OTHER CEREMONIES

NAMING CEREMONY

A naming ceremony is a wonderful way to welcome a new member, of any age, to your family or wider community. As a father and grandfather, I particularly enjoy these happy occasions. Whether you wish to celebrate the arrival of a new baby or unite foster or step children within your family, I will work with you to create a ceremony befitting of such a joyful occasion.

MY SERVICES INCLUDE

An initial, obligation-free meeting to listen to your ideas and discuss how we can create a meaningful and unique ceremony together. During this meeting we’ll discuss the process of writing your ceremony. Should you wish to proceed, I would ask that you complete a booking form and pay a non refundable deposit to secure my services. Travel included, within an hour of my home. Access to my resources (poems and verse, sample vows, ritual ideas and music suggestions). A professionally printed personalised naming ceremony certificate. A beautiful bound copy of your naming ceremony. A professional quality PA system. I will dress appropriately to ensure that I reflect your dress code.

RENEWAL OF VOWS

The renewal of the bond you share with your partner can be an important rite of passage, and is one worthy of a ceremony. A renewal of vows ceremony is such a beautiful way to show your love and commitment towards your partner by celebrating it in front of all your most treasured friends and family members. Whilst not a legal ceremony, such an event celebrates your past experiences and sets the stage for your lives ahead. Your decision to renew your vows may be part of the celebration of a special anniversary of your union, e.g. 10 years, 25 years, 40 years, or perhaps you have reunited after a separation and wish to revise and reaffirm your promises to each other. Whatever your reason for planning a Renewal of Vows Ceremony, I would be very happy to share in the occasion, and to offer advice on the format, readings, symbolic gestures and involvement of other family members.

MY SERVICES INCLUDE

An initial, obligation-free meeting either over the phone or in person if living within an hour of my home, to listen to your ideas and discuss how we can create a meaningful and unique ceremony together. Correspondence as often as is required via email or telephone. A beautifully crafted, personalised Ceremony. A copy of the script presented on beautiful paper.  A professionally printed commemorative wedding certificate, in a presentation envelope.

(evenings and weekdays) vow renewals on peak weekend dates are subject to an increased fee as these are normally reserved for weddings.

SAND CEREMONY

At its simplest, a sand ceremony involves a symbolic blending of two different coloured sands into a single vessel. This ritual symbolises: the blending of two different beings, the bride and the groom, into a single, inseparable unit that is their marriage – the joining of their lives. Hard as it would be to separate those grains of sand, that’s how difficult it is to separate these two people. The ceremony usually takes place after the exchange of rings and vows (although it can go before or even during), and lasts just a couple of minutes. You can personalise your  ceremony further by involving your children or partners children. The Sand Ceremony is an excellent alternative to the unity candle and isperfect for outdoor settings.

JUMPING THE BROOM

Jumping the broom is a time honoured wedding tradition in which the bride and groom jump over a broom at the end of their ceremony, and whoever jumped the highest was deemed the head of the household. (you go girls!!) In the early 16 -18th centuries in the Americas, broom-jumping was widely practiced among the slave community as their only recognised form of marriage. The act symbolises a new beginning and a sweeping away of the past, Jumping The Broom also represents the threshold of a new home and entering the home together. This ceremony can also symbolise entering a new stage in a relationship, and the leaving behind of old thoughts, behaviours and patterns between a couple. It’s also a fun photo opportunity!

UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY

A favourite Christian wedding tradition is the lighting of the Unity Candle.  The set-up includes three candles: one that represents the bride, one that represents the groom, and one that represents their covenant marriage. Usually the mothers of the bride and groom light the bride’s and groom’s candles, the two outside candles, to mark the symbolism that out of their families the bride and groom came.  This step is most commonly done after the mothers are walked down the aisle and before the bridal party enters. The lighting of a unity candle symbolises a couples two lives joining together as one.

REVERSE UNITY CANDLES

An alternative to the traditional unity lighting ceremony, the Reverse Unity Candle ritual gives a couple the opportunity to involve all of their invited guests to participate in the ceremony. This ritual requires that everyone present receive a candle and starts with the couple lighting the main unity candle and then passing the flame along to two members of your wedding party who continue passing the flame down the pews until the whole room turns into a candle-lit heaven! It’s intimate and perfect for indoor and evening celebrations.

FUNERALS

A funeral is a time for us to say goodbye and to be able to freely express our grief but it is also a time to celebrate the life and personality of the deceased. Together we will create a dignified tribute that captures the spirit of your loved one. I would be honoured to hear you talk about the ways your loved one sparkled, but also about the contradictions and quirks that made them — ‘them‘. This is what makes the narrative of their life so compelling to write about and share in the ceremony. No two Celebrant memorial ceremonies are ever the same. How could they be? Each life and the way it is lived is wonderfully and uniquely different! If you would like to discuss the possibilities for your personal and meaningful ceremony, I would love to hear from you.

Schedule a Call with Barny

Feel Free to Contact Me!
barnyharrison@me.com   |   07775 971 772    |   or go to our contact form

    

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