Congratulations! You’ve done your research and chosen to have a celebrant-led wedding (check out my top 3 reasons here!). You’ve decided to book me – but what happens next? There’s a flurry of activity while you’re making big decisions – what venue do you want? Which photographer will really capture your day? You might have already booked the cake, catering, flowers, stationery…. and then there’s a lull. Yes, you probably still need to shop for your outfits and rings, but you’ve had all this activity and now there’s nothing much happening. It can seem strange, to really feel a connection with someone – and then what? Not much!
So I’ve prepared a document for my couples so that they know the sort of timetable to expect, and I have shared the text below.
Once you’ve paid the booking fee and are firmly in my diary, I’ll keep in touch every couple of months or so until we are closer to your ceremony date.
6 months before your date – let’s check in and see how your arrangements are going. Do you have a theme? Are you going formal, relaxed, minimal, or full out circus? Do I need any kind of costume? If you want to start working together now, we can, but I would generally hold off until….
3-4 months before your date – let’s get started! I’ll want to have a chat with both of you – in person if possible or via video call otherwise. I will also email a list of questions that I’d really like you to fill out separately and email back to me. I’d like you to start to think about music, readings and poems you might like to include, and if you want to get other people involved.
2-3 months before your date – we will take a good look at what you might want to include in your ceremony. Do you just want a traditional ring exchange, and vows. Or do you want a ring warming, unity candle, handfasting, or to jump the broom? Do you want all of these, or have no idea what any of them are? Do we want to invent something completely new, just for you? Let’s get creative!
6 weeks before your date – Final payment is due (You can of course pay at any time before!)
Around 4ish weeks before your date – the draft script is ready! I can either arrange a video call and read it for both of you, so that you hear it out loud first, or I can go straight to emailing it to you. I’ll leave out any bits that you want to keep secret for each other. There’s still plenty of time to make changes before the big day!
A couple of weeks before – it might be an idea for me to chat to your photographer so they know what we are going to do during the ceremony, and they can let me know what shots they’ll want me to nip out of the way for!
Day before – if we have arranged to do a practice run, this is normally the day. Last minute tweaks can be made at the rehearsal if needed.
On the big day itself – YES! This is it!
I’ll aim be at the venue early – probably a couple of hours before the scheduled time. That way, if you’re running ahead of schedule and want to get on with it, we can! If you’re running late – I’m not doing anything else that day, it’s not a problem. You’re committing to the person you love, in front of your friends and family. Nothing else really matters that much!
This is a general guideline, rather than a strict timetable. At any time, I’m available to talk about your ceremony. Don’t wait for me to get in touch if you have an idea – call, or drop me a line, any time xx
And if you want to download the pdf so you can refer to it any time – click below
And if you haven’t booked me yet…..get in touch!
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