Unity Candle Ceremony

Unity Candle Ceremony

by | Sep 19, 2021 | Ceremony Ideas

Photo Gallery – Ceremony Candles

Some of the photographs I’ve taken of wedding candles in various settings, so you can see the effect of the various styles.  With me as your Celebrant/Solemniser, quality dripless candles in ivory are included as standard.   White or colored candles can be provided by special request, with plenty of notice. 

Or, if you prefer – you may order your own printed wedding candles from your choice of supplier.  Grey “rustic” candles pictured above left, are available for sale as an optional extra.

There is something very special about lighting candles at the commencement of your wedding ceremony.  Whether you are religious or not, you can’t deny that candles do create that kind of relaxing vibe that really sets the tone for the quality of the cermony.

Candle Unity Ceremony Example Script
– For the Couple

Modern version written by Rev Sharon Q.

——

Partner1 & Partner2 have chosen to commence their marriage ceremony with the lighting of candles in honour of their special day.

In a moment, Partner1 & Partner2 will each light an individual candle, to represent the light that shines within each of them.

As Partner1 & Partner2 light their individual candles, they will also honor the unique and special qualities which make each of them who they are. 

Once their individual candles are alight, Partner1 & Partner2 will use their individual candles to light their third, larger Unity candle together.

As Partner1 & Partner2 blend their individual flames to light their Unity candle, they will each honour and celebrate the power of their separate lights to ignite a common flame of friendship, love, commitment and lifelong happiness together.

They will also celebrate not only the joining together of their lives in marriage, but also the joining together of two families.

Partner1 & Partner2 would you like to come forward to light your candles?

Music:  As selected

 

Candle Unity Ceremony Example Script
– With the Mothers Included

Modern version written by Rev Sharon Q.

——

Partner1 & Partner2 have chosen to commence their marriage ceremony with the lighting of candles in honour of their special day.

In a moment, Partner1’s mother [name] & Partner2’s mother [name] will each light an individual candle, to represent the light that shines within Partner1 & Partner2 since they were each brought into the world.

As [Name] & [Name] light the individual candles for Partner1 & Partner2, they will also honor the unique and special qualities which make Partner1 & Partner2 who they are. 

Once their individual candles are alight, Partner1 & Partner2 will use their individual candles to light their third, larger Unity candle together.

As Partner1 & Partner2 blend their individual flames to light their Unity candle, they will each honour and celebrate the power of their separate lights to ignite a common flame of friendship, love, commitment and lifelong happiness together.

They will also celebrate not only the joining together of their lives in marriage, but also the joining together of two families.

Partner1 & Partner2 would you like to come forward to light your candles?

Music:  As selected

Can a Celebrant Legally Marry You in Ireland?

Can a Celebrant Legally Marry You in Ireland?

by | Sep 9, 2021 | Latest News

This question is causing a lot of confusion with couples in Ireland.  Can a celebrant legally marry you in Ireland?  The answer is – not all Celebrants in Ireland are authorised to conduct legal marriages.  For your wedding ceremony to be a legal marriage, your Celebrant must be a Registered Solemniser of Marriages – duly authorised by the HSE. 

Registered Solemnisers are the Celebrants who represent the Government in their capacity as Solemnisers of legal marriage.  Each Registered Solemniser is required to have extensive training over a number of years along with an impeccable knowledge and experience of all aspects of the requirements of the Marriage Act. 

Celebrant is a general term which describes a person who conducts a ceremony of any kind.   Any member of the public can conduct a ceremony as a celebrant, but not every celebrant can conduct a legal marriage ceremony. 

Wedding Celebrants in Ireland can be classified into one of the following two categories:

  1.  Those who are Registered to Solemnise legal marriages, known as Registered Solemnisers, and
  2.  Lay Celebrants –  those who conduct wedding ceremonies which don’t have any legal standing, because Lay Celebrants aren’t authorised by the government to Solemnise legal marriage.   Many Lay Celebrants do indeed conduct beautiful ceremonies.  However, if you engage a Lay Celebrant to conduct your wedding ceremony, you won’t be legally married.   In order to be legally married, you will also need to attend a Civil Registration office with your witnesses on another day to be married with a Registry office marriage.

In fact in my home country of Australia, it is illegal for a Lay Celebrant to conduct a wedding ceremony for a couple who are not already legally married.   Here in Ireland (at this time) there is no such law,  however with so much confusion brought about by the surge in the number of Lay celebrants now calling themselves “Registered Celebrants”, it is inevitable that will change sometime in the not too distant future.

If your wish is to be legally married in Ireland, with a unique and meaningful ceremony designed to your own requirements, with your beloved family & friends with you as your witnesses, your best choice is to find a Celebrant (like myself) who is not only able to create a unique & personalised ceremony to your exact wishes, but who is also duly authorised and Registered to Solemnise legal marriages. 

Your ceremony will only be Religious if you are married in a Church which prohibits interfaith marriages or if your marriage is conducted by a Registered Solemniser who is required to talk about their Religion and its beliefs during your ceremony,   With a non-denominational Holistic Minister like myself as your Celebrant, your ceremony will be a non-Religious ceremony if that’s what you wish.  The true evidence of this can be seen on your legal marriage certificate, where there is no mention of any Rites & Ceremonies taking place, (as there is with a Religious ceremony) or any mention of the name of any Religion or Church (as there is with a Religious ceremony).

Your marriage ceremony can also be a Spiritual Ceremony, Mixed faith ceremony, or Spiritual with a religious feel, or any combination in between!  If your family has a Pastor, he/she can take part in your ceremony and give you a blessing, you are limited only by your imagination.

With so many Registered Solemnisers in Ireland, who can conduct legal marriages, your job is to find a Solemniser who you get along well with and who shares your beliefs. (pick me!).  The ceremonial services provided by each Solemniser is very much unique to their own character and individual style – it’s up to you to find the Marriage Solemniser who is right for you, you need to do the job interview!.

Civil Ceremony

Here in Ireland you can choose to pay an extra fee to the HSE and book a HSE Civil Registrar to attend your wedding venue outside of office hours, to conduct a Registry Office marriage there for you, also known as a “Civil Ceremony”.   This is the standard government non-religious ceremony and is perfect for those who don’t wish to have a unique ceremony designed to their wishes, and who don’t wish to include any Spiritual or Religious elements.  

A Civil Ceremony in Ireland is not the same as a Civil Ceremony in Australia, where the meaning of a Civil Ceremony is a ceremony designed to your own wishes by a Celebrant who is self employed.  The Marriage Act in Australia is very different in that regard.  Here in Ireland a Civil Ceremony is a Registry Office Marriage, a standard government ceremony, conducted by an employee of the HSE Civil Registration Office,  The Civil Ceremony in Ireland is short and simple without any fuss.  Perfect for those who prefer this option.

How to Find Your Celebrant

Some of the best ways to find your Celebrant/Solemniser include asking your friends about any memorable and remarkable weddings they have attended in Ireland, or ask your wedding venue to recommend you a Registered Solemniser who conducts a lot of ceremonies with them.  Of course you can use website search for your wedding venue and the word “Solemniser” eg. “Dromoland Castle Solemniser” and see what comes up, see how much effort they have made to ensure their website is presentable and informative.

Of course I’d love to speak with you about your ceremony requirements, I would be honoured to work with you.  But I realise choosing Celebrant is a very important decision you must make for yourself after meeting up in person, or by Zoom or by having a good chat on the phone.  You should never cut corners by missing this vital step to interview your potential Solemniser/Celebrant to make sure they are right for you.

Most of the time, couples just don’t realise that there is an abundance of Celebrants in Ireland (like myself) who are Registered to Solemnise legal marriage, and that they should spend a little more time looking for the right one.  With the abundance of Marriage Solemnisers and gorgeous wedding venues, it’s now a wonderful time to be legally married in Ireland! 

Celebrant Guarantee

As a valued member of the Enchanted Ceremonies group of Holistic Ministers & Celebrants there is always a backup Celebrant on hand in case of an unforeseen emergency - this is your Celebrant guarantee!

Your Special Day

If you believe your ceremony should be an important part of your special day, no matter how big or small your ceremony wishes may be, you have found the right place.

If you would like a ceremony as unique as you are - created to suit your own style, please don't hesitate to get in touch so I can answer any questions you might have - and to find out if I am available on your big day.  I would be honoured to work with you!

Surprise Announcement! 100 Guests At Weddings from August 5th

Surprise Announcement! 100 Guests At Weddings from August 5th

by | Jul 29, 2021 | Latest News

Are couples getting married in Ireland in August 2021 now celebrating yesterday’s government announcement with a sigh of relief ? Or are they distraught because they’ve already reduced their guest list to 50 and sent out expensive replacement invitations ? 

There is no point allowing yourself to be distressed over a situation such as this which you cannot control, especially for one of the most important days of your lives.   While we are in the midst of a declared pandemic state of emergency, there will be many government decisions made last-minute based on evidence they have on hand at the time.

Most couples who originally booked with me to be married in August 2021 have already postponed their weddings to 2022 long ago, so at this present time I do have good availability for August 2021 so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about the latest government announcment here on RedFM

The best thing to do always is go with the flow, this situation is a very good test of our psychic strength and our ability to remain calm in any situation, it really is.  For last minute invitations, have you thought of sending an e-Invitation? 

A few years ago I prepared an e-Invitation at the request of an Irish couple who lived abroad and were inviting all their wedding guests from various places throughout Europe.  I created the e-Invitation in the style of a movie or theatre box-office ticket.  This e-Invitation has come in handy for many couples over the past year.

My e-Invitation design is shown below:

Celebrant Guarantee

As a valued member of the Enchanted Ceremonies group of Holistic Ministers & Celebrants there is always a backup Celebrant on hand in case of an unforeseen emergency - this is your Celebrant guarantee!

Your Special Day

If you believe your ceremony should be an important part of your special day, no matter how big or small your ceremony wishes may be, you have found the right place.

If you would like a ceremony as unique as you are - created to suit your own style, please don't hesitate to get in touch so I can answer any questions you might have - and to find out if I am available on your big day.  I would be honoured to work with you!

Your Essential Irish Wedding Checklist

Your Essential Irish Wedding Checklist

by | Jun 15, 2021 | Latest News

How to Get Married in Ireland

Are you recently engaged and ready to begin planning your big day?  Congratulations!  Are you the kind of person who likes to be super-organised?  Planning your wedding can be super-easy if you make yourself the a list to work from. 

Or if you are the kind of person who rather someone else do all the “legwork”, you can hire a Wedding Planner to take care of the essentials for you. 

If it is less than 18 months to your wedding date, here are the steps to follow before you do anything else:

Essentials – To Do First

First things first.  You will need to make an appointment with your nearest HSE office to lodge your Intention to Marry form.  This will cost you €200 and must be done at least 3 months before your wedding date, and no more than 12 months before.  You will be asked to complete the “Capture of Data” form to take with you to your appointment.

A link to the latest HSE “Capture of Data Form” direct from the HSE website can be found here.  The link to the this form can also be found on my secure Client Area page.

In order to complete your “Capture of Data” form for your HSE appointment will need the following important details:

  • Your wedding date.
  • Name of your wedding venue
  • Name & address of your celebrant who is a duly HSE authorised & Registered Solemniser of Marriages.   If you would like your wedding ceremony to be a legal marriage, it is essential that your celebrant is correctly registered with the HSE. (pick me!) 
  • The names and date of birth of your two legal witnesses 18+ years of age

If all your details are complete, at your Notification appointment you will be provided with your “Green Folder” containing your official Marriage Registration Form (MRF).  Your MRF from your green folder is the document to be signed during your ceremony, which must be returned to the HSE office within 30 days to complete the registration of your marriage. 

Once Your Essentials are Confirmed

Once you have confirmed your wedding date with both your celebrant/solemniser and you can proceed and book the remaining essentials while you wait for your HSE appointment.

Or, if you prefer to hire a Wedding Planner to organise the following and more, you can do that now.

 

  • The Dress
  • Bridal Party
  • Cake – Wedding Cake
  • Ceremony Music/musician(s)
  • Flowers – you may wish to include: Bridal bouquet, Bridal party flowers, Mothers of the bride flowers, Ceremony table flowers (this can double as a decoration for your head table at the reception)
  • Hair & Makeup
  • Honeymoon
  • Invitations –  Calligrapher ?
  • Photo Booth
  • Photographer
  • Reception Music/Wedding band
    Tip:  You will save a lot of money if you book your wedding band direct.
  • Suits
  • Videographer
  • Anything else you would like to include on your big day, to help make your day special.

Celebrant Guarantee

As a valued member of the Enchanted Ceremonies group of Holistic Ministers & Celebrants there is always a backup Celebrant on hand in case of an unforeseen emergency - this is your Celebrant guarantee!

Your Special Day

If you believe your ceremony should be an important part of your special day, no matter how big or small your ceremony wishes may be, you have found the right place.

If you would like a ceremony as unique as you are - created to suit your own style, please don't hesitate to get in touch so I can answer any questions you might have - and to find out if I am available on your big day.  I would be honoured to work with you!

Get in Touch ..

Wedding Ceremony Design – When is the Right Time for that Kiss?

Wedding Ceremony Design – When is the Right Time for that Kiss?

by | May 26, 2021 | Ceremony Ideas, Latest News

Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels

Designing your personalised and unique marriage ceremony with the help of a creative celebrant sure can be lots of fun!   Adding your own special touches and ceremony ideas.  But one question that sometimes asked is where in the ceremony do you have your first kiss as a married couple?

Some may advise you to have your kiss right after your marriage vows. The reason for this is because that’s when you are technically married.

But I don’t recommend this myself.  I believe that for maximum meaning to your ceremony and for maximum effect, it’s much better to have your first kiss as a married couple at the very END of your ceremony.  Right after you are pronounced married. 

If you can imagine the moment, your ceremony has been so beautiful and it’s about to come to a close, and I say to you “I now pronounce you husband & wife, (or married), you may seal your marriage with a kiss!”.

As you are kissing and your guests stand and cheer, your final music starts playing, your photographer is snapping away, that’s the magic moment in your ceremony that you just don’t want to miss!  That, to me – is the essence of a true 5-star ceremony.

But remember, there is no right or wrong way, Where you kiss in your marriage ceremony is completely up to you, It’s your ceremony and you are the design director all the way.

If you would like to kiss after your marriage vows, there is no reason why you can’t kiss again at the very end of your ceremony if you really want to kiss right after your marriage vows.   But – it doesn’t ever have the same effect.

Celebrant Guarantee

As a valued member of the Enchanted Ceremonies group of Holistic Ministers & Celebrants there is always a backup Celebrant on hand in case of an unforeseen emergency - this is your Celebrant guarantee!

Your Special Day

If you believe your ceremony should be an important part of your special day, no matter how big or small your ceremony wishes may be, you have found the right place.

If you would like a ceremony as unique as you are - created to suit your own style, please don't hesitate to get in touch so I can answer any questions you might have - and to find out if I am available on your big day.  I would be honoured to work with you!

Check My Availability ...