Non-traditional weddings

Fuzzy_Duck

My partner and I are determined to have a non-traditional humanist ceremony but we're a bit worried about how our family and friends will react to it. If anyone's willing to share their experiences that would be much appreciated

continualdiamond

Do what you want, no point looking back at photos knowing the day wasn't what you wanted etc.

We got married in a pub.....yep that's right

http://www.themoonatmorton.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=65

We both didn't want a church wedding and didn't want to get married at our local registry office either purely because a cinema in across the road from it and a library next door, so for us wouldn't of made a nice back drop for photos.

I found our venue on our county website of licensed venues and hubby to be of course was in his element that it was a pub. When we visited the venue we didn't need to go away and talk about it, we just knew it was for us.

We got married and had the reception at the same place and it was fab.

Hubby isn't a suit person and kept asking me if I wanted him to wear a suit. My approach was no, as again I'd look back knowing it wasn't him etc. He worn black jeans, a black shirt and black boots, he did stretch to wearing a grey/white tie but that only lasted for the ceremony and photos.

I got my dress from the Monsoon wedding range and it had a black waist band that then tied up to a black bow at the back with the tails of the bow going all the way to the floor.

To be honest some of the best photos are of us without him wearing the tie and the top button of his shirt undone as he is more relaxed. One of my favs is us with confetti all over us just laughing.

We had a buffet menu and then our wedding cupcakes with little pods of icecream for afters and we had our ipod on for music.

We had a blast and so did everyone who attended.

I didn't worry how family or friends would react, they could say or suggest anything but we were determined to do what we wanted.

Enjoy planning your wedding, ours was 2 years ago this August, time flies.

ellay864

Our ceremony wasn't particularly offbeat, it was a civil ceremony but we had one reading written personally for us, we wrote our own vows, and DH wrote and recorded the song we signed the register to. But the novelty bit was that we got married at a zoo...most people thought that was cool, my mum nearly went ape (bad pun intended!) when she found out. But it was our day to do what we wanted.
There was somebody else around the same time as me who had a humanist wedding - if I can remember who I'll let you know. But go for it, have the wedding you want

Faith177

I recently had a humanist ceremony at Urquhart Castle and I can not recommend it enough.

Our service was just what we wanted and everyone said what a wonderful and personal ceremony it was.

We did candle lighting, sand mixing, I choose a poem and so did OH, we exchanged presents and did hand fasting, we also did band warming and drank from a quaich and even jumped over a broom.

I watched the video the other day and it is full of laughter and you can see everyone was enjoying it

sheeppappar

One of my good friends had a humanist wedding which was lovely!
There was still a celebrant, "vows" (well not really vows .. some lovely words about their love etc) and a kind of ceremony.. so not really so wildly different in format from an ordinary wedding that the traditionalists couldn't appreciate it.

It was up a cliff top in the scottish borders and their dogs were the ring bearers though! totally amazing and perfect - so fitting for them.. i could blub just thinking about how amazing it was! x

Afterwards, they had hired out a local village hall and their closest friends had provided a pooled supper incl chilli + curry.. and a ceilidh band.. they just asked everyone to bring their own drinks which was fine... Absolutely brilliant.

Hope yours is brilliant - make sure you do it how YOU want it! x

Fuzzy_Duck

Thanks all, so much info on the net is based around traditional weddings we really didn't have a clue where to start! Although we do know exactly what we don't want, so that's something at least

Feeling a bit more inspired now and I think we would be most comfortable in a pub, although I must say a zoo would be incredibly cool too (probably more my thing than husband-to-be though :rotfl:)

I also like the idea of incorporating a hand fasting.

floss2

OP, whereabouts are you planning to be married?

Fuzzy_Duck

floss2 wrote: »

OP, whereabouts are you planning to be married?

West Midlands would be most convenient, but surrounding areas are fine too

Faith177

Fuzzy_Duck wrote: »

West Midlands would be most convenient, but surrounding areas are fine too

I don't believe they are recogonised as legal marriages in England yet

https://humanism.org.uk/2013/07/08/legal-humanist-marriages-move-one-step-closer/

Fuzzy_Duck

Faith177 wrote: »

I don't believe they are recogonised as legal marriages in England yet

https://humanism.org.uk/2013/07/08/legal-humanist-marriages-move-one-step-closer/

I know Hopefully they will be soon but if not we'll just have to get married before hand.

Faith177

Fuzzy_Duck wrote: »

I know Hopefully they will be soon but if not we'll just have to get married before hand.

Or just nip over the border

I hope they get made legal soon it's silly for them not to be.

We actually had 2 family members (born again Christians) refuse to come because we weren't having a ceremony in the eyes of God