Combination ceremonies

It is your day; we make it happen your way!

Every couple wants their marriage ceremony to be unique, special and memorable. Our Combination Ceremonies enable couples to have a small legal ceremony - just you and up to ten guests, followed by the main ceremony of your dreams in front of your friends and family with no restrictions on content or where it can be held.

We would also have to agree it's suitability on health and safety grounds.

Where can we hold our ceremony?

You may wish it to take place in a garden, beside a lake, in a forest, aboard a hot air balloon, canal boat, on a village green, in a marquee on a farm or anywhere else that is special to both of you. Of course you would firstly have to gain permission from the owner of the location to enable your ceremony to take place!

Have you considered our ceremony rooms?

Looking back at all the weddings you have attended over the years you will soon realise that it is not the flowers, cake or even the dress you clearly remember, it is the emotions you felt on the day.

How we can help

Our resources and enormous flexibility will help you to create a ceremony that truly reflects your feelings for each other, a memory that will stay with you forever!

Your ceremony can have traditional, modern or quirky elements the sky's the limit. Working with your celebrant, you can discuss your thoughts and ideas to create a truly unique and personalised ceremony from start to finish.

It is your day, and we make it happen your way!

Hand tying

The tying of hands is a very old traditional ceremony recognised in many cultures which signifies the 'joining together' of a couple or their betrothal. The hands of the couple are clasped and tied together with a cord, scarf or ribbon after they have exchanged their vows with one another. The wrapping of the cord forms symbolises an act of unity, as they bind their lives together.

This perfectly signifies the merging of two families into one new family.

Sand ceremony

In practice, the pouring of different coloured sands into a glass container represents the beauty and complexity of a new bond created when the new family is formed as a result of the marriage. It is an excellent way to involve children in the ceremony. This can be used for a wedding ceremony but is also appropriate for a welcoming ceremony, when family members can also add their own colours of sand into a beautiful keepsake for the child.

The lighting of a unity candle represents the coming together of two families.

Unity candle

One person from each family will light a taper candle (usually the mother or other close relative), and this is then used by the couple to light the larger unity candle together. When the couple use both taper candles to light the larger central unity candle, it signifies the start of their journey together as a married coupled supported by the love and support of each of their families.