If you’ve always imagined having a beach wedding or you want to celebrate getting married but in a slightly less formal manner without lacking warmth and love, then hiring a wedding celebrant would be ideal for you!
Wedding celebrant ceremonies are becoming more and more popular here in the UAE, but to give you a bit of a guide as to what they are all about, we’ve teamed up with Isabelle & Cecile from HS Celebrants to tell you a little more about what you can expect. whose brand new website has just launched, now offering you a way to find & book your celebrant instantly online!
This Expert Q&A session should hopefully be able to answer your questions about weddings conducted by a wedding celebrant.
What sort of services does HS Celebrant’s provide?
Cecile: We currently offer a range of ceremonies, including:
– Celebration of marriage
– Commitment Ceremonies
– Renewal of Vows
– Baby Naming
– VIP Ceremonies
We are always expanding our range of ceremony rituals and ceremony extras to give our clients a bespoke and personalised service.
Isabelle: The couple or parents book their preferred Celebrant, and on top of that they get access to our HS Ceremony Planner – everything they need to create and plan their special day that will be cherished, and remembered by all the guests.
We’ve always said that your ceremony should be vibrant, heartfelt and full of love, and our new platform gives couples the freedom to create a bespoke ceremony with their celebrant that reflects their personalities and beliefs.
Image credits: HS Celebrants
Tell us a little bit about yourselves and what inspired you to continue on with your mothers celebrancy business?
Isabelle: It’s been a long road but we are thrilled to continue in the footsteps of our mother and are very lucky to have the amazing team of celebrants putting their hearts into making our couple’s celebrations personal, heartfelt and memorable.
Cecile: Through the pure enjoyment of witnessing and being involved in these special occasions, HS Celebrants was born. With the help of Binny Baker, Helen Farmer and Jasmin Ruehling we have a team of amazing women offering an experienced and personal touch that will truly set the tone for any ceremony.
Image credits: (from left to right) Visuals by Abbi, Melrish, Liz JVR Photography, Photography by Krishanthi
Cecile: Give yourself enough time. You are creating a memory that you and your partner will treasure for years to come. I’ve often take out the handwritten vows my husband and I exchanged with each other, and it still brings a tear to my eye.
Isabelle: You need to choose a celebrant that is the best fit for you. Gauge their personalities and make sure you feel comfortable with them. We have created introduction videos for all of our celebrants so you can see them in action before you book them. Check them out at
hscelebrants.com
HS Celebrants have their own profiles, which they manage and update with new photos & couple’s reviews.
Image credits: HS Celebrants
When do you recommend couples should book their celebrant?
Cecile: We have been asked to create a ceremony the week before – which is not ideal!
Isabelle: I remember that one. Although generally speaking I think a couple can comfortably start the ceremony writing process with the celebrant 3-6 months prior to the date.
Are there ways a couple can make their wedding ceremony personal?
Cecile: Of course – none of the ceremonies we create are the same. Your ceremony content should reflect who you are, so therefore the declaration to your family and friends is true to both of you and is your love story. Why not pen your own heartfelt vows to each other, or weave a beautiful ritual and involve your mothers, or try a ring warming.
Isabelle: I love it when couples with kids get them involved. Children love having a role to play and often it is important to include them especially if it’s a second marriage. It also makes for some absolutely adorable photos!
Are there any key moments that captured your heart on the day?
Cecile: Every couple is different and that is reflected in each ceremony we conduct. What I love, is being able to help a couple express their story, in particular during the exchanging of personal vows and the giving and receiving of rings. It is such a beautiful commitment to make in front of family and friends – the best ceremony will capture the hearts of those taking part as well as those watching.
Image credits: (from left to right) Melrish, Maria Sundin Photography, They are gorgeous, Helen Farmer, Melrish
What are some of your favourite wedding ceremony trends that we can expect to see more of in 2018?
Isabelle: We are seeing more and more destination couples choosing Dubai in particular, as well as beautiful desert locations. Another growing trend are couples opting for more intimate ceremonies, this could be anything from smaller bridal parties to fewer guests or intimate renewals with just their kids for example.
We are seeing many new parents choosing to have a naming ceremony to welcome their little one into the world. This is such a special time in life and it’s a special occasion to share with friends and family.
Cecile: I agree, you are definitely seeing a shift away from very traditional ceremony elements. I think you will see a lot more ceremony wreaths or bare tipi frames, for example, adorned with foliage and a few flowers, replacing traditional arches.
What are your favourite tips or advice for planning a bespoke ceremony?
Cecile: Get started early. Start browsing our resources area where you will find a diverse range of readings and rituals that can be woven into your ceremony to suit your tastes. Take the time to think about your personal vows by taking the couples questionnaire as well as our step-by-step guides and writing vows. Your celebrant has so much experience as will be able to guide you the whole way – so start a creative dialogue with them and share your ideas and hopes for the day and your future.
Image credits: HS Celebrants
What is the most elaborate wedding ceremony HS Celebrants has been a part of?
Isabelle: Our celebrants have conducted ceremonies in front of hundreds of guests and in many amazing locations. We are lucky in the UAE to have some very unique locations and HS ceremonies have been conducted on islands, yachts, beaches, on top of buildings and in deserts… Even on camelback! Our celebrants traverse the UAE and beyond, not much is off limits!
Where are some of your favourite venues/settings in the UAE?
Cecile: You are spoilt for choice in the UAE. We see so many beautiful weddings, whether it be on the beach in front of souring landmarks, looking onto rolling green hills of a polo field, overlooking Venetian style canals or a misty desert setting. We can’t pick one!
Three words that best describe HS Celebrants?
Genuine | Bespoke | Diverse
What’s the process to book an HS Celebrant?
Get to know our celebrants at
www.hscelebrants.com and find out who is available for your special day by using our booking form.
The following two tabs change content below.
Our editor, Tsian is a fashion girl at heart, but she also loves to write at length about beauty, food and anything celebrity related. She has a trained creative eye, and finds herself drawn to anything a little bohemian, authentic and cool in the world of weddings.