Weddings

There are occasions in life where it is good to have clear guidelines and expectations of an event. There are also occasions where it is appropriate to adopt a uniform approach to proceedings, to blur, if you like, into a muted background of sameness.

We believe that your wedding should NOT one of those occasions. We believe that YOUR wedding should be about YOU. YOUR story is different, YOUR ideas are original and YOUR ceremony should be   Unique2u . (YOUnique2u – see what we did there?)

So – let’s talk about weddings.

… and for the purposes of not tying myself in knots, the word wedding in the following, should please be assumed to include all manner of commitment ceremonies, as well as vow renewals.

We had a bit of a chat and, maybe we’re a bit strange, but we all agreed that we have never come away from a wedding, uttering the immortal words:

‘That wedding was amazing because it was just like every other wedding I’ve ever been to…’

YOUR ceremony should be about YOU. It should be personalised. It should tell YOUR story and be in YOUR style. It should reflect who you are as a couple – not who the couple over the road are.

You deserve to have your guests going home saying; ‘that wedding was so THEM!’

Let’s think about costs

If you absolutely cannot have a wedding that does not include at least six bridesmaids (plus 2 page boys and a flower girl you don’t really want, but have to otherwise your cousin’s going to be upset), a dress that costs about the same as a two bedroom house, sugared almonds, – hand engraved (in gold leaf) with the names of each guest and the finest ….. well everything really … then we may not be on the same page.

But if you want a ceremony that has been created in collaboration with you, that reflects the people you are, at its heart and that celebrates, not only your love story, but your relationship with those closest to you – then we just might be your dream team.

With the cost of the average wedding in the UK now apparently in the region of £30,000 (with a big chunk of that going on the cost of the venue), it’s clear that you need to be making some important decisions. And one of the best decisions you can make is to opt for a celebrant-led ceremony.

Having a ceremony led by an Independent Celebrant means that your ceremony can take place almost anywhere you choose. You can have your ceremony in your own garden, in a village hall, in a wood, in a marquee, or a tipi, in a barn, on a farm, on a boat, over a moat, in a pub or in your favourite club – or even in a garden shed!

You have the freedom to choose a location that is special and   Unique2u . – the choice is absolutely yours. Your venue can be just as beautiful and even more special as a venue that you may still be paying for on your fifth anniversary!

Let’s think about the legalities

First things first – lets put it out there – is a celebrant wedding service legal?  The short answer is ‘no’ BUT before you click the ‘off’ button, just consider this:

While a birth is an event – the registering of that birth is a just a legal formality / A funeral is an event, the registering of that death is a legal requirement.

Seperate your event into:

  • Marriage: the signing of the legal paperwork at a Registry Office. For your wedding/civil partnership to be recognised in law, it MUST take place at a Registry Office or Approved Venue, in front of 2 witnesses and a Registrar but, it can be very short – consisting of 3 basic steps:

i).     Declaratory words – ‘ I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment……
ii).    Contracting words – ‘ I call upon these persons here present……’
iii).   The signing of the Marriage Register

Cost: around £50

 

  • Wedding: the inclusive ceremony of celebration in which you share your words and music in front of your closest family and friends – and get to wear a nice frock!.

Which of the two has the greater prominence when you think about your big day?

Don’t get us wrong, we think Registrars do a great job, but they are tied by certain constraints: for example, they can only work in ‘approved premises’ with designated areas for conducting weddings and the words they are permitted to use are similarly tied by certain legal limitations.

Let’s discuss the ‘VALUE-ADDED’ effects of using Independent Celebrants

The beauty of having a Celebrant officiating at your wedding, is not only that they will help to create and to deliver your ceremony, but that you will not be tied to any ‘official’ wording. With a celebrant -led service you are free to include pretty much anything you want: ceremonial aspects, ‘guest’ speakers, moments involving some or all of your guests, singing, music and dancing, moments of magic – a service of celebration tailor-made to you as a couple; who you are, what you represent, your families, your friends and what you want to say, to them, to each other and to the world in general.

At Unique2u , we will work with you to create whatever it is YOU want on YOUR big day. We are all from strong drama backgrounds and will apply our creative minds to ensuring that you have the ceremony you deserve.

We will help you to plan your ceremony, offering creative ideas and suggesting strategies for moving your own ideas forward. We will give you advice on writing your vows (if you need it) or write them for you if that is what you prefer. We can suggest ceremonial rituals that might suit your sense of occasion and we will deliver the service on your special day.

YOUR wedding can be as inclusive or exclusive as you want it to be, but it will certainly be Unique2u