The joy of being a Celebrant is that each and every wedding celebration is distinct and individual in every way. The adventure of being a Celebrant in the Lakes has its very own brand of uniqueness. The weather! There is an adage attributed to Sir Ranulph Fiennes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just poor choice of clothing. It certainly applies here in the Lake District.
We can easily have all four seasons in one day; often in one hour. I’ve known snow in June and wearing t-shirts in January. It’s about always keeping an eye on the forecast. This is why planning an wedding outdoors so exciting; being prepared for whatever is thrown at you, and making sure the wedding party and their guests are prepared accordingly too.
For those who are brave enough to opt for an outdoor ceremony, you will be payed back in dividends. Wonderful scenery, a natural back drop, so stunning it can never really be daunted by poor weather. When the weather does respond with a smile, golden sunshine and bright blue skies, there is not a better place on earth.
An unexpected bonus to an intimate outdoor ceremony, is the genuine well wishes of walkers passing by. While they have a natural curiosity as to what is going on. My experience is that people are generally respectful, keep their distance and enjoy a few minutes watching a wonderfully romantic moment between two people in love. As they walk on, they call out to the lucky couple, a heartfelt “Congratulations!” It’s a marvellous human connection between strangers.
Without me giving the game away too much; the beautiful bride who looked so stunning by the windswept lakeshore at the beginning of this month, had a little secret. She was dressed in a fabulous silk gown, a incredible shawl in autumnal colours draped over her shoulders. She looked amazing. However, as she gently lifted her dress to walk along the waters edge, she revealed full walking trousers and sturdy walking boots beneath! Beautiful can also be practical.
And what about the rest of the wedding party you may ask. The best man and the guests, were dressed to suit the conditions. I was too. Walking boots, waterproof coats, woolly hats and gloves. Let’s be honest though, nothing, not even the weather, is going to stop a bride getting into her wedding gown, on her wedding day. And who can blame her. We only do it once, so it has to be in style and our bride looked simply sensational.