THE BONDS OF LOVE We’ve heard about some of the rituals we can have during a celebrant-led ceremony from hand-fasting to candle-lighting, but what’s the difference and how do we know which is right for us? Using rituals within your wedding ceremony is a lovely way to add some personality to kick off your wedding celebrations. Hand-tying and unity candle ceremonies are currently two very popular elements chosen by couples and they’re used to symbolise different things. A hand-tying represents the bonds of marriage. You may recognise the term “tying the knot” and couples have enjoyed this ritual for hundreds of years, celebrating with the use of ribbons and/or cords, usually binding their hands together expressing joint vows and maybe involving family members. A unity candle ceremony involves the use of individual tapers that work together to light a larger, family candle. The candles represent the individuality of the couple and uniting together to light the larger one represents the joining of two families. Additional loved ones can be included too, perhaps there are children from previous marriages or you may wish to involve parents or grandparents. This is a great ritual for those who want to celebrate the larger family unit, bringing everyone together. Having a celebrant-led ceremony gives you so many options for using rituals within your wedding, including those that have a personal meaning to you. In fact, there’s nothing to stop you creating your own version, which could become a wonderful family tradition in the future. Karina O’Donnell | Simply Ceremonies www.celebrant-uk.co.uk FLAVOURS OF KENT We’re both foodies and value locally-sourced produce. We’d love to wow our guests with a top-notch menu. What options are available for the summer? There are two things to consider when planning a summer wedding. Firstly, Kentish produce at this time of year is outstanding, which allows you to keep things simple and allow the fantastic ingredients to speak for themselves. Think dishes with recognisable flavours, executed well. Secondly, it isn’t always guaranteed to be a perfect Kentish summer’s day, so do consider how your food choices would work if you were unfortunate with the weather. My recommended choice would be a barbecue with the wow factor coming from the flavours created in the cooking, combined with more of that fantastic local produce. Smoky charred notes, flavourful marinades, zingy dressings, crispy vibrant salads, crunchy sweet acidic pickling, perfectly ripe berries, it’s all seasonal flavour and it’s exactly what we love to eat at this time of year. Plus, you can be certain there’ll be a buzz among your guests as this style of menu creates a wonderfully relaxed and informal wedding breakfast for everyone. It’s not possible for everything to be locally-sourced, so the important part is allowing what can be to shine through. For example, we all know Kentish strawberries and raspberries are delicious, so choose something like a Pavlova or Eton mess where these beautiful berries are the main attraction, but if it needs the zest of a non-Kentish lemon to elevate the dish, then why not use it? James Crank | The Old Kent Barn www.theoldkentbarn.co.uk https://jeffoliverphotography.com www.olegssamsonovsphotography.com 62
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