Weddings

Let me create a personal, beautiful wedding ceremony for you

You are unique – and so is your love story. So why not tell it in your own way?  Instead of settling for a generic, off-the-peg wedding ceremony, you can choose one that fits you perfectly?  I’ll write a beautiful ceremony for you that’s fresh, full of love and authentically you.

You can have as much tradition as you like, or we can do something completely different. To make your wedding ceremony right for you, we’ll talk about everything that brings you joy and the vibe you want for your wedding. Do you want something formal or relaxed, energetic, or laid-back? Who would you like to be involved in the ceremony? Does everyone know each other? Do you have beliefs, interests and traditions that you want to reflect in your ceremony? These are just some of the things we’ll talk about.

We can draw inspiration from anything that’s important to you including your belief or faith. In addition, we can include any symbolic rituals, such as a handtying, or unity candle.

My weddings are creative, fun and inclusive. I want you to love every second of the ceremony, and for your friends and family to say it was the best wedding they’ve ever been to. I take an enthusiastic, can-do approach, which means I’m here to help at any stage. We build a great rapport, so that on your wedding day, you’ll feel relaxed and excited. There’s no worry about people being bored, no stress about time and no sense that you’ve somehow sold yourself short with a ceremony that isn’t really you.

Your wedding ceremony will everything you can imagine, plus some extra inspiration from me, that you didn’t know about, or haven’t thought of yet!

Alicen Dines, wedding celebrant

What’s different about a celebrant wedding

  • Your ceremony will be so full of love, warmth and positive energy because it’s all about you!
  • Your ceremony will be different from anyone else’s – a complete one-off.
  • It will perfectly reflect your vibe, style, personality and values.
  • It starts the celebrations on a high! Everyone has a great time in the ceremony instead of just being passive observers.
  • It helps family and friends get to know you better – individually and as a couple.
  • You know and trust me: we’ve had months getting to know each other.
  • Your family and friends will feel included and engaged throughout the ceremony.
  • There’s no boring legal wording or gushy, generic statements that mean nothing to you.
  • It will be bespoke, and the highest quality, written and delivered personally by me. I have over 20 years experience of writing and presenting, for all kinds of occasions.
  • In the run up to the wedding, you have unlimited access to my knowledge of wedding reading, music and information on local suppliers.
  • I listen to what you and your guests need and I plan for it. I’m very sensitive to issues around mental health, disabilities, language barriers and vulnerable people.
  • Last but definitely not least: my weddings are inclusive – Love is definitely Love.

How a celebrant wedding works

For your marriage to be legal, you also need to book a legal ceremony with your local registration service. Some couples have the ceremony the day before their bespoke wedding; others after. There’s also the option to have the registrars come to your licensed venue.

To make the booking, contact your local UK registry office or the equivalent abroad. It’s best to book your legal marriage as soon as possible, as the popular summer dates get filled very quickly.

The simplest legal ceremony costs is often midweek and very inexpensive. You will pay more for a bigger ceremony room, or for the registrars to come to your venue.

As an ex-registrar myself, I know it can be a bit confusing. I’m happy to help answer your questions, and help your make your legal and celebrant ceremonies work best for you.

How I work with you

When I plan your ceremony I ask you lots of questions to make sure I know exactly what you want and also to find out what makes you tick. Creating your ceremony is fun and many couples find it quite insightful!

My wedding ceremony fee for 2023 is £700. This includes:

  • all phone calls, emails and Zoom/Skype/Facetime meetings
  • a face-to-face meeting, ideally at the venue
  • creation of the ceremony concept
  • writing and editing of a full, bespoke script
  • writing your vows or helping you to write your own
  • ongoing contact with you and the venue co-ordinator
  • leading the ceremony on the day
  • a presentation copy of the full wedding celebration script and certificate
  • travel costs – within a 20 mile radius of DT6 (beyond is charged at .45p per mile).

My fee for 2024 weddings is £750.

How to book your wedding

If you would like to have a chat to see if I’m the right fit for your wedding, let’s have a chat. I look forward to meeting you!

“We just wanted to say a big THANK YOU. You kept us all giggling and created a wonderful and relaxed ceremony which is exactly what we both wanted. Thank you for making our day so very special”

Exchanging wedding rings
Symbolic handfasting during a wedding ceremony
Beautiful Day Dorset Wedding Celebrant icon