How do wedding planners and celebrants work together?
Since joining the wedding industry my little black book of contacts has quickly filled up with the details of fabulous wedding suppliers. Couples often ask me for recommendations and I find it so satisfying to help out.
One wedding supplier I love is UK planner, Your Story Events. I met Mel (the woman behind this stylish brand) through the Wedding Business Club and we just clicked. Yay for making friends in adult life! We've since worked together on a rustic lux editorial shoot at Caswell House in the Cotswolds, which was featured by the English Wedding Blog.
For this post, Mel and I had a chat about all things wedding planning. Read on to get her take on celebrant weddings, including what she loved about her own!
Celebrant interview with a wedding planner
Meg: Please could you say a little about who you are and what you do?
Hi, I am Mel, the owner of Your Story Events, a wedding planner. I am based in Buckinghamshire but love doing events all over the UK. I help couples plan their wedding day either from start to finish or with just certain elements they need assistance with. I am always there on the day to coordinate so my couples can just enjoy the day celebrating with their nearest and dearest.
Meg: What type of weddings do you create?
Mel: I love creating relaxed, fun, weddings for my couples ensuring them and their guests have a great time. I do love working on the design elements too to ensure the couple's vision comes to life, whether that has a stylish edge, romantic vibe or an all out festival feel.
Meg: What are your favourite parts of your clients’ wedding days? (You don’t have to say the ceremonies! 😊)
Mel: Honestly, I just love seeing the couple enjoy the day. It's one of my key business values that couples enjoy the process and the day itself. It goes by so fast so seeing them enjoy it is the most important thing, that could be them sharing a beautiful personalised ceremony, happily celebrating with their friends and family, or a happy reaction to a particularly dreamy set up, then the couple letting loose having fun at the party. Also I do have a soft spot for a really great heart warming speech.
Wedding planner opinion on celebrant weddings
Meg: As a planner, how do you feel about working with celebrants compared to working with registrars – Aren’t registrar ceremonies simpler to coordinate? Which do guests prefer?
Mel: As a planner I love working with celebrants, I think it brings so much more personality to a wedding ceremony having this person that had taken the time to get to know them.
I actually find registrar-led ceremonies a little more difficult to plan due to lack of knowing exactly who's coming on the day and rehearsing. Many registrars don't really get involved with planners, which can be frustrating. But sometimes it is easier and cheaper for couples, and I understand that. From the weddings I have done, guests enjoy a celebrant led wedding more just because they are more personalized to the couple.
Meg: Why do you recommend that clients consider having a celebrant wedding?
Mel: I would definitely recommend my couples to consider a celebrant led wedding if they have the right venue and style for it. I think it's great for them finding a match in a celebrant that suits them and it makes a fun wedding -planning element for them too. The ceremony will feel really special and bespoke which I know couples love.
Meg: You booked a celebrant to conduct your own wedding ceremony. What made you and your partner choose to do that?
Mel: Yes we did, we actually really wanted to get married outside in a spot that wasn't 'legal' to get married in. We didn't have any strong thoughts on it having to be made legal the same day so went for it. It was lovely, we had a fantastic celebrant and she got to know us and worked hard to ensure it was perfect for us (I still have the script as a keepsake too!)
Also it meant we got to celebrate at the registry office day too (a week before in our case) with just our parents and have an intimate family dinner afterwards, which was really special.
Meg: What was the best bit about your wedding ceremony?
Mel: Writing and saying our own vows, but also just the relaxed and comfortable vibe.
Meg: Have you got a quote from your wedding script you’d like to share?
Mel: Yes we asked out mums to give their 'advice' as they had long lasting marriages, here's how our celebrant summarised it...
"While Mel and James were thinking about their future life together as a married couple they asked their mothers - who have both enjoyed long lasting marriages - what ingredients they think make a marriage last. Mel’s Mum said “Always make each other laugh and it’s about taking the time to listen to each other. Don't be afraid to say sorry and just ignore him if he’s in bad mood”. And James’s Mum said “You have to be able to 'give and take'. You will always have crossed words and arguments but it is about being able to say sorry at the end of it. And trusting one another and sharing problems."
A million thank yous to Mel for coming to my virtual world to chat about how celebrants and wedding planners work together. If you are looking for a planner, I recommend getting in touch with Your Story Events to help your wedding vision come to life!
Photographer credit: Ellie Mac Photography
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