Once Ceremonies
Working With Me
The Process
Before you book with me, I like to have a short Zoom meeting to make sure we fit well together. There is nothing worse than having someone you don’t like stood in front of you, it will spoil your day. One of the differences between a ceremony led by a registrar and a celebrant is the formality. The registrar will feel like a stranger (unless you know them already) whereas the celebrant will work with you over months or even years to get to know you and your life stories so that your ceremony is individual and reflects who you are.
Following this we can arrange our first meeting. I will send you questionnaires to complete prior to the meeting so that I can start to build a profile of you and your love story, and we will confirm details such as the date and venue of your wedding. I ask for a non-refundable deposit of £100 to be paid within 7 days of our meeting.
We will discuss the size of your ceremony and I will confirm a price and dates of payment during our first meeting. I prefer to take payment at intervals as we develop your ceremony, however if you would prefer to pay in one payment at the beginning, we can arrange that. All costs must be paid at least 7 days prior to your ceremony.
Designing Your Ceremony
You choose your:
Vows
Music
Poems/readings
Exchanging of rings
Rituals
Tributes from friends and family
Entourage
I will design you a ceremony that is perfect for you and is a celebration to begin your married life. During our meetings we will discuss what you like and what needs to change. This is a work in progress until the moment we start the ceremony.
Many couples today have children together before they marry or from previous relationships and want to create a family ceremony that brings them all together as they start this new chapter of their lives. Including a ritual into your ceremony is a great way to involve all members of your family.
We will work together over several months so that when we stand in front of your guests, we know that you have your dream ceremony.
Prices and what to Expect
My prices start at £450
The price depends on the type of ceremony you would like but generally I think of ceremonies as either small, medium, or large.
A small ceremony will last approximately 20 minutes and can include a poem/reading, exchanging vows, exchanging rings and a small ritual such as handfasting.
You will have 4 meetings with me plus a rehearsal and the ceremony.
The medium-sized ceremony will last approximately 30-40 minutes and can include a choreographed entrance of up to 5 bridesmaids/groomsmen, readings and poems, musical performances, exchange of vows, exchanging rings and rituals – this can include a family ritual.
You will have 5 meetings with me plus a rehearsal and the ceremony.
The price of this ceremony is usually around £600
A large ceremony is unlimited in every aspect. Whatever you want, we can include.
We may need 6 or 7 meetings and at least one rehearsal before the ceremony.
The price of this ceremony is approximately £850
Prices may vary if we increase the size of the ceremony during the planning stages.
I am based in Essex. I don’t charge for travel expenses within Essex. For ceremonies outside of Essex or England (I’m more than happy to travel to Barbados with you) I do charge travelling expenses however, we will discuss this before confirmation of the booking.