marriage celebrant Archives - Glenda J Ashleigh

December 1, 2017 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Ceremony Happiness

Wedding Ceremony Happiness is Catching

Wedding ceremony happiness shows in the faces of this delightful couple caught by their wedding celebrant! Happiness is catching and there were smiles all round as these long-term friends tied the knot at their wedding ceremony.

Andor and Terez are lovely people who are very welcoming and quickly make people feel at ease. This couple enjoy a relaxing atmosphere among friends and family, including their beloved pets.

Here are a few of my memories of a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Andor and Terez’s home provide a lovely setting for their wedding. I chat with guests who gather for a delightful and relaxed wedding ceremony. Excitement and love is in the air as everyone makes ready on this very special occasion.

Wedding ceremony happiness moment

Delightful wedding decorations set the scene. Just perfect for an intimate and personal wedding ceremony.
Simple, and heart-felt words express their feelings. A natural and very personal touch.
Misty eyes were the order of the day as Andor and Terez make their marriage vows to each other.
Family members get the ‘technology’ going and music fills the air. And even some singing!
Smiles on faces all round and happy wagging of tails of the four-footed guests!
A delightful and happy wedding ceremony for a delightful couple.
I love the looks of delight as I present my special wedding keepsakes to the happy couple!

Wedding Ceremony Review

Andor and Terez give this review of their wedding ceremony with Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh:

What did you and your guests particularly enjoy about the ceremony? The ceremony was very familiar with a nice atmosphere.

What will you always remember about the ceremony? The Celebrant. #glendajashleighcelebrant

Overall, how would you rate your experience with Glenda as your Celebrant? Excellent.

What would you tell other people about Glenda? Just, call #glendajashleighcelebrant she’s very friendly.

Thank you Andor and Terez for your comments. This feedback is the heart-warming and wonderful experience that makes it a privilege and a joy to be a Marriage Celebrant. Read other people’s recommendations about Glenda.

Contact Glenda Ashleigh for your delightful wedding ceremony.

September 14, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Bush Wedding Gumdale Brisbane

Bush Wedding in Gumdale

Celebrate your bush wedding in Gumdale, the delightful outer-Brisbane suburb in Queensland. The Gumdale Historic Museum is an authentic pioneer’s house right in the heart of Gumdale.

So near to Brisbane and the southern Bayside areas, this charming venue is just perfect for an Australian bush wedding.

House in the Bush

Experience the feeling of living in a house in the bush in the early 1900s. The house is constructed of depression-era, 1920s-1930s, tin shingle and weatherboard. It has furniture, clothes, books and tools that are authentic depression-era, and these are just delightful.

The house sits in an Australian bush setting with grassed level ground and is next to a sealed car park. This makes for easy access, especially for the Bridal Party and guests.

There are lots of fantastic natural bush photo opportunities too! Not only are the outside areas great, but the inside of the house are also perfect for those fun photos. Create your own bush life with some props from the museum’s collection. This truly is the authentic bush adventure!

The adjacent Gumdale Progress Association Hall is also available for hire, either as a ceremony venue, or reception venue.

Please contact Robyn Nalder: International – 61+732455009 Australia – 07 3245 5009 for hiring details.

I Love Bush Weddings

I love bush weddings! Not only are they relaxed and fun, but everyone feels welcome at a bush wedding. I create unique wedding ceremonies that capture the true essence of an Australian bush setting. Contact Glenda to book for your Australian bush wedding.

Bush Bride

Meanwhile, please enjoy the following tale of a ‘Bush Bride’ as she settles into domestic life in the Australian bush. She may be new to the bush, however this Bride is no shrinking violet! She is always cheerful as she comes to grips with the various challenges of life in the bush.

7 New Cleveland road

April 15, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Keepsakes

Wedding Keepsakes for Very Important Brides

As a newly appointed Marriage Celebrant, I noticed that very few brides received wedding keepsakes or good luck charms on their wedding day. Today, even at formal wedding ceremonies including all the usual trimmings, I notice that many brides still do not receive any good-luck charms or keepsakes. Furthermore, at more informal ceremonies, although the setting is relaxed and laid-back, only sometimes do brides receive any keepsakes or good-luck charms from family or friends.

Good Luck

I wonder if many people know about the tradition of giving wedding keepsakes or charms to the Bride for good luck? Different cultures use different charm shapes as symbols of good luck.

A horseshoe shape is popular. Carry the horseshoe with the ‘arms’ turned upwards. This prevents the ‘good luck’ from spilling out! Carry the horseshoe with the ‘arms’ turned downwards, the good luck is said to spread everywhere the Bride walks.
A miniature shoe or slipper shape is also a popular wedding favour. Also, place a coin in the shoe or slipper for extra good luck!
Tiny locks and keys are attached to the bridal bouquet. These little ‘love locks’ make delightful decorations. Furthermore, they are also safer than attaching a padlock to a bridge or other public structure!
Another kind of attachment to the bridal bouquet is that of miniature portrait charms of family members who are not present at the ceremony. These may include loved ones, who although having passed away, are present, honoured and loved.

Wedding Keepsakes Made with Love

I make special wedding keepsake favours or charms for very important Brides. Book Glenda, the Really Good Brisbane Celebrant, and you are a VIP, very important Bride!

All brides should have at least one good-luck wedding keepsake or charm, and so I make my signature satin hearts. No two hearts are the same! I decorate each heart to compliment the style and colours to appeal to the bride.

I give these unique bridal favours to Brides after the ‘Declaration of Marriage’ as good-luck keepsakes to take into their married life. These truly are unique wedding mementos for Brides that I make with love and care. These ‘love hearts’ are not for sale! Book Glenda J Ashleigh, Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant for your special bridal keepsake!

April 3, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Bomboniere

Creative Wedding Bomboniere to Delight

Wedding bomboniere are favours or gifts that wedding guests receive on the wedding day. Different cultures view weddings as happy events that people like to celebrate. Weddings also attract ‘good luck’ and everyone likes good luck! Wedding bomboniere is as different as you want it to be, so create your bomboniere and delight your wedding guests!

Wedding Bomboniere Through History

Traditionally, everyone in the community shares in the good luck associated with weddings and in spreading the love.

In 16th century France, only the wealthy classes gave wedding bomboniere to wedding guests. Small boxes to hold bonbons or other confectionery were popular bomboniere. These boxes were often decorated with gold and precious stones. Not only was this bomboniere valuable keepsakes, they were also handed down from one generation to another in families as heirlooms.

Families of modest means however, were more creative with their bomboniere. For example, In Italy, sugar-coated or Jordan almonds are popular as wedding bomboniere. Five sugar-coated almonds are presented in a dainty organza bag or wrapped in fine tule, and tied with a ribbon. These almonds represent the five wedding wishes: health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity.

Although the form of wedding bomboniere differs across cultures, the thoughts and sentiments are the same. It is all about how you spread and share the happiness of your wedding day. Cut the wedding cake and put small pieces in boxes or paper bags for guests to take home with them. This is and old and delightful bomboniere tradition that is easy. Wedding guests place the boxed cake under their pillows on the wedding night for ‘good luck’. Hopefully, wedding guests experience good luck!

In the 21st century, people are more creative with wedding bomboniere. Some gifts are practical while others are more sentimental. Wine bottle stoppers, personalised pens, and even music boxes that play the wedding waltz are popular. These bomboniere are available commercially, however they do come at a cost.

Personalised Wedding Bomboniere

Wedding Bomboniere Crochet Bells

Why not personalise your wedding bomboniere in unique ways? Express your personality, hopes and dreams in personalised bomboniere. These gifts are heartfelt and add that special touch to your day. The hand-made crochet Wedding Bells in this photo are delightful examples of unique bomboniere. These little bells add a lovely touch to place cards or as decorations on champagne flutes.

Other popular personalised wedding bomboniere include plant seeds, small plants in pots, and home-baked confectionery, jams and biscuits. Print or hand-write thank you notes and attach to these items. Invite family and friends to gather, make or present these personalised items. Not only is this is a great way to get everyone involved in the wedding preparations, it also saves time, effort, and of course, expense!

Why not share the love, good wishes and ‘good luck’ with wedding guests? Make a donation to a charity on behalf of your wedding guests who then receive tokens such as pins or thank-you cards from the charity. Alternatively, write thank-you messages to guests on place cards at the reception, or attach them to bomboniere.

Get creative and delight your wedding guests!

Are you ready for some really creative ideas for bomboniere? As Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, I know a special couple whose families get into the really creative bomboniere in a big way! Check out the carrot carving bomboniere guests receive at the wedding of Peg & Pog.

February 27, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Personal Wedding Vows

Words for Personal Wedding Vows

Would you like to make your personal wishes for your partner and your married life? Many couples make personal vows to each other in their wedding ceremony. Sometimes both parties write their ‘individual’ vows and sometimes they ‘share’ a common vow.

Personal Wedding Vows

By far the most popular personal vows are individual vows.

Quite often the words in the vows are kept ‘secret’ from the other party until the wedding day!

Don’t know where to start with your vows? Yes, I help you write your personal wedding vows!

Presentation is important, especially on your wedding day! As Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant, I attend to the details that make all the difference. I match the colours for the vow booklet graphics and decorations with your chosen wedding colours.

Contact me for delightful personal wedding vow booklets for your wedding ceremony!

Wishes and Words for Personal Wedding Vows

Wishes and words for personal wedding vows come from the heart. They express your personal hopes, dreams and values for your marriage. Choose the words that you and your partner understand and appreciate. After all, they are your words.

Have fun with your vows! Use words that you like and that you understand. The only rule to follow is: “Vows are respectful.” Apply this rule to everyone involved in your wedding ceremony and your guests. Think about the people who will hear you say your vows and ask yourself this question, “Do I want them to hear these words?” Keep the more intimate words and expressions for private conversations with your partner!

Writing Personal Vows

So you want to write your personal vows? Make a start! Write notes about all sorts of ideas, collect examples of vows and write something that you feel is ‘right for you’. Jot down a few points about what you bring to the marriage and what you wish for married life, then write your personal vow.

Need inspiration? Here are some suggested links to wedding vows sites to help you get started.

More modern vows. Quirky vows. How to write your personalised vow.

February 14, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Brisbane Celebrant Weds Love Ducks

Brisbane Celebrant Weds Ducks in Love

Glenda J Ashleigh, Brisbane Celebrant weds the delightful love ducks in a ‘first’ for Brisbane. Brisbane ducks will never be the same! These ‘luvducks’ will say ‘I do’ in the beautiful Brisbane Bayside suburb of Manly.

Brisbane ducks will gather to witness the Bride & Groom being joined for evermore in duck love.

The wedding pond is a romantic wedding venue where the Bride & Groom first found love. The Bride & Groom will display their love with a large ‘Love’ sign.

Brisbane Celebrant, Glenda Ashleigh is very good at guiding nervous Brides & Grooms (including ducks) through their romantic wedding vows.

There will be much ‘happy flapping’ when the Groom gives the Bride an affectionate peck at the end of the ceremony.

Brisbane’s Beautiful Bayside

Duck family and friends are delighted that the two ‘luvducks’ will be wed in Brisbane’s Beautiful Bayside.

The Wynnum-Manly-Lota area on Moreton Bay has many great venues for wedding ceremonies all year round. This suits ducks just fine as the water is never far away. Lovely sea breezes during summer days allow ducks to relax and enjoy themselves. Winter days by the bay are a duck’s delight with sunshine glinting on the water.

Brisbane Celebrant Glenda Ashleigh

Brisbane Celebrant Glenda Ashleigh is Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant. People (and ducks) find Glenda friendly and approachable. Glenda is a true professional, reliable and trustworthy. Your ceremony is Glenda’s business and she takes very good care of it.

What does Glenda do very well? She really listens to Brides & Grooms. Your wishes come first! You can be confident that Glenda will help you plan the ceremony that best suits you.

The Wynnum-Manly-Lota area is easy to get to from the Brisbane CBD. It is close to the Gateway Motorway, linking the northern and southern areas of Brisbane.

Contact Glenda

Contact Glenda by telephone or email for a free chat about your ceremony wishes, needs and wants. Glenda will answer your questions clearly and honestly.

You are welcome to arrange a meeting with Glenda, obligation-free to discuss your ceremony.

February 6, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Brisbane Autumn Brides & Weddings

Brisbane Autumn Brides & Weddings…beautiful

Brisbane Autumn Brides really do have the best of everything! Autumn is a delightful time of year in beautiful Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. Autumn is an ideal time for weddings. Not too hot and humid during the day, not too chilly in the evenings.

Brisbane outdoor home garden wedding setting

An Autumn wedding ceremony in the great outdoors is a popular choice for Brides & Grooms in Brisbane. Fresh air, natural surroundings and relaxed.

When is Autumn in Brisbane? The Australian Autumn is from 1 March to 31 May. However, as Brisbane enjoys a sub-tropical climate, the weather often feels more like summer. The Autumnal Equinox for 2021 is 20 March. This is the time when there is an equal number of daylight and night-time hours. It is said that this is when the world is ‘in balance.’

Brisbane Autumn & Easter Brides & Weddings

Brisbane Autumn also means Easter. This is a popular time for weddings. Easter holidays in 2021 are celebrated from Friday (Good Friday), 3 April to Monday (Easter Monday), 5 April in Brisbane.

Planning a Brisbane Autumn Wedding

Planning for a Brisbane Autumn Wedding? Planning to invite guests from outside Brisbane, perhaps from overseas or interstate? Here are some important points to keep in mind:

The state of Queensland (as well as Western Australia and The Northern Territory) does not currently observe daylight saving time. The Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, however, do observe daylight saving time for part of the year. In these states and territory, daylight saving time ends on the first Sunday in April.
The daylight hours get shorter during Autumn. The later in Autumn, the shorter the daylight hours. This is important when planning a daytime outdoor wedding ceremony. Knowing when it is daylight in Brisbane is very useful!
Your Notice of Intended Marriage must be in the hands of your Celebrant at least one month before the date of your wedding ceremony.

Book Brisbane’s Really Good Celebrant now!

Dates for Saturday and Sunday Autumn wedding ceremonies are still available!

Don’t wait (or at worst forget about it). Uh, oh, you did forget, didn’t you? Don’t panic, contact me now! If you have already made your wedding arrangements, and the wedding is less than 1 month away, you may be able to apply for a shortening of time in certain specified circumstances.

January 31, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Garden Wedding – Glenda J Ashleigh Celebrant

Garden Wedding with Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant

A Garden wedding with Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, is just delightful! The sun is shining, the birds are singing and everything is as it should be – perfect! All is well in the garden.

Peg & Pog garden wedding

Parks and gardens in Brisbane, Queensland (fantastic one day, perfect the next!) make great venues for outdoor wedding ceremonies.

Brisbane’s Very Good Celebrant, Glenda J Ashleigh, conducts the wedding ceremony just the way that Peg and Pog want.

Everyone feels relaxed and happy. They really enjoy the charming ceremony and the garden setting. The roses are blooming, the grass feel like carpet, and there is plenty of space for all to see.

Garden Weddings & Weather

Providing the sun keeps shining, all will be well for the wedding party, service providers, and of course those very important people, the guests. Delightful! But then, who can control the weather?

A few clouds drift over, and then some more… Quick! Here comes the rain, run! Where do people run to? What do they do when they get there? What do you do with soggy people? A bedraggled bridal party does not look good, especially in photographs and videos.

If you consider holding your wedding ceremony in a garden or one of the many delightful parks in and around Brisbane, be prepared with a ‘rainy day’ option. Is there shelter close to the ceremony area? Is the shelter large enough to provide cover for everyone? You might want to tell guests to bring their ‘brollies or you can provide umbrellas for them.

Be prepared. Check out the shelter option in your chosen park. Avoid becoming a ‘soggie’ on your wedding day! Delight your guests, they will thank you for your good planning.

January 19, 2016 by Glenda Ashleigh

Wedding Ceremony Rituals & Traditions

What Wedding Ceremony Rituals & Traditions are used Today?

Some wedding ceremony rituals & traditions are used so often that we expect them. The ‘kiss’ is one of these traditions that we see in most ‘western culture’ weddings. Further, these ‘expected’ rituals are often regarded as ‘must have’ wedding traditions.

Exchanging or giving of wedding rings is a popular ritual or tradition that is part of many wedding ceremonies. The bride may receive a wedding ring, or the bride and groom may exchange weddings rings. Wedding rings are regarded as tokens or symbols of the loving vows made in the marriage contract. However, couples may choose to exchange or give other some form of love token rather than rings.

But back to the ‘kiss’ and its significance. What is its history?

The Kiss Wedding Ceremony Ritual

The ritual and tradition of kissing is believed to be the action that sealed the marriage contract for a couple in Roman times. Mind you, the Romans used the act of kissing to ‘seal the deal’ in any legal contract!

As time went on, the ritual of ‘the kiss’ in the wedding ceremony took on a more romantic touch. Some cultures regard the wedding kiss as the first time that the bride and groom actually touch each other as husband and wife.

In modern times, the bride and groom may hold hands during the exchange of vows, so the kiss as the ‘first touch’ doesn’t really apply. Today, the kiss ritual is most often performed immediately following the pronouncement of the couple as husband and wife. The kiss is still regarded as ‘sealing the union’ between the bride and groom in today’s wedding ceremonies.

Be creative with rituals! Express your personality in your wedding ceremony. As a Brisbane Marriage Celebrant, I am very happy to include the rituals and traditions of your choice in your wedding ceremony. You can find information about wedding ceremony rituals and traditions on the Rituals page of this website.

November 27, 2015 by Glenda Ashleigh

Flower Girl Attendants in Bridal Party

Flower Girl Attendants in the Bridal Party

Bridal Party Attendants the Flower Girl

Flower Girls are delightful! What is the role of Flower Girl? Flower Girl attendants in the Bridal Party assist the entrance of the Bride. A Flower Girl is a great addition to the Bridal Party, and the delight is doubled when there are two of them!

Here are Pip and Pepper, those two-and-a-half-year-old twin nieces of the Bridegroom, Pog at Peg & Pog’s wedding.

Peg and Pog hope that Pip and Pepper will skip along happily in front of them as they enter the Rose Garden for their wedding ceremony. However, Pip and Pepper have other ideas!! The little Flower Girls take a shortcut to the Rose Garden. After all, weddings are exciting and little girls like excitement. Pip and Pepper race ahead and alert everyone that Peg and Pog are on the path! The Bride and Groom approach and enter the Rose Garden on their own. Pip and Pepper stand in the wedding area and clap excitedly as Peg and Pog enter. Everyone appreciates such a novel bridal procession. This lovely touch sets the warm and happy tone for the wedding and everyone smiles and feels the love.

Flower Girls as Bridal Attendants

Are Flower Girls in the Bridal Party a good idea? What do you really expect of Flower Girls? Choosing Flower Girls can be a way to include young girl relatives and friends in the wedding. The big questions are, “Do they want to be a Flower Girl?” “Are they old enough to understand what is expected?” and “Are they reliable?”

Pip and Pepper are two-and-a-half-year-old girls who do exactly what they want to do!

As long as the Bride and Groom and all other Bridal Party attendants prepare for anything, then it is a good idea. Children are unpredictable however, and the chance of ‘different behaviour’ is very high.

Girls who consider themselves to be too old to be a Flower Girl have the role of Junior Bridesmaid. The Junior Bridesmaid’s role is actually less complicated that that of a Flower Girl. Junior Bridesmaids have a more relaxed time and do not have any specific tasks on the wedding day.

Will you include Flower Girls or Junior Bridesmaids in your Bridal Party? Will you prepare for ‘different behaviour’ on the day? How will you cope with unplanned events on the day? What will you say or do when such unplanned events occur? Keep smiling, treasure the precious moments on your big day and spread the love.