peter.gaskin@humanistceremonies.org.uk 07817 364277 (call, text or WhatsApp)
Weddings, Vow Renewals and Commitment Ceremonies
Celebrating Life and Love
Making Your Ceremony Special
I would love to help you create your own unique, beautiful and memorable ceremony.
Weddings, Vow Renewals and Commitment Ceremonies are all about love and people committing to each other - whether your relationship is new or if you have been together for some time.
It is lovely to bring people you care about together and share some of your story - share some of the love you have for each other - and sharing the commitment to each other that will help you both get the most out of life.
My style is to work with you and really try and reflect your individual and melded personalities and values. With a casual relaxed approach I'll look to get to know you both - use my experience to help you consider possibilities and together weave together a ceremony that is fun yet also full of meaning and emotion.
As Humanist weddings are (weirdly!) not legal yet in England and Wales this means that the legal formalities will have to be attended to before or after your ceremony. This can be done at a (usually) fairly negligible cost through appointment at your local Register office. Notwithstanding this additional element, the overall cost of your wedding can still work out considerably lower than using a Registrar. And, a celebrant will always be able to offer you a much more personal and bespoke ceremony - and one that can take place anywhere not just at registered premises!. Most couples would still regard the day of their ceremony as their actual wedding day.
Natalie - Runcorn
Like many couples during the pandemic my partner and I had our fair share of disappointment when it came to planning our wedding. After a year and a half of not knowing when our wedding would take place we decided to take matters into our own hands and so giving ourselves only 2 months we planned and executed our perfectly relaxed DIY wedding. This was made all the easier with the help of Peter.
Peter came to our house (the venue) and put us straight at ease, he talked us through the whole day, let us know what to expect from him but ultimately reassured us that there were 'no rules' and we could have a ceremony that was as close to, or as far away from a traditional ceremony as we liked. This was music to our ears!
We were able to communicate with Peter throughout the process, sharing ideas and Peter offered suggestions where we were struggling. Peter was also accommodating to some very last minute changes too. All of our guests enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and many said it was the best wedding they'd been too...
All in all, if you are looking for a non-religious, relaxed yet tailored approach to your ceremony with a friendly and experienced celebrant, you can't go wrong with Peter.
Shanita - Chester
We cannot express enough how grateful we are to have had such an amazing wedding celebrant like Peter to officiate our day. His warm and welcoming demeanour, along with his experience and professionalism, made us feel at ease throughout.
Peter took the time to listen to our love story, to understand our values and beliefs, and to work with us to create a ceremony that truly reflected who we are as partners.
One of the things that stood out to us was how he incorporated personal touches into the ceremony. He was attentive to our wishes, and offered his insights and expertise to help guide us through the process.
On the day of our wedding, Peter delivered a ceremony that was beyond our expectations. His words were thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of love.
We cannot recommend Peter highly enough. He is a true professional who goes above and beyond to create a memorable and meaningful ceremony. We feel so lucky to have had him as part of our day!
Jess- Macclesfield
Peter was a wonderful addition to our wedding,
The ceremony he helped us plan reflected us perfectly and together we created something truly beautiful, memorable and unique.
Peter was really easy to talk to and guided us through the ceremony planning, taking into consideration what we wanted and suggesting some really lovely additional things that we hadn't though of.
Angela - Frodsham
Me and my husband were so lucky to find Peter for our wedding he was Amazing. He felt part of the family on his weekly visits to go through everything. He had all our family and friends laughing on the day and made it so special. Wouldn't of been the same without him thankyou angie and nicky xxx
Crafting your ceremony
I offer genuine non-religious ceremonies which are created to reflect your personalities and shared values - using appropriate symbolic actions where you wish and all the while ensuring your celebration is warm, intimate and fun.
There are lots of different elements that come together to ensure your day become truly special. Your ceremony is absolutely key to your day. The right celebrant can make such a difference for you and offer exceptional value for money.
There are no rules - your ceremony can be tailored to truly reflect who you are. Your ceremony might be short or long, follow quite a traditional structure or include more original ideas.
You might want to have music (live or recorded), poetry or readings or some group singing.
The promises you exchange are yours - reflecting your persoonality and your personal relationship.
There is no fixed or even usual structure by an example ceremony might be structured as follows:
Arrival - together or separately - often accompanied by music
Welcome & Introductions
Words about Love and Committment
Poem/Reading
Your story - how you met - your shared values and hopes for the future
What marriage means to you
Poem/Reading
Your promises to each other
Meaningful symbolic act (s)
Exchange of rings
Pronouncemnt as married
Words of Well Wishing
Exit (& Relax!) - sometimes accompanied by music
Different people can be directly involved at various points and all of your guests will feel part of your ceremony.
What to expect: An initial no obligation meeting by telephone, zoom or in person to discuss what you would like for your special day. This would be followed by a number of communications and a full meeting to learn about the two of you - your stories, your values and your relationship (you are in full control and share as much or as little as you wish) and the structure, content and style of your celebration ceremony. I'll then write your script, share this with you and make sure you are happy with everything. We can have a rehearsal of some sorts before the day if needed, and then of course, I'll lead your ceremony on the day and try and ensure you enjoy it as much as your guests. You have the option to include a certificate.
My usual costs are @ £500 but can be slightly less or more depending upon requirements and circumstances.
Your venue: can be any suitable space (where you have permission if needed) - from a hotel or other wedding venue to your home, garden - a beach - a forest - a field - anywhere - somewhere that means something to you both or simply a space that you like and suits your circumstances.