Everyone deserves to be loved, accepted and celebrated

I genuinely believe that. It’s at the heart of who I am and everything I do as a wedding celebrant.

I’m a big believer in people being able to love who they love, be who they are and feel completely comfortable doing so. I’m a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community, and I want every couple who comes to me to know that they’re welcome, they’re valued and I’ll be every bit as excited about their wedding as they are.

Inclusion also means an awful lot more to me than that. Disability and neurodiversity are particularly close to my heart because, as a mum to a very special boy and a wife to a very special man, both of whom are neurodivergent, I see first-hand how important it is to understand people as individuals.

To recognise that everyone experiences the world differently, that we all have our own needs, and that a little understanding can make a huge difference.

It’s one of the reasons I care so much about getting to know the couples and families I work with. I want to know what makes you tick, what matters to you, what makes you laugh and what you want your wedding to feel like. I want you to feel comfortable enough to be yourselves, because that’s where the magic happens.

And speaking of magic, I’m a firm believer that your ceremony should be anything but ordinary.

I love the creative side of what I do. Taking all those little details, the stories, the in-jokes, the sentimental bits and the things that make your relationship yours, and turning them into something beautifully crafted. Every ceremony I write is thoughtfully curated around the people at the centre of it, with every detail considered and every word chosen with care.

But a beautiful ceremony should also be one where everyone feels considered.

That might mean thinking about accessibility, making allowances for sensory needs, creating a little flexibility for children who need to move about, or simply being mindful of different ways people communicate and experience the world. These things don’t need to be complicated, but they do need to matter. And they do to me.

I want you to know that you can talk to me about these things without feeling awkward or worrying that you’re asking too much. We’ll have a proper conversation, work out what would make everyone feel comfortable and make sure those details are considered from the very beginning.

Because, for me, being a celebrant isn’t just about standing up and delivering a ceremony. It’s about the people. It’s about trust, understanding and creating something that means the world to the two people getting married, while making the people they love feel part of it, too.

So, whoever you are, whoever you love, whatever your family looks like, and whatever makes you wonderfully you, I’d love to hear your story.

Everyone deserves to be loved. Everyone deserves to belong. And everyone deserves a wedding ceremony that’s as individual, beautiful and brilliant as they are.

Maria x