Whitedove offers a variety of wedding ceremony options…
Whether you are planning a small and intimate ceremony, or a large and social event - see which ceremony suits your needs and what you can expect at each stage of the process from the details below.
Your ceremony may be held inside or outside…at an unusual location, a more traditional hotel venue or even on one of our smaller sister islands, rest assured that whatever your plan is, we can accommodate your request.
We’ve listed the ceremony types that Whitedove can offer you and what you can expect from each…
1. The Simple Legal Ceremony
The Marriage law was updated in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 2021, which means that if you don’t want a larger or traditional church ceremony, you have more options than just The Greffe on a weekday to become legally married.
We have married couples in the presence of just their legal witnesses or a small number of family and/or friends on beaches, cliff-tops, at their home, in gardens and even in their hotel room. The simple format means there’s no processional entrance, but you can still exchange personal promises and wedding rings along with making the mandatory legal declarations and signing the register with the legal witnesses.
This pared-down ceremony typically takes around 10-15 minutes to complete.
2. Standard ceremony
This ceremony offers a more familiar format and is ideal when you are likely to have a wedding party involved and wish to have a processional entrance. There will be an opportunity for guests to deliver up to 2 readings during the ceremony.
Your celebrant will work with you to plan the rehearsal a few days before the ceremony at a date and time that suits you, the venue (if necessary) and your key wedding party members. This is where you can ensure that the walk-in and choreography around the ceremony area during the wedding are familiar to you both, and that everyone is comfortable with the plans for the day.
The standard ceremony takes around 20-25 minutes.
3. Bespoke Ceremony
The bespoke ceremony is as it suggests - a fully flexible approach.
Although we offer a plethora of suggestions to choose from for your readings, we also understand that your guests might want to write their own readings and we are more than happy to accommodate this.
With this ceremony, there is an additional meeting with your celebrant for them to get to know you and learn more about your story – all the information that is required for the elements about your relationship, as a couple, such as how you met, what makes your relationship work, the proposal, your aspirations and dreams for the future.
The bespoke ceremony takes around 25-30 minutes.
4. The Essential Civil Ceremony a.k.a. The ‘DIY’
Whilst we offer 3 main options for a wedding ceremony, some couples have someone close to them, that they want to deliver their wedding in line with their own ideas. The only thing missing from the plans are the legal formalities that are required - the elements that can only be provided by a registered Civil Celebrant.
Although there is always the option to pop along and perform these at The Greffe, you are limited to the days and times that the Greffe can do this.
Our celebrants are happy to deliver the legal requirements as part of your ceremony at the wedding location on the day, leaving you to then continue with the celebrations however you choose - completing the ceremony in your own style.
ALSO INCLUDED…STATIONERY
A keepsake ceremonial certificate, reading cards, promises cards, seating place cards and guest information sheets in one of the designs shown here are included with our BESPOKE weddings. An upgrade to a bespoke design is an optional extra for our Legal and Standard ceremonies.
We can also provide Guest Information sheets and mounted or framed Wedding Memories Prints which can be displayed at the reception and make a lovely keepsake for you to remember your day and the promises you made.
Don’t Forget…Marriage Licence Application Process
Your licence application must be submitted to The Greffe by you - this can be done up to twelve months prior to the ceremony date.
After you have had your face-to-face meeting at The Greffe office, they will issue the licence to marry direct to Whitedove and we will check that it matches your instructions to us. This process applies to all ceremony types.
Once your application is processed, your marriage notice can be published and this must be done at least three weeks before the wedding day, so don’t leave it too late to start the online application process!
Follow this link for details: Royal Court Guernsey - Marriages
