Behind the Scenes
A BTS shot by The Seitter Wood House before we began Janis & Tom’s wedding.
Behind The Scenes Of Your, “I Do.”
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be the Civil Celebrant behind the scenes of your “I Do”?
We are the lucky ones! The official people who stand alongside the bridal party with the special job of authorising the ceremony.
Personally I think being a Civil Celebrant is one of the best jobs in the wedding industry and definitely one of the most important ones too.
I decided to be a Civil Celebrant because I sincerely enjoy working with people to create memorable events, believe that weddings are so much fun and most of all, I love, Love!
Preparation
Being organised is the Number #1 Rule! In the lead up to the wedding day, there is lots of information to collect, paperwork to be filled out and script writing to focus on.
Come, Ceremony day, it’s important to arrive early to the wedding venue, set up, complete a sound check and meet the venue staff.
If the Groom is there early I like to check in with him and see how he is feeling.
Even the bravest man can be full of nerves on his big day which is why I think it’s important to touch base and check to see if there are any last minute changes we need to adapt to.
Favourite Moments In A Ceremony
My first favourite moment in a ceremony is watching the Bride walk down the aisle.
I love seeing her face as she is greeted by her guests and I take notice of how she is holding onto the person leading her in. Body language can say a lot about how she is feeling about the upcoming ceremony.
After that observation, I look across at the Groom and watch him, watching her.
Have you ever watched the Groom as his Bride walks down the aisle? Wow oh Wow, it is such a beautiful moment!
Benn from Blue Sky Photography caught the special moment Daniel saw Tracey enter the Hilton Chapel.
My second favourite part of the ceremony is sharing their love story with the guests.
During the lead up to the ceremony I ask the Bride and Groom lots of questions about how they met, fell in love, what they do for fun and all those quirky stories lovers share.
We package it up and agree on what we will mention in the ceremony.
Delivering it to the guests can be a whole lot of fun. Sometimes people laugh, cheer loudly and in many situations, smile brightly.
This is one of the most memorable moments of the celebration because it is personal and connects the guests to the couple.
Going With The Flow
Celebrants must be skilled at being adaptable and able to problem solve.
Unexpected situations can occur during the wedding process which means we need to think quick, make amendments and keep the ceremony flowing smoothly all while making sure the bride and groom are kept calm and assured that everything will be ok.
At one of my 2017 weddings, an unexpected shower of rain hit the venue five minutes before the bride arrived which meant we had to switch into Plan B very quickly and relocate the ceremony, 50 guests and 20 chairs across the park to an undercover area.
Once we were set-up, I returned to the waiting bride and explained that this was the best option.
Her heart was set on the park venue but after gentle problem solving, she understood the rain wasn’t stopping anytime soon and that we couldn’t delay the ceremony any longer which meant the new location was the best option.
Once we began the ceremony it was important to acknowledge the quick change and thank the guests for assisting me with moving the chairs.
Creating Moments
One of my business mottos is ‘Creating Moments that will last a lifetime’, and I stand by this in my ceremony delivery.
It’s important to me to make an impact on your special day, and I’d like the couple to remember the moment they said “I DO” forever.
Rhys and Erin’s Wedding - Rian Cope Wedding Photography
My Advice
Talk to anyone who has planned a wedding, and they will say that it is harder and more expensive than they thought.
My advice for this process is to think about what YOU want and don’t work yourself into a frantic mess based on other peoples ‘must have’ list.
Understand what is important to you, if you want to follow tradition or not (not always necessary) and set yourself a budget early.
If top quality alcohol and food is important to you, have it and loose the big fancy floral arrangements.
If you don’t want to waste money on elaborate invitations, don’t bother! If you prefer a relaxed backyard wedding over a hotel function room, lock it in!
Create the wedding celebration that fits best to your beliefs, lifestyle and budget. With the right close family and friends around you, what else do you really need?
Isaac and Carla captured in their element by Perspectives Photography