Enjoy your Day and remember it!

Celebrant Liz Johnston, with the experience of hundreds of weddings under her belt, fondly recalls her own wedding to dispense sage advice for all couples:-

Enjoy Your Day and remember to remember it!
A personal point of view.

I remember my wedding day. Not only do I remember it but I remember waking up on the morning of my wedding and telling myself to enjoy it and remember it. It was over 25 five years ago but I still remember it. I didn’t get married in my hometown but where I settled to live so all my family came to this seaside town to see me tie the knot. It was mainly a family affair and a whole weekend celebration which was not so usual at the time.
We were organised and ready with time to spend time with the two families from the previous day. Pre wedding dinner hosted by my parents was followed by the customary parting of the couple. I spent the night before the wedding at a session in an old man’s pub!!! The morning of the wedding everyone was free to explore this seaside town and take time to walk or get hair done or sit over a leisurely breakfast or coffee.
Me ? I went for a swim in the Atlantic followed by a stroll through an open air market followed by a hot port in another old man’s pub all the while telling myself to enjoy and remember my day. I eventually made it to the hairdresser and then the hotel where all the family were gathered before the ceremony. After some photos we travelled over some bumpy roads to the church and then back again to continue the celebrations. I remember lots of singing. The morning after we all convened to have tea and scones and a post mortem before the drifting off of the company back to life back to reality.
It was a wonderful weekend. It was a time to remember and all who travelled to it still talk about the weekend wedding in the seaside town 26 years ago.
Tips for your wedding. Be organised in order to spend time with family and friends. Remember to enjoy your wedding and remind yourselves to remember it, savour it and treasure it as a wonderful moment in your lives with people you have chosen to celebrate with.
The Americans have a tradition called ‘First Glimpse’ when the groom sees the bride in her dress for the first time an hour or so before the ceremony. Often afterwards they take some photographs together in order to spend more time with their guests at the pre dinner reception. It is a good idea and worth a thought as it leaves you free to spend more time with your guests.
If you have family or elderly relatives travelling on the morning of the wedding, organise some tea and coffee for them before the ceremony.
Assign some family members to help also especially someone to liaise with your celebrant in the event of some last minute details needing attention.
But most of all remember to remember and enjoy it !

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