June 2017 - Wedding Ceremonies In Mallorca

June 29, 2017October 20, 2017

Three weddings and a naming Ceremony!

This week has seen me do three weddings and a Naming ceremony! What a great week…

Wedding number one was at the Maricel Hotel, The guests looked stunning and the bride and groom like a Prince and Princess. This lovely group of Liverpudlians were lively and with “the kiss” in true Liverpudlian style they all started singing ” congratulations and jubilations etc.etc.,” I loved it and even joined in, I was tempted to say “Calm down, Calm down” in true Harry Enfield in “The Scousers” style The ceremony went by in a flash and the couple left to yet another guest rendition of “Me and Mrs Jones” Well they were actually Mr and Mrs Jones!

My next ceremony was a lovely couple I have been working with for over two years. Unfortunately they had had to cancel their big day last year, but having met them several times in that two years i really felt like i knew them well. Finally the wedding day arrived. The couple rented a beautiful boutique hotel, Son Julia In Llucmajor for four days for their entire group of family and friends. The ceremony went by beautifully, filled with a little laughter, lots of smiles and a few tears… I even welled up myself as the bride walked down the aisle and I am a seasoned celebrant! I just knew how important this day was to them. When I popped in to see the bride just before the ceremony , she asked me to be sure to tell her husband-to-be that she loved him… ahhhhhhhhhh. As always I sneaked out after the ceremony and left everyone with great big smiles and glasses of cava or course!

This brings me to today, writing this sat aboard a Ryanair flight to Barcelona to complete the week with a wedding and a naming ceremony in Girona… More about that next time….

If you would like to talk to Annie about your wedding day please drop an email to [email protected] or pick up the phone +34676333065

June 9, 2017July 14, 2017

A Multicultural ceremony

I was really looking forward to Alex and Anna’s ceremony… Alex is English and Anna German, they both live in Germany… Since it was a multicultural ceremony I had suggested that maybe a part of the ceremony could be in German, and part in English but since I don’t speak any German apart from to ask someone to “wait a minute please”… This could prove a challenge… However I am the kind of person who never sees problems only solutions! And my immediate thought was since I cannot speak German there will be guests who can . So I asked Anna and Alex to find me a guest or two who would like to read a German poem. I also suggested that Anna said her vows in English and Alex his in German, as a sign of respect to the other’s culture.

The wedding day arrived and it was on a brilliant warm day in October at the hotel “El Marques de la pasada”. This beautiful hotel is high up in the Mountains in Esporlas. This hotel has the most beautiful chapel and since the day was very hot this is a perfect place for the ceremony as it is wonderfully cool inside.

Alex was slightly nervous as he waited with me at the alter (although he said compared to his job this is not stressful at all… he is an air traffic controller!) most grooms nerves disappear the minute they see there stunning wife to be and Alex was no exception, as soon as Anna appeared at the top of the aisle I saw Alex’s nerves dissolve in to a mammoth smile as I almost always do (although sometimes there are tears of happiness too)

The ceremony went by in a flash… the readers read beautifully (although I have no idea what they said) Alex and Anna read their vows without a hitch, the guests smiled and laughed and I even noticed a happy tear or two. And before long I was introducing them as Mr and Mrs and watching them almost skip back down the aisle together.

A few weeks later I received this in my email box:

Alex and Anna Burchall October 2015 La Posada del Marques
My wife and I had our wedding on Saturday, 1. October and Annie conducted a beautiful and memorable ceremony. Asking Annie to be our celebrant was an easy decision to make after we talked with her over Skype, sharing ideas about what sort of ceremony we would like. She put us completely at ease, and even took the time to meet up with us in Mallorca in April to talk about the ceremony, vows and other housekeeping subjects. Anna and I are both very happy we had Annie to start our married life. It had a great feel and everyone was at ease. Every guest thought it was perfect. We couldn’t have imagined a better ceremony and owe Annie a huge thanks!

June 9, 2017September 26, 2017

Wedding ceremonies and photography

Wedding ceremonies and photography is a more important topic than many people realise because along with the memories we will make on this special day the photos taking during your wedding ceremony mean you always have those memories in your album or even on your wall!

During my first meetings with my clients I think they are always surprised that I mention it… but here is why and one of the photographs I have added explains it all….

There are several key moments during your ceremony…. The bride coming down the aisle, saying your vows, the rings, signing your certificate, the kiss and finally Mr and Mrs!! During some of these moments it is fine to have your celebrant in the photos and I am delighted to be there, but there are moments when your celebrant should definitely be in the background.

When you are giving and receiving your rings… I always make sure I am to the side and out of shot. But really importantly for the kiss! You will always find me talking to you from the side and not directly in front of you… I will often ask couples to kiss twice or three times and say “do it again for the photographer”! Everyone generally chuckles but I actually mean it! It is so important I am not directly in shot and that the photographer captures this precious moment.

A good celebrant will always ask who your photographer is and will generally say hello to them on the day. I always ask him or her if they have any special shots they want to capture that I may inhibit… In fact many of the photographers here in Mallorca know me well and will gently (or not so) push me out of the way if I am carried away in the moment! I always encourage this because as much as you may love my ceremony you may not want me on your wall forever!

The Photo of me smiling in between such a tender moment was actually loved by this particular couple who celebrated their wedding at Can Cuarassa in Pollensa even though it was a mistake, they had it as their facebook profile picture for quite a while…. And I must admit it makes me smile again every time I see it…. Clearly I was very caught up in the moment!

June 3, 2017July 14, 2017

Saying I Do

Probably the most important moment in your wedding ceremony is Saying I do, It is also the moment that couples feel most nervous about.

“Will I stumble over my words?
“Will I cry?”
“What if I am struck dumb?”
“I will feel so silly!”

These are real questions and real fears…. Asked to me time and time again.

My answer is very often the same, you may well do one of the above you may do all! But it doesn’t matter. Your wedding day will be special no matter what, you and your guests will remember the little things that are not “Perfect” because it is the little things that make it your special day and make it absolutely perfect.

I have a few lovely anecdotes that explain exactly what I mean.

Last Year I did a beautiful informal wedding ceremony in a lovely private villa in Arta. The couple had a small son aged 2, and the idea was for him to bring the rings… they were tied to his waist coat. His big moment arrived and …… he took off running around the garden, trying to catch a two year old may sound easy but trust me there were 20 adults running around after him… it was such fun. Was it as we planned? No way, but it will be a memory that will be passed down through the years … his parents will probably tell the story at his wedding!

Another lovely couple who married at Hilton Sa Torre in Llucmajor It has a fabulous Iconic chapel a really beautiful wedding venue. The couple decided they would say their own vows to each other… not repeat after me! It is beautiful when couples are able to do this as no-one can say their emotions like them. However it is also a very emotional thing to do and tears are often shed. At this particular wedding The bride said her vows with just a little break in her voice…. The groom however got absolutely caught out by the emotion of the moment and although he said his beautiful words tears were streaming down his cheeks and snot from his nose!!! Good job I always have tissues at hand… and his wife, she couldn’t stop laughing! I know those two will have the happiest marriage, after it all they both laughed so hard together. Another special memory made!

I have so many moments that are so special, mum and dad having to hold their children while they say their vows. One little girl sitting eating a bag of crisps at my feet….Each and every one a memory!

If you would like to know more about wedding ceremonies or find out more about saying I Do in Mallorca or would like to speak to Annie about your vows please send an email to [email protected] or just give me a call +34676333065

June 3, 2017July 14, 2017

Wedding ceremonies and enhancements

Wedding ceremonies and enhancements. Ceremonies don’t have to be totally solemn… Yes of course there are moments that are serious… pledging a vow to love and care for someone for the rest of your life is definitely something to be taken very seriously.

But there are moments during a ceremony that need to have the “ahhhhhhhh” factor (I always say that my job is to make people laugh a little, cry a little and smile a lot…. Our enhancements are one of the “smile a lot” moments.)

An enhancement usually comes close to the end of the ceremony and can include absolutely anything you like but here are a few examples

Something that is specifically cultural to your region or country…

A Spanish tradition called Las Arras … Arras in Spanish means earnest wealth and las arras are 13 coins. The exchange of the coins represent the groom’s promise to provide for his family and the bride’s trust in his ability to do so. Maybe a little old fashioned these days but the wording can be such that the giving of the coins are to ensure that together the couple will always trust each other to care for and provide for their family.

Something that honours the mothers of the bride and groom…

Giving of flowers : The Groom hands a white rose to the Brides mother and vice versa. As a sign of their love for their families, they offer the roses to their mothers, as symbols of their love, and to thank them for their wisdom, support, and for their love that has been so freely given to them throughout their lives.

Something that includes all of the family and friends…

Wishing pebbles: As the guests are seated they each find a small pebble on their seat, I collect the pebbles from a fabulous beach here in Mallorca called Sa Colabra and each stone has a White ring around it. The Celts believed that a wish given over stone had more strength and endurance than any other. The guests are invited hold this one stone tightly and and dream of the strength and happiness the couple will share together in the coming years. The stones are placed in a beautiful box and kept in the couples home.

Wine Box: I bring with me a bottle of wine from a local vinyard called Ribas in a small village close to where I live in Consell…. The grapes are almost grown in my back garden! and if you haven’t tried Mallorquian wine you really must, it is absolutely fantastic. The wine is stored in a beautiful box and also has two wine glasses and a corkscrew inside When I am building the couples wedding ceremony I ask them to each write a letter to the other (a love letter I hope) and on the day they give the letters to the best man or any other member of their gusts who will bring them to me at the appointed time in the ceremony.

I explain that wine could be seen to be like a relationship. It is grown with love and care, it is nurtured until it is the perfect blend… and it only gets better with the passing years! We put the letters in the box…. And the couple are asked to hammer the box closed! The reason being as we all know.. there is that time when after a hard day you need a glass of wine and that bottle has now been in that box waiting to be drunk for the last 6 months! But …. we would like them to open that bottle on their 10th wedding anniversary… open the box, open the wine, pour each other a glass of delicious Mallorquian sunshine and read the letters they wrote to each other on their wedding day…. The BEST anniversary present ever.

If you would like to know more about including enhancements in your wedding ceremony please contact Annie by phone on +34676333065 or email [email protected]