The Wedding
The location
The Princes Room at the magnificent Grand Hotel in Eastbourne was the setting for the marriage of these two wonderful people in May 2025. The Sussex Registrars were happy to perform the legal aspects of the marriage immediately preceeding my ceremony – even kindly handing over and introducing me to the front of the room.
A Symbolic ‘Unity Candle’ prayer
My couple had chosen to include the Unity Candle symbolic action near the beginning of their ceremony. This is a beautiful way to show that their lives are now one, by illuminating a central pillar candle with the two candles which symbolise their individual lives ; however, by keeping their own candles lit, they symbolise the importance of their individual personalities and philosophies. This was enhanced with significant, personally selected readings from Tolkein and CS Lewis.
A souvenir certificate
Even though they had now completed the legal aspects and signed the registrar’s certificate of marriage earlier in the ceremony, I always provide a bespoke souvenir certificate to enhance the civil celebration part of their wedding, which I officiate. On this occasion, the pianist Phil Morton, underscored the signing with Bette Midler’s ‘The Rose’. The certificate was co-signed by both sets of parents.
A great connection between celebrant and clients is vital
With their mutual passion for amateur musical theatre, we had fast established a coincidental connection during our first conversation. They had cemented their relationship journey, having both appeared in a local amateur production of Stiles and Drewes ‘Just So!’ – I was delighted to share that George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the composer and lyricist of this musical were close friends of mine since our university days in Exeter in the early ’80s! Also, I appeared in the very original professional production of ‘Just So!’ in 1984, in Plymouth. And so, with our mutual interest in musicals, it was a joy to work with my couple to create the perfect wedding ceremony.