I love a good interview, don’t you? Seeing myself as a bit of an Oprah-meets-Jeremy-Paxman type of girl, who better to interview me, than me? The journalist in me, will have some time out with the ceremony expert in me and hopefully, you’ll love what I dig up about myself. Either that, or I will end up sounding like I have a split personality!
What inspired this blog?
Having spent the last seven years conducting beautiful wedding ceremonies, I’ve not only witnessed a hell of a lot of love, but also witnessed couples marrying in exactly the way that they wanted to be. Personalising every aspect of their ceremony from the music, to their personal vows, their love stories and group sing-alongs. It really has been an amazing journey and I’m so glad to still be a part of many gorgeous wedding ceremonies. This has inspired me to help not only couples whose ceremonies I conduct but also couples who are getting married elsewhere, in whatever country they are in and would love some advice and inspiration for their own ceremony. There’s also the fact that I needed somewhere for all the stuff in my head to go. It was literally going to burst and spew wedding information everywhere until my blog saved me.
Who is this blog for?
My bloggedy blog (my name for my blog, which I should actually just keep to myself!) is for all couples looking to make their wedding ceremony their own. Couples who know they want to have a ceremony that is a true reflection of them, but perhaps are a little unsure of what to do and how to go about doing it. I am a wedding celebrant who conducts ceremonies mainly in Spain, however I feel where I am is irrelevant to the advice that I share. A ceremony is a ceremony, no matter where it is! As it stands I would say that 80% of couples I marry are British (like me), 15% being from other European countries and 5% Americans and Canadians. And my blog seems to be following this pattern too but with a fairer split between the UK and the USA, Canada and Australia.
How does your blog differ to other wedding blogs?
I love wedding blogs. I think there are so many amazing people out there who are doing some really amazing things for the UK and US wedding industries and in inspiring soon-to-be-married couples, wherever they are in the world. Maybe my blog may differ to most in that it only focuses solely on wedding ceremonies and I think there are very few online resources that do just that. Ceremonies are my domain. It’s what I live, breathe and sleep and what I know best, so this is what I want to pour my soul into. If I can help someone through my blog, to think of things that they’ve never thought of before for their ceremony, or to convince them that they can have the personalised ceremony that they’ve always thought about, then that would make me chuffed to bits and beyond.
What do you love about working in the wedding industry?
Everything! Yes, I know, that’s a really lame answer, but seriously, there is a lot to love. I love working with really talented wedding planners and designers, who create the most amazing looking and detailed ceremonies to each couples’ brief. And the photographers I work with, well they are pretty damned incredible. The way they tell stories and the way they capture moments is sensational. On my real wedding posts, as hard as it is for me, I do try to say as little as possible and let their photos speak for themselves. Also, seeing everyone involved in the behind the scenes of a wedding, from hair and make up to caterers, working so hard to produce their best work, is incredible.
It’s also the most beautiful thing in the world to be involved with loved up couples right from the start and to hear their ideas, give them more ideas and then see it all come together on the big day. I just love it! My husband probably not so much, as as you can imagine he gets to hear all the amazing things thats grooms get up to, which I think can translate as me saying he needs to up his game!! Which I’m not saying, of course!! (Maybe a teeny weeny bit!!!)
What is the worst thing that ever happened during a wedding ceremony?
I think I’ve been pretty lucky and not had any major hiccups! But, there was one wedding where an hour or so before the ceremony the couple gave me their beautifully handwritten personal vows so that I could hand them to them at the right time during the ceremony. I put them on my ceremony table, as I was busy setting myself up. I left to get something from my car and when I came back they weren’t there. A gust of wind had scooped them off and they were forty centimetres away from drowning in the venue’s pond. Can I just stress that these were the ONLY copies of the vows!! This was four or five years ago. I can now laugh at this. At the time, I nearly cried and nearly broke my toe chasing two sheets of paper through the hotel garden!! You live and learn. Now I tuck the vows in to my registry book, so that those buggers aren’t going anywhere.
What inspires you personally?
Why have I asked myself such a difficult bloody question!! Mmmh, I don’t know! It can be the most random of things and also the most obvious. My husband is super inspiring and I’m not just saying that to make up for my earlier comments! Forget superman, it’s my boy who’s made of steel. His resolve, his passion, his ingenuity, his commitment to things that he is passionate about, are all so inspiring. I love the way he says he is going to do something and he does. He is self-taught in banjo, ukulele, guitar and harmonica. He is so good at green-lighting his own projects. And so that really inspires me to get myself into action and to stop fannying about, like with this blog. It should have come together years ago but hey-ho, it’s here now!
I also find social media really inspiring, yes I know, strange! But what I mean is, I love the way that stories can be shared so easily and that people can connect. I love that I can check out my Facebook page and watch some incredible videos about some incredible people, which makes me start my day with a smile, but equally, we get to share the sad stuff too, which if nothing, serves to ground me and make me remember what it is that counts in life ie LOVE & FAMILY. I’m also very inspired by success and people’s success stories. I love entrepreneurs and mavericks and hearing about their life journeys. There’s nothing like it for leaving you with that sense of ‘hell yes, I can do a, b, c and d if I want to! And I will!’
What can you be found doing when not immersed in wedding ceremonies?
Sleeping! Oh how I wish. Not now that little man is on the scene. At least our lie-ins, if you call seven o c’lock a lie-in, involve him in between us amusing himself with books and games whilst we try to steal another five minutes of sleep. During the winters, when we are lovely and quiet (my husband also works like a nutcase during the summers) we go for long woodland dog walks, cook loads, drink wine loads, do all our DIY jobs and decorating that we don’t have time to do in the summer and basically do what we can to refresh ourselves ready for a new summer season! We love tv shows too (GoT, Boardwalk Empire, The Walking Dead, Mad Men, Scandal, The Divide, okay I better stop), so the winter is our time to catch up with everything that we’ve missed. We’re known to watch wholes series of shows in a week! Did I mention we love food and wine?
Well, I hope that gives you a little insight into me and what makes my brain tick. I quite enjoyed interviewing myself and may even add some more Q&As when I can think of some.
Thanks for stopping by!
