Real Wedding Story: A Brighton Outdoor Ceremony

In June, I had the pleasure of marrying Hayley and Joe at their lovely celebrant wedding in East Sussex, at Pangdean Barn. They came over from Australia to get married with all of their nearest and dearest in the UK.

These two are both big roller derby fans. The first time they met, they were on the same train back from a game. Their paths crossed at the exact moment Hayley's friend was sick in her handbag. Romeo and Juliet eat your heart out.

8 years ago, they planned to settle down with a mortgage and start a family, but Joe persuaded Hayley to enjoy their final winter of freedom and do a ski season in Japan together first. They loved it, so they tried a few months in Australia out. Before they knew it, 6 months away turned into 6 years. Now, more than half of their relationship has been spent living overseas. 

Despite living on the other side of the world, it was really important for them to have their celebrant wedding in East Sussex. This is where they lived in Brighton before emigrating.

A proposal had been on the cards for some time. On their anniversary, Hayley — who doesn’t get dressed up very often — had her hair and makeup done and wore a gorgeous long dress. When they got home, they sat on the balcony having a nightcap when Joe proposed. By then, she had changed out of her glamorous eveningwear into her cosy leopard print bike shorts and a Nirvana t-shirt — which is so them and very much more her vibe.

Their dates and trips always revolve around adventure and activity — they’ve wandered around rainforests at night looking at glow worms in Queensland and cycled around Japan and Portugal. So, in true Hayley and Joe style, there were Mario Cart style trikes at the wedding for all of their guests to enjoy later in the day.

She rocked the most awesome cowboy boots with her wedding dress. And they walked back down the aisle to the Prodigy. These two were cool personified, and their relaxed vibe really set the tone for the party that followed.

How did you find out about celebrant ceremonies and what made you decide to have one?

We live in Australia and celebrant ceremonies are much more common over here. They seamed much more personal and we found we could really set a fun and loving tone for the whole day by having a ceremony that told our story.

How was the process of creating your wedding ceremony?

Actually, really fun. Roxy was great at giving us guidance and advice where needed but it was fun talking about all the things we've done and all the adventures we've had together.

Looking back at the day, how did the ceremony feel?

Amazing! It was warm and loving and told the story of us. It was fun and upbeat and set the tone for the day.

What was the most special part of your ceremony and why?

The secret bits you love about each other was a really nice touch. 

Tell me about your vows

We kept the vows pretty simple, but from the heart. We were nervous about writing our own but again, some excellent guidance from Roxy helped a lot.

What would you say to couples considering a celebrant ceremony?

Do it! 100% do it. We had so many guests compliment how great the ceremony was during the reception and after the big day. It really adds something so personal to a big life-changing moment.

How did your wedding ceremony tie in with the rest of your wedding day?

It was fun and full of joy! It was a beautiful sunny day and the vibe was upbeat and so positive 

How did your ceremony go down with you guests?

Everyone loved it, people were really engaged. We had people say how great it was to hear the whole story of our relationship too, as we've moved around a fair bit during our 12 years together. Lots of compliments for Roxy! Joe's grandma actually said it was the best wedding she's ever been too!

How would you describe the vibe/style/look & feel of your day

Sunny, fun, joyful, summer, celebration.

What's the best piece of advice you would give to other couples getting married?

Don't sweat the small stuff, get a celebrant and venue that you trust and they'll make sure you have a day to remember!

Did you do the legal bit before or after your ceremony? or how did you combine the two together?

We did a sneaky legal ceremony here in Australia due to travel requirements and time frames. We didn't actually tell anyone, just treated our ceremony and reception as the big day.

What did you love most about planning your ceremony?

It was lovely reminiscing about our 12 years together.

Tell me about your wedding location. How did you decide on the venue?

Pangdean Old Barn. Stunning venue, incredible level of service from their crew.

What do you remember most about your ceremony?

Lots of smiling faces.

If you could do the day all over again, is there anything you’d change?

Nope, even the bits that didn't pan out as expected were part of the experience, we had a great time!

Suppliers:

Venue: Pangdean Old Barn

Photography: Tom at Hawaiian Shirt Photography

Flowers: Shambala Gardening

Cake: Lotus Blossom Bakery

If you’re considering a celebrant wedding in East Sussex, let’s chat! I work with couples to create something completely personal, unique and totally “them”. Something that will elevate their day and have all their guests talking — for all the right reasons. You know what to do! Visit my Contact page to get in touch.