Your West Midlands Wedding - February/March 2024 (Issue 90)

TWO OF US Just the How to plan an intimate wedding Since the pandemic, the biggest shift in the wedding industry has been towards more intimate weddings. Born out of necessity during various lockdowns and restrictions, small yet mighty nuptials made us all reevaluate what’s important and reminded us what a wedding is all about. So much so, in fact, that the trend for intimate weddings is here to stay. We chatted to our local experts to discover the benefits of a small but perfectly formed celebration as well as their tips for planning your own. A MOMENT TO TREASURE All you need is love, but most of us want a little bit more at our wedding. Regardless of the scale of the gathering, you need to get the details right to have something that reflects your personalities and what is really important to you. A celebrant-led wedding can incorporate any element you want it to. It can be held at any time, in any place, on your chosen date. Your chosen celebrant will need to understand the value of symbols and the way that they fit together so they act on an instinctive level, triggering the collective unconscious so the ceremony just feels ‘right’, something that you, your friends and your family will never forget. As a celebrant, I make each of my ceremonies unique to the occasion; I never use the same words twice, even if I use similar elements. Choosing the right celebrant is like casting a scriptwriter, director and actor all at once, so it makes sense to take your time. Ask about their background and values. If you want a particular style of ceremony, you need someone who belongs to your tribe. Look for reviews from former clients, and check out the pictures, are they real clients or stock images? How well does your celebrant work with your photographer? Will they work together to get the pictures you want where you are the star of your own show? Finally, be prepared to pay a reasonable price for a good ceremony. After all, you’re worth it. Steve Morris Celebrant www.stevemorriscelebrant.co.uk www.lmcg-photo.com www.thedignums.com www.flywheelphotography.net INTIMATE WEDDINGS 39

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