Merrydale Manor humanist wedding | Sam + Josh
As you can see from their beautiful pictures, Sam and Josh’s black tie humanist wedding at the stunning Merrydale Manor in Cheshire didn’t disappoint.
It’s not uncommon for me to only meet couples I’ve been working with who are based abroad on the wedding day itself, but thanks to some excellent teamwork, a lot of emails and a huge amount of goodwill on all sides, nobody could have known that about Sam, Josh and I. Between us we had been able to create the highest quality script which we were all entirely excited about and since they were prepared to factor extra preparation time into their big day so we could rehearse, everything came together seamlessly.
Josh and Sam’s ceremony focused very much on celebrating their story and the great happiness they have found in one another, sharing that with family and friends. It was intended, as I explained in my Welcome, to act as a heady dose of true love. They also wanted all their loved ones present to feel involved and appreciated, something that was really important to them, not least because it was the one and only time everyone would be together in this way. Last, but certainly not least, it was also a reaffirmation of them being a family together with their much-loved children.
‘We can’t believe it’s nearly been a year since our wedding and we are so, so grateful to you for the amazing job you did! From start to finish you were just incredible and so helpful and supportive, especially with our situation. You adapted things to make it as easy as possible without compromising on the detail. The ceremony you created and then delivered so wonderfully was perfect! You brought most people to tears especially my dad, my sister and Josh’s mum. It was everything we could have dreamt of and more. You’re the absolute best Hannah!! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Wishing you all the best and thank you again, Sam, Josh and family xx’
There was a little story behind all the readings which had been carefully chosen for their personal relevance and meaning: one a poem that meant a lot to both Sam and her sister, the other some adapted song lyrics from one of Sam and Josh’s favourite songs and the final pick embodying the recurring theme of friendship. Between those their ‘Story so far’ section that really got to the heart of what makes Sam and Josh tick as a couple and as parents and the emotional response from their guests mirrored the genuine sentiment captured in the words themselves, setting us all up for their vows.
Josh and Sam’s tender question and answer vows and exchange of rings were then complemented perfectly by a handfasting led by a mix of family and friends, accompanied by a talented vocalist on the piano complete with string quartet. There wasn’t a dry eye in the entire room by this point. We had definitely succeeded in our aim to bring their love story to life and transport everyone meanwhile to another, more tender, more special place in their honour. What a couple. What a ceremony. An absolute honour to be involved in and a heady dose of true love indeed.
If you like what you’ve read in Sam and Josh’s testimonial and would like to know more, do check out my Weddings page, Wedding brochure and Instagram page. If you’ve any questions, just drop me a line. It will be a pleasure to hear from you. Hannah Wroe Gill, Cheshire Humanist Wedding Celebrant
