My associate, Lorna, reports on her multi-cultural wedding ceremony at the gorgeous Beaumont Estate:

On Friday of this past weekend, I was very privileged to be able to conduct the ceremony for a very special couple.  We had been working on the script for the ceremony over the last six months and finally, the day had arrived.  Our couple had travelled in from Switzerland to the bride’s home in London the week prior to complete last-minute preparations and to enjoy celebrating with her family. 

As I passed through the beautiful countryside, and such rich history within the surrounding areas, I was greeted by Beaumont Estates lovely spacious parkland and entrance.  

Our couple had opted to take photos before the ceremony today with family, and more private ones of themselves, and the grounds romantically set the scene for them with Rashpal photography capturing these special moments beautifully.  

I headed back to the ceremony room. The room was elegantly set with cherry blossom trees at the top of the aisle and a crisp white carpet for our bride to make her way to her groom when the time came. Later the florists returned for final touches as they wanted the flowers to be very fresh especially for the Hindu garland ceremony later on.

I completed my sound checks and the room had great acoustics, but we did opt for a microphone on the stand for our guests who were to do readings today. In the meantime, I caught up with the musicians (Pitman and Gibson) to go through the running order of the afternoon. The decision was made to move the musicians to the back of the room to ensure that the ceremony area was clear for everyone to move around with ease.  Especially seeing that there was a videographer and two photographers  as well as the bride and groom, myself and the readers.

It was getting close to the time to start proceedings, so final checks with the groom, best man and bridesmaids were made, we had our ushers manning the door who then started ushering our guests in to take their seats.  The room started to fill with a buzz of excited chatter!

As with any ceremony, the running times are merely guidelines and there is a certain flexibility, and today we found things running a little behind.  I worked my way between the ceremony room and where our bride and bridal party were waiting. Going through what would happen when they came down to the ceremony room, and made sure everyone was happy.   I let them know that it would be 10 minutes before they would need to come down.

As I faded the music, to do my housekeeping message, the guests hushed in anticipation.  The groom had his moment before his beautiful bride came down the aisle.   Guests were then asked to be upstanding and the bridal party started to made their entrance.  Then we awaited the Bride with her father.  She appeared radiant in her red Sari and seemed to float down the aisle to meet her husband.

The ceremony had personal elements from their stories of how they got together and we talked about all of the things that they had achieved together as a pair.  We then enjoyed four delightful readings and a musical interlude by Pitman and Gibson.

The vows and ring exchange took place before we did an amazing garland ceremony between the bride and groom unifying two souls into one.  

“The Flowers in the garlands represent happiness, aspiration, enthusiasm, and beauty, and the thread binding them all symbolises the means by which to secure all of these feelings and emotions”

Such a lovely addition to the multicultural ceremony and my first experience of this type of ritual.  There were cheers and applause as the couple were confirmed as Husband and Wife and they signed their commemorative certificate before they walked back down the aisle together.

Their family and friends headed outside awaiting the exciting confetti shot, and what a way it was to start the afternoon celebrations. 

I would like to wish our couple all the very best for the future with much love and happiness filling their days and years together!

(Pictures taken by Lorna McIntyre pre-Ceremony)

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Dream Team:

Venue: Beaumont Estates, Windsor
Celebrant: Lorna McIntyre from Knight Ceremonies 
Musicians: Pitman and Gibson (Saxophone & Guitar)
Photographers: Rashpal Photography
Videographers: Impulse Media Productions 
Florist: Seventh Heaven