Tell them your story.....your way!

I was gently reminded today..........of the power of story telliing!

Stories bring people to life.
Stories let our imagination run wild.
Stories help us to tell people what really happens in our lives.
 
Whenever I conduct planning sessions or meetings with families about big life events, celebrations and ceremonies........I use story telling as my main medium of inquiry.

If any Celebrant walks into your house with a structured questionnaire.....show them the door!

Tell them your story......your way!

x Carole

It's that time of year to bring in the Daffodils!

 

You may or may not know this poem!

But here's the famous Wordsworth's Daffodils.......................and it's that time of year when many people bring it into their celebrations.

It fits any ceremony........and any person who has a love for these early rays of sunshine!

Happy Spring time!

XCarole

https://wordsworth.org.uk/daffodils.html

 

A bottle of red wine.......just when you least expect it!

I had a wonderful surprise today.............I was awarded a bottle of red wine!

I'm a member of the Women in Rural Enterprise network (www.wireuk.org) and regularly attend the different networks around the West Midlands. 

Their networks are a great way to meet other women in business and hear their successes and challenges!  I always leave with a few golden nuggets that help me to grow my company and expand my brand and reputation.

Last year, I attended the local Cheshire WiRE network and was invited to give a presentation about my business, Sincere Moments.  I covered all those things that help people to understand what my product is and why I do what I do!  Namely:

• Why I chose to become a Celebrant
• What I enjoy most!
• How I'm growing my business
• My Values and Ambitions
• Tips and advice for other WiRE members

So imagine my delight today, when I received a bottle of red wine from Sue Roberts, the network leader from the Cheshire WiRE network.  It was awarded for the best presentation given at the Cheshire network meetings during 2012!

And here we are today......having a little radio exposure at a local radio station during our meeting........with a bottle of wine in hand!

Thank you so much Sue!

XCarole

You've said 'Yes.....I Will!' to that most elusive question of marriage - What Next?

So it's that most romantic day of the year................and you've said yes!

 

You've been here before though...................and this is the second or third time that you're getting married!

 

I’m delighted to introduce an amazing and award winning Wedding Planner to you – Julie Dawson, the founder and owner of a West Midlands based wedding planning service – The Wedding Genie www.theweddinggenie.co.uk

Julie and I have been chatting about our wedding experiences and how it’s all in the preparation!  We got talking about those of you, who are marrying for the 2^nd or 3^rd time……or more!  
 

So if this Valentines, brings you an unexpected proposal……….and you say yes!................How about making your next wedding the best experience it can be!  Weddings aren’t just about the day itself…….they’re all about the preparation and attention to detail beforehand.  And that’s where hiring a Wedding Planner can really make a difference for you!

 

Julie shares some of the top reasons why using a Wedding Planner should be your number 1 priority.  She also knows her industry inside out and knows all the short cuts and key contacts.

She started her business in 2009 and is going from strength to strength in being recognised as the first port of call for weddings and civil partnerships.  And to top it all, she’s recently won the regional West Midlands Wedding Planner in the Wedding Industry Awards.

So if you’ve had a proposal……and you’ve said yes…………again!............take a peek into Julie’s blog to see why contacting a Wedding Planner, might be the first phone call you make.
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Wedding Planning The Second Time Around!

Congratulations! It’s valentines and your man got down on one knee and popped the question! Lucky you! 

You have been bitten with the wedding planning bug - BUT in this case you have been there before and although your first wedding was lovely, looking back you were younger and perhaps you didn’t have as much say in the wedding as you might have liked. Maybe the budget was not under your control so you felt you had to accept ideas and plans which you were not truly happy with. 

Well give a little shriek of delight because this time it is all about the both of you! You plans are completely under your control and you know exactly what you want and more importantly what you don’t. You also understand how quickly the day goes so you want to be sure to enjoy every moment. HEAVENLY! 

BUT where do you start? You have a demanding job and maybe a young family. Your work life balance is not the best, so planning the wedding of your dreams somehow has to get shoe horned into the few free hours you have in a week. What hours I hear you say. Maybe I do need help but from someone that will never hijack my ideas or me. ! Yikes more tricky than you thought! 

Well help is at hand in the form of a wedding planner! No! I can hear you say! Shouldn’t I be able to do this myself? I am a capable organised lady. I know what I want when I close my eyes I can see the vision of my wedding day very clearly. I have a budget worked out and know what I want to spend.  BUT? Now I just need the time to sit down for a few days and research brilliant reliable suppliers and book everyone. Not to mention shop for a wedding dress, plan my budget, and do all the other 101 things that wedding planning demands. 

A wedding planner can take on all those tedious tasks and free up your time. I find most of my couples have busy working lives. They are more than capable of planning their wedding but just don’t have the time! That’s where a wedding planner like me is invaluable. We give you time to do the things that you really want to do. It’s like having your own PA to call upon whenever you need to. They will give you ideas and inspiration to help bring that dream you have in your head to reality. Help you budget and find you a perfect team to work with.

Suddenly the mammoth task of days spent phoning and surfing around for suppliers instantly disappears and in it’s place - Hey presto! A list of the most fabulous wedding suppliers appears. You get to choose who you want from a list of people that suit your budget, personality and need! What’s more because of the relationship they have you know the price is fair, you might even get a discount because of using the planner! 

Someone is always at the end of the phone for advice. You are given a list of things to do to keep on track. That payment you forgot about – thank goodness the wedding planner just reminded you. Contracts! Who has time for those? No worries a good planner will read through them and point out anything to be queried or changed. 

The personal touch. Things have changed so much and you want many personal details injecting into your wedding day. It has to reflect you both; you are older and wiser and know your style and personalities. A good wedding planner will guide you and advise you. No one is going to take over! They should give you ideas you had not thought of that are original and match what you want to portray without railroading you into something different. 

Wedding planning can be very stressful. There is much to do and organise. Suppliers want to know a million things about timings, venue access, the who, what, where and how? 

Pass this on to the wedding planner – let them take the stress it’s what they do. You are left to enjoy the journey, work with fabulous people, whilst staying on budget and getting what you want. Stay in control and feel like you planned the wedding. 

In the run up and on the day itself you have time to enjoy every moment without worrying about set up of décor, paying suppliers, timings or anything! Get dressed and pampered then let an expert guide you through the day seamlessly and unobtrusively. You are the centre of attention! 

Don’t be bogged down with details, tasks and stress, just enjoy every minute from the time your engagement starts until the end of your wedding day!  

On your honeymoon when you reflect on your wedding this time around you’ll know it was exactly what you both wanted, you got to enjoy the whole day without stress too. I would love to help you with your wedding plans. Call or email me for a chat. 

And here’s a snapshot of a recent wedding that Julie did for a couple who were marrying for the 2^nd time………….photography courtesy of www.johastingsphotography.co.uk

 

 

Loved Guest Blogging for the photographer who captured my own Wedding Ceremony!

Almost 2 years ago and by chance, I met a local photographer by the name of Kim Shaw! (www.kimshawphotography.co.uk)

Little did I know at the time...........but she was to be more than a photographer who would provide me with my portrait pictures for my new web site....................In fact she became my photographer for my own wedding back in June 2012! 

I just liked her style, her relaxed approach and her passion for flexibility and professionalism.  I knew she was the right person to be with us on our wedding day and I simply wouldn't have asked for anyone else!  

So I was delighted when she asked if I'd blog for her..............to explain a little more about the role of Civil Celebrants and how they're performing personalised Wedding Ceremonies all across the UK. 

Here's the link to the blog, which gives you some insights into how a Civil Celebrant, can give you a most personalised and unique Wedding Ceremony:

http://blog.kimshawphotography.co.uk/?p=27

So if you're looking for a photographer that covers the Staffordshire, Shropshire or Cheshire borders................and who will put you at ease.........capture the essence of your wedding and just calmly bring it all together for you on the day................then get in touch with Kim!

The 'Just in Case' choice for religion!

"I'm not a Humanist............that was just too black and white for me...........I trained to become a Civil Celebrant!"

That means, that if families or couples want to put an element of religion into the ceremonies I design and take, then it's absolutely fine to do so.  Looking back on all the funeral services I wrote and took in 2012.........just over 65% of them had some form of religion in ........either a reading.....a prayer......or a hymn.

And their reason for doing so on many occasions?..........."Just in Case.......you never know!"

So people may choose not to have a member of the clergy standing up delivering belief systems but they may still want some comfort, peace, assurance.......or whatever we want to call it........at the very last hurdle! 

Very often, I'm introduced to families as someone who takes secular, non-religious services.  And for many that's appropriate and apt.  Yet when I let families know that they can in fact put something spiritual or religious into the service, they seem to readily make their choices..........and 65% of the time......choose to do so!

I've said before, that I don't think the world is so black and white - that we can say whether we're either religious or not religious.  I think those belief systems that go to the heart of who we are, they're much more debatable........and they swing on the pendulum every day!

But does that matter? 

If we want to put something into a ceremony "Just in Case" because that's how we feel today.......doing what we're doing:.......then in my world......that's fine!

Delighted to Guest Blog for 'The Wedding Genie'!

Well a happy new year to everyone and I hope your January is moving things along nicely in your life and your personal dreams!

I was delighted to be asked by Julie Dawson, owner and found of a Staffordshire based  Wedding Planning service www.theweddinggenie.co.uk to contribute a blog for her.

Julie provides a really good all round Wedding Planning service - and the best bit about how she works - is that she's superbly connected to other services that supply the wedding industry.  So when she asked if I would say a little about the Wedding Ceremonies I take  and how a Celebrant works - I jumped at the chance!

Here's the blog which is on Julie's site http://theweddinggenie.co.uk/2013/01/11/want-to-write-your-own-wedding-vows-or-even-your-ceremony/  It gives you a feel for how my Wedding Ceremonies run...............but I also share an insight into my own Wedding Ceremony in 2012.......and how I used the services of a brilliant fellow Celebrant, to design and take our Wedding Ceremony....................So I share first hand, my experience of what it feels like to celebrate your marriage using a Celebrant!

Enjoy the blog......enjoy the pictures.......and enjoy thinking about how you could have a Wedding Ceremony like no other bride and groom before you!

XCarole