Today, as we sit in the height of summer and wedding season, I thought it would be a good idea to let you know what is happening within the wedding celebrant community and what effect the lawmakers are having on us. This past year has been the hardest yet for Celebrants, the wedding community in general and us all. Whilst the pandemic has affected our everyday lives, my zest for weddings has never gone away. I’ve been working hard attending wedding fayres, creating the perfect packages to suit all of my couples and been part of some amazing photo shoots, with some fabulous wedding suppliers. When life gives you lemons – do a lemon themed wedding shoot!!

So your wedding plans are coming along nicely, you have ordered the dress, booked the cake, photographer and the celebrant (hopefully that's me). Now it's time to write your vows! Writing your own vows is a chance to tell your story, give guests a peek into what makes your relationship so beautiful and to share meaningful, sweet words with the person you love. If you've never written before this can be a quite overwhelming. Remembering the day you met, the moment you fell in love and your first kiss, all those amazing memories come flooding back. You now somehow have to put it all into words and share them with your guests. "Arrrgghhh but where do I start?" I here you say! Here are some top tips to help kickstart your vows......

When we lose a loved one, it is never easy. I always find my families are torn between two worlds, a world that their loved one used to fill and the one that now is. Poems help us to grieve and say our goodbyes, with our loved one in mind. Here are a few that I feel reach us all. If you found this useful and would like to find out more than please don't hesitate to contact me at stuart@stuartprimarolo.co.uk

Lets face it, the past few months have been tough, very tough. We've not been allowed to share our lives with our loved ones in the way we want and this has taken a toll on everyone. As a celebrant, I have had quite a few funerals lately where families have told me that they were not even allowed to visit their sick relatives in hospital until it was too late, or that they are shielding, unable to venture out in fear of the virus. We are living in unprecedented times and this really pulls at my heart strings, as no one should have to go through this, especially at such a vulnerable time. At a time when you want to start the grieving process and celebrate your loved ones life, their achievements and their stories, you should be allowed to come together and do this. Instead you are lucky if you can have between 15-30 people at the service and that even depends on where you live. This is especially hard for larger families having to choose who goes and who doesn't and let's not forget there is NO wake allowed, making it harder to reminisce about the good old days.

Winter is "the most wonderful time of year" to tie the knot – from crisp winter mornings and roaring fires to festive colour schemes, there’s just so much to enjoy. Saying "I do" in the winter is becoming just as popular as the summer. The nights are getting darker, the sparkles are shining brighter, the ambiance merrier and the whole day is filled with love and excitement. Not to mention, that lots of wedding dates will be much cheaper! Your venue plays one of the biggest parts when it comes to shaping your wedding, so you need to make sure you book one that's truly fit for a winter celebration. Do ...check out your venue in the evening, so you can get the feel of the place at 4 o'clock winter time! Sounds obvious but ...... Don't ...view your venue at midday in the middle of summer and expect the same vibe. Do ...Consider the Same Venue for Your Ceremony and Reception!! As we all know the winter roads can be hair-raising at the best of times, black ice and snow make it difficult to navigate our way. You’ll solve half your travel problems if you hold your ceremony and reception in the same venue. Don't .... be put off by the weather to much, winter weddings are perfect opportunities to create ambient lighting, so bring out those fairy lights, scented candles and mood lighting... its getting romantic. Do ... your research, there are a lot of flowers that appear in all our beautiful glossy magazines that are not available in winter, embrace seasonal blooms for your bouquet and arrangements, and stick to classic whites and dramatic reds. Wintry foliage, like ivy, springs of yew, holly and red berries look gorgeous. Do ... ask the question to all your vendors, if the weather is bad .... how will you get to the venue? So wrap up warm, grab a velvet jacket and sip on the tipple of your fancy and enjoy! If you found this useful and would like to find out more than please don't hesitate to contact me at stuart@stuartprimarolo.co.uk