ceremony would work. The registrars would begin the ceremony and complete the legal formalities before handing over to me, as their independent wedding celebrant.
Sam and David chose to save their ring exchange and personal vows for the celebrant-led part of the ceremony, which meant we could really make that section personal to them. Once we had established how the registrar and celebrant element would work together, it was time to think about how we could make the rest of the ceremony completely them.
And this is where Sam and David presented me with another first!
A love story that wasn’t just about them
Sam and David didn’t want the love story part of their ceremony to be all about… well, Sam and David! Instead, they wanted to celebrate all the people who had been part of their story.
Initially, this presented a bit of a challenge. They had already shared such a full life together and had so many wonderful people to thank, mention and celebrate. There was a lot to fit in! So, I suggested we split their story into three parts.
The first part was about everyone who had been in their lives before Sam and David – parents, childhood pals, university friends and all the people who had helped shape them into the people they are today. The second section was about the people who had been there as their lives came together – from korfball teams to triathlete mates and everyone in between. And then came the final act: everyone who had joined their lives since. Their local support system, parenting friends and, of course, their children.
It was such a joy and an honour to write about so many of the people who had been part of Sam and David’s journey. It really was a one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony.
Writing your vows together
Sam and David personalised their ceremony even further with their personal vows – and, once again, they gave me another first!
Rather than writing their vows completely separately and hearing them for the first time on their wedding day, they chose to share their vows privately at home and work on them together. They included some matching vows, alongside individual promises to each other. And I absolutely loved this.
There really is no rule that says you have to write your wedding vows separately. Why not write them together? There’s something super lovely about sitting down together and agreeing on the promises you want to make to each other. In fact, it feels like a pretty wonderful way to start a marriage.
It’s just another example of how you can make a celebrant-led wedding ceremony completely your own.
Getting the children involved
Not only did Sam and David include personal vows but they also opted for a fun way to include their two young children who voted on who would say their vows first – mummy was the winner hands down!
It was such a lovely little moment and exactly the kind of personal touch that makes a celebrant-led ceremony so special.
A wedding ceremony full of firsts
The ceremony concluded with the ring exchange, announcement and closing words.
As I said at the beginning, this wedding was full of firsts for me. But it was also a genuine joy to create. Sam and David trusted me to take their ideas, their people, their story and all the little things that mattered to them and turn them into a ceremony that felt completely theirs.
I’ll be remembering this one for a long time.
Looking for a wedding celebrant?
If you are interested in a combined wedding ceremony with a celebrant and a registrar or simply looking for a wedding celebrant to bring your vision to life as Sam and David were, then I might just be your girl. There is no right or wrong here – just do you!
