Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I have just come back from spending the day with a beautiful group of celebrants in Dubbo. What a friendly and welcoming group they were.

A big thank you to celebrant, Helen McLean, who organised for me to deliver the training day and also took great care of me! I met her lovely husband John and was treated to a quiet night on their property (what a blessing it is to live in an area where there are no street lights and quiet nights!).

Helen took me on a tour around the town showing me the favourite wedding spots ... it all looks very pretty with the reds, browns and yellows of the autumn leaves. We spent some quiet time after our busy day down by the beautiful river which winds it way through pretty parkland.

Our afternoon session saw us all role play a wedding ceremony testing and trying out various standing positions and the moves in between. Did you know there can be as many as over 20 moves in a typical ceremony... from the walking in to the recessional. That's why it is important to have a rehearsal so everyone is confident and relaxed about what is going to unfold. It can also be lots of fun! 

We explored different options for the start of the ceremony: the bride's mother being escorted in by a family member, the groom escorting his mother in,  the bride with a member of her family, the bride and groom coming in together... there are always so many choices and ensuring our couples get what they want is vital. There were many discussions on where the celebrant should stand, and why.

One of the celebrants who had been a bride herself before she was appointed was very upset with her celebrant at the time who didn't give them both any options and had all of the bridal party standing with their backs to family and friends. They felt really blocked off from seeing their guests.

Listening to our clients, giving them options, and rehearsing the selected ways to ensure it works is about great customer service.