Blog – Page 2 – Nick Webb Celebrant

Wedding fair top tips

It is no hidden secret that I love exhibiting at wedding fairs. For me they are a fabulous place to meet new potential clients and a chance for me to network with other suppliers that I may get to work with in the future. Wedding fairs are absolute fountains of information and can be a fun way for you to find all the things you might need when planning out your special day. They are also a wonderful place for inspiration too.

Here I’ve laid out some of my top tips for navigating a wedding fair and getting the most out of it!

Bring someone with you
This may seem like an odd place to start but I cannot stress how much of a difference it makes to have a trusted soul by your side when attending these events. Having a family member or friend come with you means you have someone there who can help give opinions, help you gather information, help with decision making, and help bring some fun to the experience. Let’s face it everything is more enjoyable when you’ve got someone you love to share the experience with you.
Have an open mind
Going to a wedding fair with an open mind can mean giving yourself the opportunity to discover something you’d never even thought of. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get inspired by what suppliers have to share with you.
Ask questions
This is so important! Ask, ask, ask!! Ask as many questions as you can because this will give you the chance to gather up as much information as you can. This will really help you to make informed decisions. It is also a good way to either confirm thoughts you’ve already had or to really exclude the things you definitely don’t want. This also leads well into my next point…
Follow up
When you find a supplier you really liked don’t be afraid to follow up with them after the wedding fair. Sometimes we can get caught up in all the excitement of the event and you may get home and find you’ve thought of questions you didn’t get to ask. Following up with suppliers allows you the time to ask those extra or forgotten questions and gives you the best opportunity to get all the information you need. It is also a great way to start a conversation with suppliers on a more personal level with yourself. By emailing or calling after the event you can be sure that your questions are getting the full attention of that supplier, and they can be really specific to what you need!
Dress comfortably
This might seem like an odd tip but its something that isn’t often thought of. Usually wedding fairs will mean lots of walking between suppliers and standing for periods of time talking to different people. My advice is to wear comfortable shoes. One of the last things you want is to get uncomfortable and irritable and have this effect your experience at the fair.
Enjoy yourself
This is probably one of my most important pieces of advice I can give. ENJOY IT!
It is important to remember that attending a wedding fair is a part of your
wedding planning process and you should be able to take the time to enjoy it
and have fun. There are usually hidden elements of pure joy at these events,
and I really do recommend making the most of it. If you can find your perfect
suppliers with a smile on your face, then that in itself is something to be
thrilled about!

Going non-traditional

In recent years the trends of weddings have certainly shifted and more and more people are looking for ways that they can keep their wedding fun but much more non-traditional. Having had the privilege of taking many wedding ceremonies I have been lucky enough to see and experience all kinds of fun quirks at weddings. Why not take a look at few ideas to get you started. Maybe these ideas will help spark your own…

Before the ceremony:
Letters: When creating your unique wedding it can start before you even get to the aisle. Maybe consider writing letters to each other to read before you meet at the end of the aisle. You could even go as far as writing letters to each member of your bridal party, a little personal touch before the days festivities really kick off.

The ceremony
Write your own vows: This one is an easy and perhaps obvious one. If you don’t want the traditional vows and want yours to specific to you as a couple, then perhaps consider writing your own. Don’t worry, as your wedding celebrant this is something I can help you with. Don’t panic you’re not alone!

A mini-ceremony: So, there are many ways you can do this, but you can have a mini-ceremony within your main ceremony. There are so many options for this; wine ceremony, love lock ceremony, hand fasting, sand ceremony. The list goes on. These are all small ways that you can make your wedding ceremony super unique, and we can personise them to fit your theme. If there’s something you’re not sure of then definitely pop me a message and we can discuss what will work best for you!

After the ceremony
Dance out together: You’ve just married the love of your life, you’re officially on cloud nine, so why not dance on out of there! It’s common to choose a nice piece of music to play as you walk back down the aisle as the newlyweds, but why not go for something much more energetic and boogie your way into married life. This is something fun and will keep the energy of the day high. You can always go one better and get your guests to join you in a conga line as a way of filtering everyone out.

The details
Guest book: We all know that it is common to have a guest book available so guests can pop you a little message. Its also a great way of looking back and remembering all the people you had on your special day. But maybe you shouldn’t have book at all. There are so many guest book alternatives out there, from signing puzzle pieces, to painting fingerprints on artwork. This is an area that you really can let your imagination run wild. One of my personal favourites is the phone-booth alternative. Your guests can “phone” and leave you an audio message, something fun for you to listen back to after the big day is all over perhaps.

Animals: Another great way to mix it up is to include animals – only if your venue allows. From puppy dog ring bearers to pet photoshoots this is a lovely way to include the fury family members in your special day. You could even investigate hiring small petting farms as part of your guest entertainment – alpaca petting farms are growing in popularity. Or perhaps you’ve chosen a Harry Potter wedding theme and fancy Hedwig being the one to fly your rings in. No matter what it will make for some spectacular photos!

There really is so much you can do to have your unique and sometime non-traditional wedding and with me as your celebrant we really can explore it all. I always say that the only limit is your own imagination, so if there is something you really want, I will do everything I can to help make that happen for you. One of my favourite things about taking weddings is watching all of the hopes and dreams you had for your special day come together. After all it really is YOUR story, I’m just helping you to tell it!

OH, WHAT A NIGHT!!
Now I’ve taken a moment to let things truly sink in, I’d like to share with you what an amazing night I had at the Suffolk Small Business Awards.

On Saturday 11^th May I got all dressed up in my glad rags and headed over to Trinity Park, Ipswich. Accompanied by my beautiful wife, this was the night to find out the winners of this year’s awards. We were treated to an arrival drink and a truly scrumptious meal as we took our seats and waited for the awards to begin. I was very fortunate to be in a room with so many wonderful small businesses that had each made it as finalists and each one deservedly so. For me it was extra special, not only was I able to take my beautiful wife, Sarah, with me to celebrate we were seated on a table with a very dear friend of mine who had also been nominated in the same category – Denise Brady Photography! For me this meant that I was already having the most wonderful time, filled with delicious food and fabulous company.

It was the most incredible honour to be nominated at the beginning of this year and when I was later contacted and told I had been shortlisted as a finalist, well I can certainly say it was the nicest surprise! I went to these awards with no real expectations whatsoever, I was just extremely grateful to have even been nominated and then shortlisted. To give you just a little background into me and my small business, I started up my celebrant business a little over a year ago now. I spent a week away at the International College of Professional Celebrants completing my training and in June 2023 I received my NONC Level 3 certificate in Civil Celebrancy. Now I was fully qualified I began taking on bookings and soon launched my website for you all to use. I have now completed many ceremonies including, weddings, vow renewals, and funerals – bringing us right up to now.

It is my absolute privilege to be able to say that I was awarded the highly commended in my category – customer care. I came runner up to the most amazing company who were truly deserving of their award! To say that I was shocked would be a complete understatement. For anyone that knows me personally, it’s fair to say that I am never normally lost for words but on this occasion, I truly was! It took me by complete surprise and I can not begin to express my gratitude to all who have supported me. For those that supported me from the very beginning when my business was just a small idea I had, to those who have supported me by using my services, and to everyone in between I would like to say the most heartfelt THANK YOU!!

Without each and everyone of you I simply could not do what I do and to know that I have your support is something I will never ever take for granted. For me it is now time to not only enjoy this moment for me and my business but to carry on and continue to deliver services to you that meet my own high standards. With that in mind it is time for me to go and do just that, as I prepare the final touches for a wedding this weekend!

Once again I would like to say thank you – this award truly is just as much for each of you as it is for me!

Wedding fair

Firstly, congratulations on getting engaged. This is a super exciting time, and you should enjoy every last moment of the journey you’re about to embark on. One thing I thoroughly recommend to all my couples is to attend at least one wedding fair during the planning process. I feel there are many benefits to attending a wedding fair, so let’s explore that together.

The first thing I love about a wedding fair is all the diversity you can find. You might think you have everything down and know exactly what you want but by attending a wedding fair you might just find something you’d never considered before. This is a great opportunity to explore lots of ideas and find exactly the right suppliers to help fit your personality as a couple and help give your big day that extra bit of sparkle. For example, did you know you could have a bouquet made of book pages instead of flowers, or you could have a wine ceremony within your main wedding ceremony, or that you could have pictures taken with your pets – subject to venue permission of course. These are all things you could learn when attending a wedding fair and last-minute sparks might just fly!

The second benefit of attending a wedding fair / show is that I think it saves time if you attend an event that has a wide range of suppliers. Yes, it may all seem a little daunting but once you get into the swing of it you’ll be ok. If you choose to attend a wedding fair that has many different suppliers, then chances are you might just be able to find everything you need in one place.

Wedding fairs are also a fab place for you to put suppliers on the spot, ask them your questions. Ask, ask, ask! This is set to be one of the biggest and most magical days of your life and you want to be certain that you are able to find exactly the right people to help make your dreams come true. This is why it is so important that you are able to ask your questions directly to the supplier you’ll be dealing with and eliminate the chances of any automated messages on the other end of a screen. This way you can get a full and honest experience which may be the make or break when choosing your suppliers.

A firm favourite for me and why I will always love showcasing at wedding fairs / wedding shows is the personal connection I get to make. In this modern day and age, you can do so much online and in the comfort of your own home, but absolutely nothing can beat actually talking to a supplier in person. Messages are great for speed and ease, but it isn’t always easy to get across your true passion for what you do and after all when thinking about your special day you want to be sure you are choosing the very best fit for you! When I meet with my couples, I want them to know not just my passion for my business and what I do, but my passion for them as a couple and for their big day. When choosing a celebrant, you aren’t really just choosing them for the ceremony but you’re choosing someone to be there for you throughout the build up to your wedding day. You can be sure that you will meet with me several times prior to the day itself and you can be certain that yours is my only priority on your chosen date!

Make sure you keep a close eye on my social media pages to find the wedding fairs I’ll be attending. Save the dates and come and say hello, speak to the man behind the accounts today! I can’t wait to meet you!

Wedding Day Wellingtons?

Let’s set the scene, it’s your wedding day and you’ve opted for a field venue. You aren’t afraid of a little mud but want to make your wedding day as quirky as you are. You decide to ditch the traditional bridal heels and instead… wedding day wellies!

So often couples come to me under the impression that they are obligated to conform to the many traditional aspects of a wedding day, but did you know that going for a less traditional route is growing in popularity. As we grow, we are constantly reminded of how unique we are as an individual, but you are also unique as a couple, and so why shouldn’t your wedding day represent your relationship exactly as you are! One of my favourite things is to see a couples uniqueness make its way through in the little details. I was recently asked by a couple how I felt about a wedding being held on a farm, I said “let’s go!” They said, but there will likely be mud, I said “let me grab my wellies!” This led to a roar of laughter from the couple who went on to inform me that they’d laughed themselves about wearing wellington boots on their wedding day, well why not!?

This is one idea that I just love! It’s definitely not traditional but it is practical, and it is a great way of showing of your personality as a couple. And who says it only has to be the bride and groom? Why not make wellies a part of the entire bridal parties wedding day attire? Or maybe you could even make it a request for your quests too! With so many different designs the pops of colour will make for some smashing photos to look back on. And with no one having to worry about their heels sinking into the grass, you and your guests are able to feel even more relaxed throughout the day. This is a fun and practical way of expressing yourselves and I say why not go for it!?

Have you got your own quirky ideas for your big day? Why not pop me a message today and we can chat through all your ideas. I love to be involved whether you’re looking for traditional or something a little bit different, I’d love to hear all about it.

2024 – the Luckiest year to be married

The year of the Wood Dragon occurs in 2024 and according to Chinese Zodiac is considered to be exceptionally lucky. But why? Well, it is believed that it is to do with the positive traits associated with wood, such as growth and flexibility. As well as the magical traits associated with the mythical dragon. It is believed that all of this positivity is likely to flow into the year making for a positive year for happiness and growth – Two traits thought to help in building a strong bond for marriage.

But does this mean it’s a lucky year to be married? Below we’ve listed three reasons why the year 2024 is thought to be one of the luckiest years to tie the knot!

Math,
If you know anything about the Chinese and their beliefs then you will know that the number 8 is believed to be lucky in itself. 2024 when separated actually adds up to add – 2+0+2+4=8 it is believed that the number 8 represents infinite love.
Leap year
This year is a leap year, something that only occurs once every 4 years. A leap year alone is thought to be lucky and there fore marrying during a leap year gives an extra bit of luck to any marriage. It is also the year most commonly known for women being able to break tradition and pop the question to their partners, so even more chances for love this year!
Saturday
Saturdays are the most popular day of the week for a wedding and in 2024 the Chinese New Year falls on a Saturday. It is considered to be a bliss to marry on a Saturday as it is blessed by Saturn – the planet of commitment and marriage.

So there you have it, 2024 is full of lucky reasons to get married so why not leap in. Get in touch today and lets see if I can help you tie the not surrounded by tons of love and luck!