Southville Celebrant

11/06/2026

We had so much fun creating the wedding ceremony for Alice and Lucas, with so many idea and possibilities. The choices they made in shaping the ceremony were so meaningful, honouring family members with call-backs to wedding ceremonies past.

The celebration began with a ring warming. Alice’s ring originally belonged to her paternal grandmother and had been refashioned from that 1960s wedding ring. Lucas’ ring also held particular family significance, bearing an element from the family crest and matching rings worn by his father and brother. Lucas’s godson Kobi did the most excellent job as ringbearer.

Rather than a reading the couple asked brother George, an accomplished singer, to perform a jazz standard It’s Always You popularised in the 1950s by Chet Baker. You could hear a pin drop.

Following an exchange of rings and wonderfully personalised vows the wedding culminated in a handfasting ceremony, just as Lucas’s grandmother chose when she married in 2012. Seven braids were brought forward by family and friends, and then both mums stepped forward to read the handfasting blessing and help tie the eternity knot.

It was a ceremony filled with love and celebration, beautifully embracing and involving family and friends, and it was an absolute privilege to be part of it.

Congratulations Alice and Lucas.

01/06/2026

Four years as a wedding celebrant, and this was my first two-wedding weekend. Venues in Bristol & Bath, and what very different celebrations they were....

Friday we were in Bristol, Clifton to be precise, with the spectacular backdrop of the Avon Gorge and Brunel's iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, with views from the terrace of the very elegant Avon Gorge Hotel.

Greg the groom is Australian and we had an impressive number of Aussies as guests, with his father and sister visiting the UK for the first time. And didn't the weather do us proud?

Jayne's family are UK-based so we were able to include her niece as flowergirl and nephew in charge of music.

Culminating in a Scottish quaich, we had a little Aussie whisky in the mix, and the UK and Australian clans blending the whiskies for the bride and groom. There may have been a little left over which needed to be "tidied away", but I couldn't possibly comment.

Saturday and near perfect weather for this very special ceremony, in the garden of the family home at Norton St Philip where the bride grew up just south of Bath.

Collective sigh of relief from all involved that the temperature had dropped from last week's 32 deg to a much more agreeable 23 deg. It must be said, seating under the shade of the marquee still proved very popular.

Max and Helena's wedding was the most delightful occasion, with possibly the hardest working bridesmaids I've ever met. Who needs ushers (or groomsmen) when the bridesmaids swing into action like the world's most finely tuned machine?

Bridesmaids and best men were the couple's childhood schoolfriends, some from way back in primary school. They revelled being back in each other's company, as the bride and groom had only returned to the UK from New Zealand six weeks previously.

And the wedding ceremony was topped off with a handfasting - both sets of parents and all siblings brought forward a total of seven braids. The mums then shared reading the handfasting blessing while I helped the couple tie the eternity knot.

It was a joyous celebration of a wedding day, made all the more meaningful by taking place in the family home.

Congratulations Helena and Max, the new Mr & Mrs Cornish!

27/05/2026

https://southvillecelebrant.co.uk/f/giving-the-quaich-an-aussie-twist

Celebrant-led wedding ceremonies come with absolute flexibility, so any rituals or traditions can be included and adapted to suit the couple.

At a wedding in late May, we gave an ancient Scottish tradition a contemporary Australian twist....

Celebrant-led wedding ceremonies come with absolute flexibility, so any rituals or traditions can be included and adapted to suit the couple. At a wedding in late May, we gave an ancient Scottish tradition a contemporary...

16/05/2026

Giving the quaich an Aussie twist....

There are no hard and fast rules with a celebrant-led wedding ceremony, traditions can be embraced and easily adapted.

The Scottish quaich is a wonderful ancient wedding tradition from the Highlands of Scotland. When two clans were joined together through matrimony the union was celebrated with a quaich. Each clan poured a whisky into the double-handled quaich and it was shared among the families to celebrate.

It also had the benefit of ensuring that, as the cup was shared, there was no risk of anybody being poisoned to usurp power. And if you're using both hands you can't draw your sword either.

These days it's all far less dangerous, and worst case scenario we might possibly upset a hardcore highlander by using an Aussie whisky in the mix. But if your groom is Australian it seems only fair and polite. And when there is a Melbourne distillery, not too far from where the groom grew up, well it's a an absolute gift.

And it you like the idea but not the whisky, well one couple chose to mix their rum-based favourite cocktail instead.

Your wedding, your way.

08/05/2026

There's lots new at Arnos Vale Weddings for 2026 and beyond. It's pretty much a year-round wedding venue now and there's lots more flexibility around wedding packages.

You'll find all the details about Bristol's gorgeous green oasis....

I’m a big fan of Arnos Vale as a wedding venue – if you’ve dipped into my blog before that’ll be no surprise to you. It is a fabulously atmospheric venue, a 45-acre green oasis, q wildlife haven with striking Grade II li...

28/04/2026

Been giving the reviews page of my website a little make-over, feel free for a nosey round.

Calm, creative and eloquent wedding celebrant covering Bristol, the West Country and beyond.

03/04/2026

The clocks have gone forward, it’s getting a bit warmer, and a sure sign that Spring is making its presence felt is the annual Arnos Vale Wedding Fair.....

The clocks have gone forward, it’s getting a bit warmer, and a sure sign that Spring is making its presence felt is the annual Arnos Vale Wedding Fair.

04/03/2026

Is there an ideal length for your wedding ceremony?

Let's explore four real-life examples....

It's a question wedding couples often ask - how long should our wedding ceremony be?

11/02/2026

Spring is nearly here, and that means it's the season for wedding showcases....

The first hints of spring make are appearing – snowdrops, lighter evenings, wedding showcases....

07/02/2026

All aboard, 26th February....