Bev and Barney’s Wedding
There was so much love and laughter in Torbay Barn, Devon when Bev and Barnaby celebrated their wedding with their family and friends. It was extra special for me as I had known Bev and her family for years and was so touched when she asked me to be a part of their wonderful day.
Even the rain didn’t dampen their happiness as Bev walked down the aisle with her dad to greet her new husband, Barnaby.
After exchanging rings, the couple had chosen to have a Hand Fasting ceremony and promised to share each other’s laughter, and look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other
Bev’s dad, Chris, tied the knot…..
…..before Bev and Barnaby read their heartfelt Vows to each other and signed the certificate.
They walked back down the aisle to cheers and confetti to I’m a Believer by Smash Mouth
Their beloved dogs also joined in the ceremony!
“Thank you Sarah, it was the best day ever” – Bev and Barnaby
Have a wonderful life together and remember that being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
Chloe and Rob’s Festival Wedding
The scene was set for a festival themed wedding at Holsome Park near Diptford, Devon.
For Chloe and Rob, attending gigs and festivals together is a regular occurrence included attending V festival, Glastonbury, Reading and even Benicasim in Spain. Camping, dancing and having a great time in a field clearly linked to their chosen venue.
Chloe and her bridesmaids walked down the aisle to Times Like These by The Foo Fighters with all of their guests joining in with the chorus.
Their mothers lit a candle each before Chloe and Rob lit the main candle representing the coming together of their two lives and going forward into a shining lifetime together.
Chloe and Rob love spending time by the sea so the Sand Ceremony was perfect for them. There was sand from Gwithian Beach, the beach where Chloe and Rob got engaged and sand from South Milton, their local beach that they regularly visit together.
They had also decided to have a Blessing of Rings so, as the box containing their rings was passed around the guests for their blessing, You’ve got the Love by Florence and the Machine was played.
It was also a moving moment when they exchanged their rings.
Chloe had made their hand fasting cord from three strands, including red for love, to represent the qualities they wanted to invite into their relationship. Once their hands were tied, they read their heartfelt Vows to each other.
After signing the Certificate, followed by their witnesses, our lovely couple kissed to cheers and applause before walking back down the aisle to I Bet you Look Good on the Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys.
The celebrations continued well into the night, perfectly captured by Mark the photographer from Evolve (www.evolvephoto.co.uk)
Chloe and Rob sent me the following testimonial:
Thank you Sarah for our incredible ceremony, it was exactly what we wanted.
It was so nice to be able to have a ceremony that was truly personal to us as a couple. You really captured our life together in words. Many of our guests commented on how beautiful it was.
You were very supportive throughout the whole process, providing recommendations for our vows and ideas for the ceremony.
I cannot recommend Sarah enough!
Funeral Colours
The most meaningful funeral captures the life and personality of the person,
which can be shown through the choice of music, poems and flowers and the
involvement of family and friends. Over a person’s life, they may have shared
their journey with many people; friendships have been made, love shared and
memories created. Adding personal touches to their funeral can involve all these
people who meant so much to them.
It may be the wish of the person who has died for mourners to wear bright
colours, or the family may ask to wear a specific colour or ribbon in support of a
charity.
Dave’s family wanted everyone to wear Manchester United colours. They
draped their grandad’s Manchester United scarf on his coffin and then sang
‘Glory Glory Man United’ at the end.
Music for Funerals
Every ceremony is unique and personal, and music can be crucial in setting the
tone and feel. Music can bring people together in emotionally distressing times
and also give pointers back to the past, drawing on family traditions that have
been laid down and maintained over the years. Hymns and religious music are
sometimes chosen for this reason and it is always moving to see family and
friends stand and sing a favourite hymn together.
Songs that have the most impact are often those that were favourites of the
deceased because the lyrics and style reflected their life, loves and achievements.
Music can also celebrate special events in their lives such as a first dance song or
music chosen for their son’s wedding. The music that you choose can be purely
instrumental or with lyrics; it may be a live performance or pre-recorded. If your
loved one enjoyed walking on the moors, maybe you could listen to a recording of
birdsong?
To find out about your loved one’s taste in music, begin by talking to family and
friends and looking at their CD or record collection.
There could be a professional singer who will perform the music that has special
meaning for your family, from sacred music and favourite hymns to popular
songs. Everyone can sing together – maybe a song that strongly resonates with
the loved one’s life and legacy and, ideally, is familiar to the majority of those
present.
Bring Me Sunshine – Morecambe and Wise is a very popular song.
The lyrics can be printed in the order of service so that everyone can
follow the words as they sing together.
What Does a Celebrant Do?
The dictionary definition of a celebrant is: ‘a person who performs a rite’. This has
traditionally meant a vicar, minister or priest, with the ceremony taking place in a
church or other religious building. These days, we have more choices and the
importance of selecting the right celebrant for your loved one’s celebration of life
cannot be underestimated.
The celebrant is there to hold the ceremony together and make sure it runs
smoothly. They set the tone, cue the music and introduce the speakers. It is
preferable to have someone who is not emotionally attached to the deceased, can
speak well and will also deal with any unexpected occurrences. At a crematorium,
the celebrant also has to make sure the ceremony keeps to time.
This is the one occasion when your loved one’s life story is to be told, their
memories are honoured and their body is put to rest. The celebrant will meet the
family in advance and – through sensitive questioning and careful listening –
enable them to have their stories and feelings shared, before writing the ceremony
and reading it on the day. The family should choose someone they feel
comfortable with.
To find a celebrant, recommendations from friends are helpful and online
research is worth doing – always check the celebrant’s testimonials. It is entirely
your choice who leads the ceremony and, even though the funeral director may
recommend a celebrant, check they are experienced, fully trained and aligned to
your values and beliefs. Bear in mind that celebrants work with the funeral
directors and are not employed by them.
Celebrant fees will be listed under ‘prices on request’ on the funeral director’s
website. This means that celebrants can continue to offer a completely
personalised service at a cost that is appropriate to their creativity, experience
and local economic market.
Steph and Morgan’s Wedding Video
Here is Steph and Morgan’s video for you to copy and paste. Enjoy!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QHCQ6b3v6_p7OC1JauT07VvFggdlGodZ/view
Freckle Photography