Remember this Moment, Cherish this Story, Celebrate this Life.
Hello and welcome to Ceremonies by Fiona. I write and perform a wide range of ceremonies including Wedding Ceremonies, Vow Renewals, Commitment Ceremonies, Baby Naming/Welcoming Ceremonies and all of life's other amazing events and celebrations.
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I am a member of the Irish Ethical Celebrants Society and I am trained and endorsed by the Irish Institute of Celebrants and as such I always strive to perform my duties to the exceptional standards set by the IIOC.
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For a free, no obligation consultation about your event get in touch today.
ABOUT
I am friendly, outgoing and passionate about what I do. I love celebrating life’s events. For me there is no better way to do this than creating and performing a ceremony to reflect this, a ceremony that is full of love and excitement.
Becoming a celebrant is a dream come true.
It would be my privilege and honour to create a bespoke ceremony for you, working closely with you, the couple, so you have the ceremony you desire for your celebration.
I am from the Kingdom of Kerry and live in Tralee. I feel very fortunate to have some of Ireland’s most scenic beaches, forests, mountains and valleys on my doorstep and enjoy spending time in and being inspired by nature.
CEREMONIES
As an independent, ethical celebrant I can perform your ceremony in any location of your choice.
You can choose to have your ceremony indoors or outdoors e.g. a hotel, in a wooded area, your favourite beach, in your own garden, even under a starlit sky.
The world is your oyster as far as location is concerned within or outside of Ireland.
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To legally marry in Ireland using an ethical celebrant to write and perform the ceremony of your dreams is a two phase process. A couple must give a minimum of 3 months notice to the HSE Registrar.
The couple must attend in person with their paperwork and then return on the appointed date to sign the marriage licence. The couple must bring 2 witnesses with them for the signing. This can take place before or after the Ceremony is performed.
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Please click on the following link for more information: How to Get Married in Ireland
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Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this process.
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TYPES OF CEREMONIES
CEREMONY ENHANCEMENTS
These are symbolic rituals that can be included in your ceremony. See the list below. If you would like to create your own enhancement, feel free to talk with me about it
HONOURING THE DEPARTED
Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life but for couples who have lost a loved it can be bittersweet. It is normal to want to honour and remember your loved ones on a very important day in your lives.
A candle of remembrance can be lit at the start of the ceremony. The celebrant can name and acknowledge the person/s with the couples’ permission. Words like “We feel their loving presence with us today” can be used.
SAND CEREMONY
You don’t have to have an outdoor wedding on a beach to include a sand ceremony. Your relationship is symbolized through the pouring of two individual containers of sand, each representing all that you were, all that you are, all that you will ever be. Sand from a favourite beach, another continent or any place can be used. Coloured sand can also be used. The bride and groom pour their sand from individual containers into one vessel simultaneously. Different glass vessels can be used.
RING WARMING
Incorporating a ring warming ceremony into your wedding is a special way to involve all of your guests (depending on numbers) or just your immediate family members.
Your loved ones are given the opportunity to hold and infuse your wedding rings with a wish, blessing or prayer for your marriage.
By the time you exchange rings they will be infused with all the love from your family and friends.
HAND FASTING
Hand-fasting is an ancient Celtic custom and is one of the oldest marriage rituals in Ireland. It’s where the expression “tying the knot” comes from. The couple have their hands bound by ribbon. Different colours symbolise different meanings and you, the couple can choose whatever colour you want. This ceremony can incorporate children or family members if you so wish.
EARTH CEREMONY
This is similar to the sand ceremony. Earth from your home, where you met, lived or any place special to you can be used.
ROSE CEREMONY TO HONOUR MOTHERS
The Rose Presentation takes place near the beginning of the ceremony and is especially sweet and touching if it is a surprise for the Mothers.
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The couple place two roses with ribbon tied around each on the table to the front. Any flower can be used, however the rose is a universal symbol of love and can be easily pressed in a book as a keepsake.
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The celebrant will call the mothers forward and the bride and groom will present each with a flower. The celebrant then tells the mothers how important they have been in the lives of their children. The couple can also write notes of love and gratitude, rolled up like a scroll attached to the ribbon.
THE LAST KISS BEFORE THE FIRST KISS
This ceremony is a creative and touching way to celebrate a special moment for the Bride and Groom and their mothers during the ceremony. This is a very tender, poignant, and sometimes emotional moment, for the mothers, the bride and groom and also for the guests.
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During the ceremony just before the “first kiss” as husband and wife the Celebrant invites the mothers of the bride and groom forward and says the following:
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“These mother’s lips were the first to kiss them and bring them into this world. Today a mother’s love, together with their blessings and a kiss, will be first to send them on their way to their new life together as husband and wife”
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Mothers...please kiss the Bride and Groom.
UNITY CANDLE
This symbolises the joining of the two families through the medium of light. Three candles are used here, two outer candles and a central larger candle.
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The couple can choose their mothers, fathers or another significant person in their lives to light the outer family candle. Then the couple take the light from their family candle and together light the central unity candle.
WINE BOX CEREMONY
This box contains a bottle of wine and a love letter from each to the other.These letters describe the positive qualities you find in the other person and why you fell in love.
The letters are sealed in individual envelopes and neither knows what the other has written. It is like a romantic time capsule. This can be opened at an anniversary, 5 years, 10 years or 25 years or if you ever find your marriage vows being tested, open the wine together, read the love letter and remind each other of the love and excitement you had on your wedding day.
Get in Touch
For a free, no obligation, consultation about your special ceremony get in touch via email, telephone or simply fill in the contact form below and I will be in touch.
