A stylish London summertime humanist wedding at Syon Park

Back on a sunny summers day in July, I had the pleasure of marrying Rachel & James at beautiful Syon Park.

Their day was stunningly styled, and fit the interiors of Syon perfectly.

The ceremony was heartfelt and hilarious - from their misfired first impressions of each other at uni through to love finally blossoming some years later, and their intricate journey to date. We took their guests on an emotional rollercoaster - crying one minute and in stitches the next. My idea of a perfect ceremony!

I caught up with them about their experience of the ceremony, from sitting in a Brighton cafe interviewing them to create it, right through to the day itself.

How did you find out about celebrant ceremonies and what made you decide to have one?

We had seen a few friends choose a celebrant conduct their ceremony – often their close friends – and we loved how personal it was. We knew we wanted something more unique than a traditional registrar ceremony, which to us felt more process than personal.

How was the process of creating your wedding ceremony?

It was surprisingly easy! We had a pre-wedding interview in Brighton with Roxy, which was a great way to meet one another and feel comfortable ahead of the big day. Roxy asked us to prepare some thoughts to various questions, which helped encapsulate who we are as a couple and guided her towards what we wanted for our special day. There are so many options with a less traditional ceremony, but Roxy broke down all the elements we could consider, making the decision about what we wanted really simple.

Looking back at the day, how did the ceremony feel?

It felt full of love and laughter. It was totally reflective of us as a couple. Roxy made the ceremony so personal, with lots of thoughtful references that our friends and family understood.

What was the best of your ceremony and why?

Roxy’s retelling of our story was absolutely the best bit – it was heartfelt and funny in equal measure and meant everyone in the room felt a real part of our journey.

Tell me about your vows. And how did it feel to hear your partner’s vows?

We chose to write our own vows, which Roxy helped us with in advance. Hearing each others vows was really special and actually they mentioned really similar themes which added some humor to the ceremony.

How did your ceremony go down with your guests?

Our guests loved it, especially how funny and personal it was. It made everyone feel like they were part of our journey and story. We’ve had so many of our guests who are planning their own weddings request Roxy’s details!

How did your wedding ceremony tie in with the rest of the day?

It set a really positive and relaxed tone for the rest of the day – full of laughter and love. Our priority was the whole day feeling super personal and ensuring everyone felt comfortable, relaxed and above all like they could have a laugh. Roxy’s ceremony did that exactly!

Was there a moment during the ceremony that surprised you emotionally?

The section in the ceremony which revealed what we loved about one another was incredibly emotional, and a moment we won’t forget.  This was a secret section that we’d each worked on with Roxy separately, so we knew this would be revealed on the day, but not how emotional we’d get about it. We both welled up. In that moment, we also looked out at the crowd and saw so many tears from family and friends.

Did anything unexpected or funny happen during the ceremony

There were brilliant jokes throughout that really broke the ice with the whole room and made everyone relax into the day. There was a particular Arsenal gag in Rachel’s vows that led to a big laugh in the room.

What was going through your mind as you walked down the aisle/waited at the front?

All I could think about was waiting for her to walk in, what she’d look like and how excited I was to get going and get married! (James)

For me walking down the aisle all I could think was how happy and lucky I was that the day was finally here and – don’t trip on the step on the way down the aisle! (Rachel)

What did you enjoy most about planning your ceremony?

The best bit about planning the ceremony was filling in the interview form together and talking it through with Roxy. It was a really lovely activity that made us remember why we love each other and why we’re doing it all. It made us really consider and appreciate one another, which so often in the wedding planning process you lose sight of!

What would you say to couples considering a celebrant ceremony?

It was the best decision we made – do it! Getting married is entirely about you as a couple so doing it in the way that feels authentic to you is so important. All too often a traditional registrar is so short, boring and bland and you don’t get to know anything about the couple. Having a celebrant ceremony allowed us to tailor it entirely to who we are as a couple and what we love.

What stands out as your absolute favourite moment of the day?

Hands down the ceremony and all the emotions – from the anticipation and excitement beforehand to seeing one another at the aisle, to hearing our story and saying our vows with all our family and friends. It was so full of love and laughter.

How would you describe the vibe/style/look & feel of your day

Relaxed, happy and full of love and laughter. A big party with the people we love most.

What's the best piece of advice you would give to other couples getting married?

Do what feels most authentic to you. Ignore what tradition says or what other people think. It’s your day, make it unapologetically about you!

Did you do the legal bit before or after your ceremony? Or how did you combine the two together?

We did the legal ceremony two weeks ahead of the day, with immediate family and had a lovely long lunch afterwards. Another chance for an outfit moment, and a toast!

Tell me about your wedding location. How did you decide on the venue? 

We knew we wanted something light, airy and we love old glasshouses. It felt like something a bit different to the barns or marquees we’ve been to. When we visited Syon we knew it was perfect for us.

If you’re interested in hearing more about humanist wedding ceremonies with Roxy Celebrates Love and the possibility of working together to create something personalised, funny and heartfelt like Rachel and James’ ceremony, get in touch to find out more about how I work. I create personalised, heartfelt humanist ceremonies in London, the South East (and you’ll sometimes catch me doing weddings abroad, too!)

Suppliers:

Venue @syonparkevents

Photographer @samcookphoto

Florals @ithinkthatyouaremagic

Music @brassrascals

Catering @greenleaf_events

Music @thebandolive

HMU @rosiehartstylist