Tag: hand fasting

Wedding Hotel of the Year (again) with Lindsey and Rob

On By @humanistbrianIn Balbirnie HouseLeave a comment

 

 
100916d-291100916d-131Balbirnie House is in the village of Markinch just outside Glenrothes and has won the Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year Award so many times it is insane. But not unjustified. A short drive over the Forth Bridge and onwards into the heart of Fife, you approach the house through the manicured golf course. The staff ensure that every wedding is perfect and that certainly was the case with Lindsey and Rob’s big day.

100916d-132The one thing I remember above all else from the ceremony was just how friendly everyone was and how up for a party they were – I bet it was some night. The ceremony was that perfect mix of laughter and lumps in throats none more so than when they exchanged their pledges:

On this day,

I give you my heart,

My promise,

That I will walk with you,

Hand in hand,

Wherever our journey leads us,

Living, learning, loving,

Together,

Forever

Isn’t that beautiful.

Lyndsey sent me an email afterward:

We are so glad that we were able to meet you and have you be a part of our wedding day. Although at first nervous when looking for a celebrant for our big day, your brief description of yourself seemed to click perfectly with us and we were not disappointed at all along the way! We were so glad that we were able to communicate via Skype and then to meet in person closer to the wedding when we were up in Scotland.You followed our brief of how we wanting our wedding to be perfectly. We asked for it to be a happy day and to avoid tears and that is exactly what we received. You made everyone laugh in all the right places and helped us to make the ceremony both meaningful to us and lighthearted enough to show our less serious sides.The feedback from our guests was nothing short of outstanding. You were a true highlight on our wedding day.

Thank you once again for your guidance and support in helping us to create our ideal ceremony.

Lindsey and Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

Completely Mad – David and Laura at the Birds and the Bees

On By @humanistbrianIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

 “We thought we’d do a kind of fairground theme,” said David when we first met back in January. “We’re planning to have the wedding outside.” he said,
“In May? In Scotland?” I replied thinking, this man is off his trolley.
“Yeh, we’ll be fine. We’re going to put up a small marquee just in case it rains and people need somewhere to eat at the barbecue.”
“Barbecue!” I was thinking that I’d had barbecues rained off in Scotland in August never mind May.
“It’ll be fine.” Laura emphasised.

And so the day dawned and it wasn’t too bad, a bit cloudy, odd bits of sunshine, occasional drizzle and a cold wind from the east that would have cut you in half but we went for it and it was charming.
The wedding was held on the 4th May which as well as being National Weather Observers Day was, of course, Intergalactic Star Wars Day and I could therefore say “May the fourth be with you” with out blushing (too much).

Laura’s good friend Irene began with a reading which was unfamiliar to me:

 His hello was the end of her endings,

Her laugh was their first step down the aisle.
His hand would be hers to hold forever,
His forever was as simple as her smile.

An ocean couldn’t prevent it.
A New York minute wouldn’t let it pass.
Does the universe decide for us,
Which love will fade and which will last.

He said she was what was missing.
She said she instantly knew.
She was a question to be answered.
And his answer was “I do.”

I performed a variation of a hand fasting for them called “tying the Big Knot” where, by using two broad, stiffened ribbons and a little piece of magic the ribbons tie themselves into a beautiful double bow. The exchange of rings was interesting. David had decided not to have a physical ring but rather have one tatooed onto his ring finger so Laura uncovered his “ring” after hers had arrived on the back of a remote controlled car. What else?

My overwhelming memory of their day? It has to be the big bowls of chips that everyone shared after the ceremony.

A great day.