Real Ceremonies by Sonal Dave
Fiona is a Sri Lankan Tamil Christian who was raised Hindu, and her parents took her to the temple and the church. She also went to a Christian school. Both religions play a part in her upbringing.
Fiona describes Scott as her best friend, her soul partner and her everything. Scott is attentive to her needs, gentle and patient. He is reliable, loyal and the BEST cook she knows. He is her food partner. He is her ride or die. Scott is her home.
Scott is a Mauritian Tamil. Both of his parents grew up in a Mauritian Tamil household that migrated to the UK in the 1970s.
Scott describes Fiona, aka Fi, as his best friend. She is someone who makes him feel safe and comfortable to be with. She supports him when he needs it most and picks him up when he is not feeling well. Fiona encourages Scott to be a better person, even when it’s uncomfortable.
When planning a multicultural celebrant wedding, it is essential to ensure that both sides of the family’s rituals are included in the ceremony. This is where either your own knowledge or the couple’s knowledge is important.
When there is a multicultural celebrant wedding to be delivered alongside a priest or equivalent religious person, it is even more essential that the rituals to be included are clearly understood and that the Celebrant and the Priest are coordinated and work together. Tamil Weddings are known to be long and usually held at an auspicious time, so the ceremony had to start at a fixed time and finish before the auspicious time ended. This meant all parties involved needed to know what was expected, when and how.
The process I decided to use to make the couple’s journey easier was for me to work with them first to work out what we would include in the ceremony, and then bring in the priest (who spoke very little English) and his son (who spoke English), to review and advise on anything essential we had missed.
The couple had also booked a wedding coordinator, so working with them and all the suppliers, a ceremony was created and delivered within the expected timescales.
Key Learning to Help The Process
Book a wedding planner
Book a celebrant early
Book a priest early
Give plenty of time to set up the ceremony room
Ensure that all items for the ceremony arrive at the venue the night before or the morning of.
Ensure your ceremony is finalised at least 4 weeks before your ceremony date.
Ensure all participants in the ceremony are aware they are involved and know what to do. This saves a lot of time and faffing around.
Make sure there is time for the celebrant and priest to meet so that any questions or concerns can be resolved before the ceremony day.
By doing this, your ceremony can be the ceremony that you wanted.
For this ceremony, the blending of two Tamil cultures, the Tamil musicians, myself as the Celebrant, and the priest and his son made it extra special.
There was a combination of English and Tamil, and of Bollywood and Tamil music.
Braxted Park is a venue where serenity and sophistication meet in one magnificent venue, where captivation hides around every corner, where history and destiny kick off their heels and dance together. It’s a lovely place to celebrate your union of hearts and families.
At the head of the breath-taking tree-lined drive lies the house itself, the secret walled garden, an enchanting pavilion and exquisite orangery; the perfect backdrops for your wedding, whether intimate or grand, traditional or modern. All distinctively yours for the day.
Whether your wedding takes place in one of our exquisite indoor spaces or under a clear blue sky, whether it is a grand affair or a small and intimate occasion, Braxted Park combines elegance with ease. Our one desire is for you and yours to enjoy a day of beauty and joy, with every last detail taken care of.
The venue offers on-site accommodation for the newlyweds and luxury overnight accommodation for family and friends.
