WHAT’S NEW? We want to hire a new wedding venue in Devon so that none of our friends would have previously married there, or hosted celebrations in it. What has newly opened its doors? A brand new venue called The Old Foundry Venue & Forge Bar located on Bridge Street in Bideford has recently opened as a wedding and events space providing a pop-up restaurant experience. This is a purposely designed event space with a barn feel, featuring beautiful hand-made barn-style doors and the stunning fully licensed Forge Bar. Suitable for weddings, it has a capacity of up to 60 guests seated and offers in-house event hire of wedding décor, crockery, glassware, and much more. https://theoldfoundryvenue.co.uk MAKE IT PERSONAL What are the benefits of having a celebrant-led wedding? Meet the expert: Sue Denham is an independent wedding celebrant based in Braunton, North Devon, offering bespoke ceremonies. Sue says: Many congratulations if you have just got engaged over the Christmas and New Year period. Are you starting to plan the type of wedding you want, especially the type of ceremony you would like? Do you want your celebrations to start with the ceremony, not after it? Do you want to have fun, laughter and happy tears? Many couples don’t realise they have several options for their ceremony. You can have: •A civil ceremony that’s held in a register office or a venue licensed for civil weddings. This is a non-religious and legally recognised ceremony. •A religious ceremony conducted in a place of worship such as a church, mosque, synagogue, or temple. It will be typically officiated by a religious leader, such as a priest, minister, rabbi, or imam. It incorporates religious traditions and rituals. •A personalised celebrant-led wedding that reflects your personality, values, and the love story you share. Unlike traditional ceremonies, celebrants have the flexibility to create a ceremony from scratch, that is truly one-of-a-kind and allows you to add your personality and heart into your special day. Throughout the wedding planning, your celebrant will spend time getting to know you to build a personal connection for the most important day of your life. This relationship allows the celebrant to truly understand your love story and create a ceremony script that provides a more heartfelt and emotional wedding experience. Couples love that they have the option to write their own vows too. It is your day, your way. Celebrants can incorporate creative and meaningful rituals into the ceremony, whether it’s a unity candle ceremony, a hand-fasting ceremony or personalised vows that express your deepest emotions. This allows you to make your wedding a profound and memorable experience for you and your guests. You can even involve your guests, giving them a key role on the day, with special readings, songs, a part to play within your rituals or a limoncello shot halfway through the ceremony! With a celebrant, you have the freedom to choose your wedding venue, whether it’s a picturesque outdoor location, a historic site, a castle, the beach, a woodland, or your favourite hidden gem. This flexibility allows you to select a setting that gives you your perfect day. Celebrant-led weddings are known for their inclusivity. Regardless of your gender, cultural background, neurodiversity, beliefs, or religious affiliations, a celebrant can craft a ceremony that respects and incorporates your wishes. This inclusivity fosters an intimate atmosphere, making everyone feel connected to the celebration. In choosing a celebrant-led wedding, you will create a meaningful and tailored ceremony that sets the tone for a lifetime of shared happiness. It will be like no other ceremony. It’s worth noting that in England and Wales, at present, celebrants are unable to legally marry a couple. You would need to register your marriage elsewhere, such as at a register office. Many couples have a small register office ceremony a few days before their wedding, where they legally get married. But watch this space – The Wedding Celebrant Commission and Humanists UK are lobbying the government to extend the rights of celebrants in the UK and Wales to legally marry couples. www.sue-byyourside.co.uk www.facebook.com/people/Celebrant-Sue-By-YourSide/100087574969339 Photography by www.freeformimages.co.uk and www.ugotthelove.com ASK THE EXPERTS 59
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