It started with a trip to Yarmouth market for loaded fries that were being served as wedding food (spoiler, they were delicious) and it ended with a confetti explosion back down the aisle after the wedding ceremony.
It actually started around 15 years prior when I met Heidi at a show audition, yes dahling, my background is singing and acting, you can probably tell if you have met me. Slightly dramatic most of the time, extremely dramatic the rest of the time. Our friendship started tentative, but soon we were singing "could it be magic" together, taking pictures backstage dressed as dogs and became firm friends.
I told Heidi about my career change, as friends do, in the knowledge that Heidi and Rowan had already booked a religious ceremony. She was interested, but people are always interested in something when you talk so passionately about it. That was that, until she messaged later that evening saying "We have made a decision to book The Sunshine Celebrant, I couldn't think of a more special way to do it". I was absolutely over the bloody moon.
As a business owner, nobody ever tells you about that heart swelling feeling when someone books you, a testimonial comes through, when you explain to someone the joy of independent celebrants, or even when folk reaching out and enquire. The feeling I felt was just out of this world. I was at my parents house, I think it was the end of the summer and I was dancing around outside and chattering away to my mum about all the amazing ideas I had.
At our first meeting I parked up on Heidi and Bob's sofa and we chatted all things wedding and then more specifically their ceremony. It's a daunting thing when you haven't been married before, it's daunting even if you have. One of my first questions is generally, are you looking for a traditional ceremony? Their response was quite traditional, no readings and quite simple. Let me tell you, what we delivered would not be classed as traditional. After asking them all about how they first met, their engagement, milestones and things that annoy each other (yes, it is all part of the process) I started to get an idea of how to piece everything together.
Now, I am not going to go into all the juicy details, but Bob's wooing involved the song Is this the way to Amarillo? and we decided during that meeting, that actually there would be a reading. Bob's friend Bubba would come up and do a serious reading of the song and it would be a surprise for everyone, for maximum impact. The three of us were quite giddy over how fun this would be.
I then wrote the first draft, weaving in their love story, their gorgeous boy Ted and linking marriage to both of their jobs as teachers. When I told them I like to include a section on 'what is marriage?' they decided that we could leave that bit out. I thought I would write something anyway and if they chose to take it out they could..... they wanted to keep it in as soon as they read it.
There were a few parts to iron out, which is what's great about working with an independent celebrant, we can go back and forth until you are happy. On each of my emails I gently reminded them about gaps that needed to be filled. E.g. whether they would be vows in the ceremony, and the exit music.
Heidi and Bob decided against doing their own vows, the thought of their sweaty palms and wavering voices was enough for them to decide against it. So instead I wrote some I do commitments with them and then emailed the both of them and got them to say lovely things about each other which I put in without the other knowing.
I recommended an amazing musician who arranged and recorded an entrance song that Heidi got made for Bob as a surprise. You could feel the emotion radiating from Bob as soon as he clicked what the song was…. He had spent the last 48 hours firing off guesses, luckily he hadn't got it right! So if anyone is looking for something super special and personal then Francesca is who you need to speak to.
Venue set-up and styling Bohemian Events and Array Wedding and Event Hire
Heidi and Bob's wedding was in Norfolk at Raveningham barn : a gorgeous space, which was styled in a laid back boho vibes, witch fairy lights twinkling everywhere. Initially there was plans for the ceremony to be on the grass… plan B was activated when the rain was playing up in the week leading up to the wedding. We decided to use the covered outdoor area, perfect as the rain decided it wasn't up for stopping on their wedding day.
Throughout the ceremony darling Ted was keen to stay with mummy and daddy whilst watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and the ceremony was peppered with laughter and tears, with people commenting at the end they learnt things about them both that they didn’t know.
I'll be honest, I was nervous about the reading, but I needn't have been. Some guests clicked straight away and everyone was soon laughing at what everyone thought was going to be a stuffy poem about love.
Everything about the day felt perfect and it was an honour and a joy to be part of it.
"I had no doubt in my mind that our wedding guests would love what Ashleigh had created just as much as we did and this was evident during our ceremony. A sea of smiles looking back at Rowan and I, intently listening to our story unfold. We had so many comments afterwards saying that they loved Ashleigh and that the ceremony was unique and so different to what they’ve heard before." Heidi - Bride
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