Epic Leicestershire wedding on the hottest day of summer 2025
This summer in a lovely spot in Leicestershire, I had the honour of marrying a truly wonderful couple - Keisha (she/her) and Ray (they/them.)
Their love story started with a match-that-shouldn’t-really-be-a-match - they lived in different ends of the country, but the power of the Bumble algorithm magically threw them together.
Their love was pretty immediate. Five months in, they were on their first proper holiday together when they made a call - not just to talk about a wedding, but to book it in. There hadn’t been a proposal yet. But when the ‘hypothetical’ wedding ideas were becoming more and more solidified, they knew it was only a matter of time. So much so, they called me from Valencia on that trip, and confirmed a date there and then. And the proposal came later, after the wedding was booked!
Just a few months out from the big day, they did a quick venue pivot - from their back garden to the outdoor area of a church Ray’s dad is caretaker for.
And my god! It was a bloody beautiful, boiling hot day…a rather warm one for this pregnant celebrant! But it all ran beautifully, with the help of the epic team they had in place.
How did you find out about celebrant ceremonies and what made you decide to have one?
As a queer couple, we spent a while thinking about what kind of ceremony we wanted to have. It was likely that we would do the legal bit in a registry office, but wanted the ceremony we would share with all of our loved ones to feel celebratory - and knew we didn’t want to have a religious ceremony. This got us googling alternatives, and I (Keisha) remembered that I had come across Roxy’s Instagram page before, so together we spent time exploring her website and reading up on humanist ceremonies. It didn’t take use long, to decide that Roxy was the celebrant for us.
How was the process of creating your wedding ceremony?
Creating the ceremony genuinely felt like sitting down for a chat with a friend. Roxy’s passion for her work is tangible, and it really came through when we were talking to her through our love story’ and sharing ideas for the ceremony. She was great at talking through our ideas, making suggestions on how we could include our loved ones, whilst maintaining the focus on our love and connection.
Roxy is truly a font of knowledge, she guided us towards readings and gave us space to talk through music, special moments and to share our heart-felt feelings about the family members who would be sharing the day with us. She seamlessly, took our conversations via Zoom and wove all the nuanced stories, details and moments into a beautiful ceremony.
Looking back at the day, how did the ceremony feel?
The ceremony felt like a celebration, of all the magic moments, familial connections made and genuine growth we have both experienced in our relationship.
What was the best of your ceremony and why?
The best part of the ceremony has got to be, the hidden section – Roxy asked us both to send her something secret and hearing one another’s special words for the first time as part of the ceremony was super emotional and so special.
Tell me about your vows. And how did it feel to hear your partner’s vows?
We both wrote our own vows, under the guidance of Roxy, who supported us in making sure we had matched one another for tone and style – of course, we had!
Listening to Ray read their vows, was exciting. I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time, and whilst the day itself had felt like a blur by the time we got home, those few short minutes of Ray reading their vows, felt like time had stopped - Keisha
Hearing Keisha’s vows was like flying over a river in a helicopter for the first time. I saw the beauty, strength and versatility of our relationship in a whole other way and I can see how we can take on the turns and changes of life, forging our own unique path: together – Ray.
How did your ceremony go down with your guests?
They loved it! Everyone was very complimentary of Roxy’s eloquence and elegance, despite the technical difficulties and her battling the heat at 16 weeks pregnant. Everyone said, Roxy captured the essence of ‘us’ and took them on a journey, that seamlessly tied in with our vows and selected readings.
How did your wedding ceremony tie in with the rest of the day?
The ceremony was the perfect opening, to our special day. It was the first taste of togetherness for all of our guests and for us as a couple, and so beautifully pulled us all together and led into an electric afternoon and evening of celebration.
Was there a moment during the ceremony that surprised you emotionally?
The secret section for sure, we both knew it was coming but couldn’t have imagined the impact of one another’s words on us or our guests. Not a dry eye in the place.
Did anything unexpected or funny happen during the ceremony
My (Keisha) Dad, Ossie getting up to collect the ladybirds off my dress – only to be told off, because they’re good luck! His response being, ‘well you don’t like bugs and there’s bugs on you – I’m just helping!’
What was going through your mind as you walked down the aisle/waited at the front?
In honesty, I was thinking please don’t trip, in this big cream cake dress. It was unbelievably warm also, so I couldn’t help but give us a silent pat on the back for remembering to order those extra hand fands for the guests – Keisha
I was just ridiculously excited by then and couldn’t wait to turn around! When I finally did, Keisha was so beautiful that she somehow warped the space-time continuum and time slowed down while I took in the miracle of my incredible bride walking towards me. I was so happy that I didn’t even cry, which was a surprise to everyone – Ray (sorry the physics came out)
What did you enjoy most about planning your ceremony?
The final meeting with Roxy, where we had chosen our readings and it was all coming together. Despite there still being bits of the ceremony we didn’t know about, everything just felt seamless, perfectly curated.
What would you say to couples considering a celebrant ceremony?
Go for it! We couldn’t recommend the experience, or Roxy, more highly! We didn’t realise how much we had shared in our time together, until we got to talk it through with Roxy and to enjoy sharing our story and special moments. That then translated into a beautiful speech, that Roxy delivered so expertly and brought each and every one of our guests along with us.
What stands out as your absolute favourite moment of the day?
Confetti Shot – the pictures turned out incredible, and walking down the runnel of our friends and family felt like so wholesome and so joyous.
How would you describe the vibe/style/look & feel of your day
Our brief for Janie, who did the styling, was Sunset Dreamy Realness. We wanted it to feel like our very own garden party, fuelled by fun and ice cream.
What's the best piece of advice you would give to other couples getting married?
Pick suppliers who feel like friends. For us this was everything, all of the suppliers we chose who were integral to the day, made us feel safe, seen and genuinely cared about. Roxy’s warmth and kindness, was key to getting the best out of both of us in the run up to and on the day.
Did you do the legal bit before or after your ceremony? Or how did you combine the two together?
Yes, we got legally married at our Beaumanor Hall in Loughborough, two days before the big wedding.
Tell me about your wedding location. How did you decide on the venue?
We had initially planned to get married at our then house, we had looked into flooring, tents, additional lighting and all sorts before Ray’s Dad, Steve offered us use of the church hall. It was meant to be. He and his wife Lorraine got married at the church and it offered us the space to host out love ones in the way we wanted.
Suppliers:
Planning, Styling and co-ordination: @orangtetreeweds
Photographer: @kirstygreat.photo
Flowers: @bonington_blooms
Bar: @tenfowardevents
DJ: @galaxywolfinspace
Ice-Cream Bicycle: @lovetagevents
HMUA: @unvieldglam
Cake: @Sweet_Solstice_Cafe @plumandrabbittscakestudio
Catering: @falafelbaffle
Confetti: @justhitchedconfetti