Facing your guests during your humanist wedding ceremony? Really? No, but really?! Why YES dear readers and it was magnificent!
Vanessa and Terry put so much thought and consideration into their wedding day and how they wanted to experience it. The guests attending were some of V&T's favourite people and they wanted to immerse themselves in how those special people engaged with their humanist ceremony. They wanted to see their reactions, make eye contact, connect and feel the love encompass them as their story unfurled. This is why they chose to face their guests during their wedding ceremony at Magheramorne Estate.
I think they would admit that initially, it felt a little daunting yet as they settled into the ceremony and saw the beaming faces of their loved ones, they were certain they had made the right choice.
From early on in their relationship Vanessa and Terry have always found joy in learning about their different perspectives and shared experiences. Even though they come from very different backgrounds, they discovered a lot of commonalities in their experiences growing up in a minority household. They have since grown from awkward kids hoping to fit in, to self-assured adults deeply proud of their respective heritages. They wanted a ceremony that would honour their personal values and bring their story to life.
As their celebrant, it involved coordination with V and T's amazing wedding suppliers (shout out to @katshootsweddings and @cinematictide) as the set up was far from 'typical' and a lot of trust (on Vanessa & Terry's part!) to deliver a ceremony worthy of their valid expectations.
It's safe to say, from their expressions, I think we nailed it!!!!!
Vanessa shared their approach to planning their wedding day -
"We wanted to have a humanist wedding ceremony so we could tell our story and make our personal vows in a way that felt authentic to us and reflected the way we want to live our lives moving forward as a married couple. We also knew we wanted to make space to celebrate our respective heritages on the day, and decided for us, it was important to incorporate both a Chinese tea ceremony and Igbo Nigerian kola nut ceremony into the day. We originally considered having a longer humanist ceremony with these cultural elements included, but as we were changing into second outfits in the evening we thought it made more sense to celebrate all cultural elements when we're in the matching attire!
Can you even???? Stunning.
Vanessa and Terry shared,
'Jean was super receptive of our ideas, while also keeping us mindful of things that mightn’t have occurred to us with her wealth of wedding knowledge. The result was a wonderful wedding full of our family and friends, that felt as intimate as an elopement.'
Vanessa and Terry's Dream Team
Venue: Magheramore Estate
Photographer: Kat Mervyn
Videographer: Cinematic Tide
Florist: The Rosehip and Berry
Musician: Wei Deng (guzheng)
Catering: Jane's Kitchen
Dress: Dear White
Cake: LilyPinkBakery
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