Equinox Elopement anyone?

Tom and Emma chose a Humanist ceremony when they eloped to a field not far from here on the automn Equinox.

They wanted to be alone, to concentrate on what they were promising to one another.

They wanted to be surrounded by nature – trees, grass, blossom, the elements – and to be ‘in the moment’. They wanted an intimate ceremony that reflected who they are, how they live, where they come from. This was central to what they wanted and how they wanted their ceremony to feel.

I absolutely loved writing this Humanist ceremony and including all the elements chosen by the couple.

Privacy

Fire

Herbs

Handfasting

Mead

Cultural references

The Ceremony

The ceremony took place at The Rookery Meadow in St Margaret’s South Elmham in Norfolk. We had a fire. Emma walked in through the field on her own – like a dreamy vision – wearing a Suzie Cave Vampire’s Wife dress sourced in Lithuania and a magnificent full-length veil over her face, held in place with dark red blossoms and greenery. It brought tears to my eyes as she walked in to Nick Caves love-song The Ship Song.

We burned herbs to clear the air and to acknowledge the changing season from Summer to Autumn. They wrote their own vows. Exchanged rings. Shared mead. And we performed a very special handfasting with Coetha handfasting cords. Readings represented Irish, English and Slavic roots.

Later the couple moved on to Covehithe for atmospheric photos near the abandoned church and then on the deserted beach.

It is difficult to describe what a huge privilege it is to share a ceremony with just the couple – and it is so very different to large party-vibe celebrations. This one was calm, beautiful and unforgettable and I was so honoured to be trusted with this ceremony and that the photographer and couple allowed me access to their photographs taken by the unobtrusive and highly professional Charlotte Wotton.