Karen asks:

I would like “new stuff” to include in my ceremonies. I am constantly trying to energise/refresh my writing and always focusing on making them better/different; I don’t want to be a Celebrant that just regurgitates the same old stuff and changes the couples names. That’s not my style from the moment I became a Celebrant. I do find watching videographers social media and capturing snippets from ceremonies kicks my brain along, plus I’m always focusing on being a strong wordsmith in my ceremonies to capture the essence of my couples stories. Anything you can do to provide growth in new ways/things to include/new rituals/creative ceremonies would be great. Maybe something along the lines of questions for couples that we may not have thought about to enhance what we do.

This is a really good question, Karen, so I wanted to share my reply with all the members.

Here’s how I go about finding new “stuff” for my wedding ceremonies, feel free to take what suits you and leave what doesn’t:

  • Song lyrics, movies, books: I’m always looking for lyrics that I could pull out, not as a reading, but as a pivot point or to call upon to make a point.
  • Storytelling Workshops: Participate in a workshop or course that focuses on storytelling techniques. This can help you develop new methods for gathering compelling narratives from your couples and incorporating them into your ceremonies.
  • Writing Prompts: I look for those writing prompts often being sold on social media to spark creativity. These can be questions or scenarios that challenge you to think outside the box and can lead to fresh and engaging content for your ceremonies.
  • Interview Techniques: I’m always trying to develop my interview skills with couples to dig deeper into their story and what makes them tick. If there’s a course, a book, a blog post about a great interviewer, I’m reading it.
  • Collaboration with Other Creatives: Connect with other creative professionals, such as writers or poets, to collaborate on ceremony content and to learn from them. This cross-pollination of ideas can lead to incredibly unique and personalised ceremonies. I know for a while there a friend of mine, Ben Ager, was offering courses in this fashion from his work as an actor and I wish I could have attended one.
  • Feedback: Implement a feedback mechanism with your past couples. Their insights on what resonated with them can inform your approach to future ceremonies. In the end, you’ve gotta give the people what they want.
  • Try: Finally, I love elopement ceremonies with zero or few guests because that’s where I try out new bits. I give them a try, if they work, I keep on working on them, and if they don’t I drop them. Watch Taylor Tomlinson workshop a closing joke to her special. My “bits” and ceremony “stuff” go through the same process.