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Our experts answer your questions about micro weddings

THE RISE OF THE CEREMINI

Since the singer Ariana Grande recently married at home, it has coined the term ‘ceremini’ with demand for intimate weddings rising. Are you able to give me some ceremony ideas that are perfect for small, intimate weddings?

Meet the expert: Alison Carter founded Springwood Ceremonies in 2018, becoming a Berkshire-based celebrant after enjoying a career in marketing. She creates ceremonies that capture the essence of a couple, family or loved one. A celebrant-led ceremony takes inspiration from all aspects of life – a favourite poem or song, cherished memories, values and beliefs.

Alison says: A micro-wedding, with just a few hand-picked guests, is an exclusive event. Couples may feel more comfortable expressing their emotions in front of a smaller number of loved ones. The focus is just on them and the commitment they’re making to each other and having a smaller guest list means it’s easier for everyone to get involved in the ceremony which creates some poignant heartfelt moments. Here are some ideas: Promise of support A marriage needs support. Here I ask the guests as a group to promise to support the couple, to love them and encourage their love for each other. The guests respond with “we will, we promise.” Ring-warming ceremony The exchanging of rings is the traditional way of sealing the marriage contract. It’s an unbroken circle, symbolising unending and everlasting love and is the outward sign of the lifelong promise that has been made. You could introduce a ring-warming ceremony just before this where each guest holds both rings while making a wish, or saying a prayer, and then passes it on to the person next to them, creating an inclusive and intimate aspect to the ceremony.

An alternative way to approach the ring-warming ceremony is to have a ring-blessing ceremony that avoids the multi-touch element of the ringwarming ceremony. The rings are placed on a cushion, box or tray and passed around for each person to say a blessing.

At the other end of the scale is the new trend of anniversary receptions – you can easily incorporate a celebration ceremony where the couple can reaffirm their love with all their friends and family.

A very simple way to create a poignant moment is for each guest to light a candle and say a few words or to make a wish for the happy couple.

A ceremini with your trusted circle of family and friends, those that mean the most in the world to you, creates an intimate setting where everyone feels they can be more expressive with their emotions which makes the ceremony even more personal.

www.megandaisyphotography.com Meet the expert: Lynn Tierney is an independent wedding and family celebrant based in Oxfordshire and founder of Lynn Tierney Ceremonies. She works with couples planning a wedding, vow renewal, naming ceremony or any unique occasion in a location of the couple’s choice.

Lynn says: Having a small and intimate wedding offers many opportunities to embrace romance and emotion – here are some meaningful examples. Hand-fasting ceremony Think Mel Gibson in Braveheart kneeling on a woodland ground, just a couple in love and their celebrant... well, maybe you wouldn’t want to be kneeling, but you get the idea! Hands are held together and bound with each couple’s own special cords as they make their vows. Love letters in a box A couple can write a love letter to one another, telling each other why they fell in love, what they still love about them and what each other’s future hopes and dreams are. The sealed letters are placed inside a box to be opened and enjoyed on a future anniversary. Love lock There are bridges all over the world where lovers have placed their padlocks and thrown away the keys. Couples can find a spot in their garden, or a sentimental place to them, to attach their padlocks as they speak their vows, locking the love. Personal vows or special poems Imagine declaring personal vows, or a sentimental poem, in an intimate setting. Partners can share special words, written from the heart and committing to a future with the person who loves them the most in the world. Loving cup Consider sharing a quaich (which is a two-handled drinking cup) for the first toast. Couples can hold the cup between them taking three sips each - the first to toast the love that brought them together, the second for the love they celebrate on the day and the third for the love that carries them into their future.

Lynn Tierney Ceremonies | 07495 417 589 http://lynntierneyceremonies.co.uk www.facebook.com/LynnTierneyCeremonies www.instagram.com/lynntierneyceremonies

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MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

Please can you give us some ideas for music at our micro wedding?

Meet the expert: Ella Timms is the Content Writer at Entertainment Nation, one of the UK’s leading entertainment agencies for fi nding, and hiring, a band for weddings and events.

Ella says: Having an intimate wedding doesn’t mean missing out on amazing entertainment! If you’re searching for a unique and memorable wedding band, an acoustic duo or soloist are both fantastic options. As they require minimal equipment, they’re ideal for a small venue, and their acoustic sound will bring any party to life without overwhelming your guests.

A DJ is also a brilliant choice - a smaller guest list means everyone can get involved, making requests and enjoying the type of music that everyone wants to hear. Why not curate a personalised list of favourite tunes to be played throughout the evening? Their equipment typically only requires three metres by two metres of space, so will fi t into any venue with ease.

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Entertainment Nation | 0800 53 000 35 www.entertainment-nation.co.uk www.facebook.com/EntertainmentNation www.instagram.com/entertainmentnationuk

www.leeshawilliamsphoto.com

YOUR DAY, YOUR WAY

Please can you give us some styling ideas for our small intimate wedding?

Meet the expert: Elizabeth Wong is a wedding and event stylist and the founder of Elizabeth Weddings. She offers bespoke venue styling, design and hire at weddings and events throughout Oxfordshire, Bristol and the Cotswolds.

Elizabeth says: A venue stylist can help make a wedding look extra-special, researching elaborate place settings featuring beautiful crockery, charger plates, cutlery and much more.

Even with a small wedding, hiring a venue stylist can give couples peace of mind and remove some of the pressure on the day itself. They can help design and coordinate all the fi ner details, ensuring that everything is perfect. The styling or decorations shouldn’t be sacrifi ced with a micro wedding – it should still look like a dream day and one way of doing this is by using large statement centrepieces that create the wow factor!

At Elizabeth Weddings, we offer bespoke styling and décor packages and accommodate smaller celebrations. I feel that with intimate weddings, the couple and I can focus more on the fi ner details to make the day feel extra-special.

Elizabeth Weddings | 07922 857 295 www.elizabethweddings.co.uk www.facebook.com/elizabethweddings www.instagram.com/elizabethweddings_

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SUITED AND BOOTED

My groom-to-be wants something a bit different and super-stylish for our wedding. Where should he shop?

Meet the expert: Dean Anderson is the owner of Saint Crispin Bespoke Menswear based in Northampton, easily reached from Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. They offering high-quality, made-to-measure suits using fabric sourced from heritage manufacturers where animal welfare and the environment are a priority.

Dean says: Whether it’s a James Bond-inspired tuxedo or stylish three-piece suit, grooms want to feel comfortable and confi dent on their wedding day. That goes for the fathers and groomsmen, too. They can all wear versions of the same suit to keep everyone in unison, but with slight variations to show their personal style.

You’d be surprised with how much versatility you can get out of one durable suit and with 67 different fabric combinations to choose from, you’re spoilt for choice. When temperatures soar, remain cool and composed at a summer wedding in a lightweight tailored suit – you can buy a summer-weight suit even in winter!

It’s important to look smart even when you remove your jacket so choose beautiful accompaniments such as matching waistcoats, fi tted shirts with embroidered cuffs or even a bespoke jacket lining to complement the colour theme. Every garment can be personalised with a date and initials for that extra-special touch.

Here at Saint Crispin Bespoke Menswear, we make sure your high-quality suit fi ts impeccably while being 100 per cent individual for the biggest day of your life.