Something you can never accuse Ellie and Lucy of is being ordinary, their vision of the perfect wedding was potentially problematic as they are very different and both wanted a ceremony that reflected their individual personalities, Ellie is calm, elegant and confident and Lucy is exuberant, boisterous and also quite shy. This in mind, they were struggling to see how to make it work for both of them. They found me on the Canal Street Website and by the time they contacted me neither were really holding out much hope that they could have a ceremony that they could be completely happy with.
A Sense of Completeness
When we met, both women were completely honest about their desire for a ceremony that would celebrate their different identities, and I could sense they were becoming despondent. As we chatted it was easy for me as an outsider to see how they actually blend well together and as our conversation turned to their relationship, I was getting a clear idea of how I was going to write their ceremony and I felt honoured that they had asked me to be a part of this most important rite of passage.
Embracing their Uniqueness
New Years’ Eve is the perfect wedding date as it is a time that you can celebrate new beginnings and make promises that will last not just for a year, but your whole lifetime through. The ceremony began to the tranquil and beautiful strains of ‘Everybody’s free, (to feel good)’ Lucy entered on the arm of her dad Rick, followed by Eleanor supported by her dad, Philip. As they stood in front of me, there was an almost tangible sense of calm as both women began to relax, their guests settled into the quietness that only comes with anticipation, this was no ordinary wedding. This super cool twosome broke with tradition by wearing black and gold, each of them had chosen wedding outfits that suited their personalities and they looked stunning.
Opening the Circle
Symbolic elements such as Unity Candles are a beautiful way to symbolise not only Eleanor and Lucy in their uniqueness but also of each of their families and friends, honouring those past and present. Their mums Sarah and Madeleine, lit a taper candle each, followed by Lucy and Eleanor. The candles burned throughout the ceremony casting the warm glow of their love as they celebrated their relationship in front of the people who mean the most to them.
O Mistress Mine
There are many ways to include your family in the ceremony, another way is for them to read a poem or a reading, before I shared Eleanor and Lucy’s love story, Lucy’s sister Hanna, read Shakespear’s O Mistress Mine, which has deep significance in their relationship. Another way is to bring the dog, And why not, Eddie is part of the family, a team of three.
Lucy and Eleanor’s Love Story
When they met, Eleanor was in full throttle in life spending time between work, playing rugby, and in the pub socialising. Lucy was in party mode and not necessarily looking for a life partner, so when their worlds collided it was a big eye opener for both of them. They say that their first date was the world’s best first date ever, they met in London, and planned to go to the opening night of the Flat Iron restaurant and it didn’t take them long to work out that they had a lot in common and saw the world in the same way. Shortly after Eleanor had to go on holiday and you know how it is…., that thrill of sending texts and the anticipation of waiting for a reply, the long phone calls that you never want to end… something was definitely happening here…
Creating a ceremony by the telling of a story is a wonderful way to celebrate, and for families and friends to hear their story, (there is always something we don’t know) and just the same as in any other romance, they have worked hard on this relationship and themselves, it has been a time of learning and growth, they spend a lot of time together and miss each other when they are apart, the times of separation make them stronger, they are good at being a partnership but not needing to do everything together, their independence is never an issue and between them there is unquestioned trust and loyalty. Their family has grown with the introduction of their dog, the gorgeous Eddie, (and doesn’t he know it!) and rest of their story is their business.
Personal Vows and Heartfelt Promises
The women had written their own vows and took turns in making their promises to each other, hankies were in abundance! Their brothers Tom and Chris handed them their wedding rings and they sealed their vows with a simple and beautiful statement of their love and unity before signing the certificate that testified to the celebration of their relationship as ‘Satisfied’ by Hamilton played out in the background.
The Kiss ~ Mwah!
What better way to seal your vows than with a kiss, after which Eleanor’s brother Chris read ‘Oh the places you’ll go’ by Dr Zeuss.
‘Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the ones who’ll decide where to go’.
Closing the Circle
They each pick up a taper candle and light the centre candle to show the world that they are indeed, one light burning brightly in the darkness. Their ceremony ended in a huge round of applause and by Lucy making the most of the confetti, not so shy now!
It was a beautifully unique ceremony, no doubt followed by a wondeful night of dancing and having fun (debauchery) as only Lucy and Eleanor can do, I’m sure their lives will be filled with love, laughter and lots cuddles from the lovely Eddie.
Thank you Lucy and Eleanor for a fantastic testimonial
Credit to the Team
Jenny and her fantastic team at Didsbury House Hotel as always made sure everything ran like clockwork, thank you!
A massive thank you Andy and Jo from Drew Findlay Photography for being great to work with and for the amazing image
You do meet some lovely people in this work xx
Liz Thompson is a Family Celebrant based in Manchester in the UK and working across the North West of England, Liz creates unique and personal ceremonies and services for life events such as Weddings, Civil Partnerships, Baby naming, Vow Renewal and many more.
