Midsummer Woodland Wedding at Murthly

Both these fantastic pictures by Anna Urban

Lovely reminder just appeared from this time last year,of this stunning international occasion held for Mila & Christie up in the woods beside Murthly Castle.

The whole event was set to reflect their national colours - including me!
The ceremony was in two languages throughout, with colour coded Orders of Ceremony containing translations of most of the words spoken, so that neither the Portuguese or the English speakers would miss any of the ceremony, should that bit be delivered in the other tongue.

It took a lot of work from Mila to get that all accomplished, but I think if you had asked either of their grandmothers on the day, they would have told you it was well worth the effort!

Whole article and lots more photos in the 'Love my Dress' website can be seen here:  Love My Dress

Harriet & James at the Atholl Palace Hotel

 

Hi Jane,

I hope you are well...It honestly doesn't seem four months since the wedding!

We cannot thank you enough for helping us plan and deliver the most personal and beautiful ceremony...We have had so many compliments from our family and friends about how fantastic you were and we completely agree.

Our aim for the day was to celebrate our marriage with everyone we love but most importantly to have fun! 

We definitely managed that and a few of our photographs really capture the fun side too which I think you will appreciate!!

We could not have asked for someone more engaging, fun and kind to play such an important part in our day. 

With huge thanks and best wishes,

Harriet and James

 

Hi Guys, Lovely to hear from you, and Lovely photos - thank you so much for sending them through.  I can't quite believe that it's been four months yet either...

I'm very grateful too for your kind words. Really....as well as a bit 'Aw Shucks'...😏

It was properly fun to work with you both, and that came through on the day I think - along with a good bit your own characters in the stories and tone we went with. 

It definitly shows in the pictures too - and I suspect the party & speeches were headed down the same line!!

I would like to say thank you (again!) though, not just for choosing to work with me (and letting me put this on my blog!) but for really getting involved in getting the ceremony right. 

I can only give back what I’m given - if that makes sense? - so to get it right, it really needed you both to engage and put your own stamp on it…
I really think it was worth the effort though, and you did fab work - as well as making my job a LOT easier!!

Hugs and best wishes to you both, and no doubt see you soon-ish somewhere!

Xxx     Jane

Handfast Demonstration

Got together with my local colleagues the other week, and we all made new information and introduction films, with the cheerful, able and capable help of David Gillan the videographer ...that's him on the bottom left of my team selfie!

I suspect you'll find many of these fabby films on Facebook if you go hunting for Humanist Society Scotland Celebrants...but as I don't use Facebook for my work at all - you get to see my handfasting demonstration below.

I did another film just before the holidays with Dave too (which is the one you probably just saw on my HSS Profile) and though I do find speaking to camera super awkward, it gave me the confidence to just be myself and go for it with the handfasting one...and while neither are by any means perfect or particularly polished - they really are me just being my celebrant self, which I like! (there can be slightly more swearing when I'm being my non celebrant self!)

 

https://www.davidgillanphotography.co.uk/

Here is a photo of the final infinity knot / eternity symbol - odd colours I know, but it means that you can properly see what each strand does. Hope this was helpfull!

Winter Sunshine

Hey folks,

Not a proper post, but a bit of fun...and some information too...

I'm off on holiday till mid December, and don't want anyone to think I'm ignoring their e-mails, so if you do get in touch, I'll get back to you as soon as I can - but unless it's urgent (hogmanay ceremony anyone!??) it will be after that.

Meantime, two movies for you to watch:
The first is all sorts of fun that was had at the wedding reception for Mel & Colin in the summer...but just in case you think that the cartwheeling celebrant just does comedy shows (yes that was me)...
I've added in the 'real' wedding film too, which gives a more realistic impression of the ceremony side of the day.
It was a properly tear filled and heartfelt occasion, beautiful words, and beautiful music too, and yes there was fun in the ceremony too, but it all revolved around who these two are as a couple - and music and fun and NOT taking life too seriously is a big part of that.

Hope you all stay cosy while I'm washing the last 6 months screen time out of my eyes by staring at the sea, and refreshing my mind with a few bad spy novels.

Thank you to Colin & Mel for letting me share these AND Mel's son for aceing the photobomb!

  

Best wishes, hope you enjoyed the films...x j

Venue was Murthly Castle Chapel: Murthly Castle


Ceremony &  'Marryoke'  produced by 'Watch the birdie' films: Geoff at Watch the birdie

Don't Tell the Bride...

Apparently it was seven years ago today I married John & Jackie Clark, amid much drama and hilarity, trying to work round camera crews and all the rest of it - as well as a ridiculous amount of hanging about...

I haven't watched it all this time round, but did skip through to the parachute jump, and the ceremony...via the best man modelling the dress...and then had to watch to the end.

 Don't tell the Bride Program Link

If you know how the program worked, you'll know that I spent a lot of time with John, and didn't meet Jackie until just before the ceremony, so we had to be really careful with the vows, as we didn't want to make her repeat or say anything she hadn't been involved in, so we kept it super simple - but that of course was made up for by the fact that everything else was pretty OTT.

Loved these two dafties - and they went on to do some great media work for the HSS afterwards, which was done with real conviction...humanists in every aspect of their lives.

Congratulations and happy anniversary to you both!

Holiday Note

Hiya folks,
Quick message today - I'm heading off on holiday for 10 days, a pre-season break!
...BUT I understand that the vacation response from my Humanist Society Scotland e-mail may not get to you if you enquire via the HSS website - so please don't think I'm ignoring you!
I'll respond to anything urgent pretty quickly, and be back in touch on anything else as soon as I can.
Hope you have a great holiday weekend! J

Photo by my awesome sister...I just wish I knew what the Stag was thinking!

Lovely update from Abi & Roger

Dear Jane!

Hello - its Abi and Roger here!
You may not remember us but you married us last year at Forter Castle.

Well almost a year in a half later I finally managed to get our wedding pictures printed and as we were looking through them Roger suggested I send you a quick email just to check in and again say thank you for such a wonderful and special day!

Wow it has been a very very busy year for us since we got married.
Roger left his job and went back to university and then finished his master s and started a whole new career as an auditor working in finance!

I have been very lazy chilling at home because on the 10th July 2017 we welcomed our beautiful daughter Willow Blossom Rebecca Allum into the world ha!Attached are a few pictures.

 

Hope all is well with you and again thank you for a unforgettable magical day!

Best wishes,

Abi, Roger and Willow Allum

+++

Dear Abi, Roger and Willow,

Thank you SO much for these, just lovely, and very happy to hear you are both so happy!

I remember you very well, and have some lovely photos of you...esp' the one of you and your Dad Abi. (one of my better attempts!)

 

...and young Willow is just beautiful. Really. I might even do a wee update  on my blog if you'd be ok with me using her picture? 

 

Enjoy every second of  your time with her, and thank you so very much for thinking to write to me - I'll have BIG smiles on all day now! xxxxxx   J