Tag: hand fasting

Weddings Ceremonies at Gate Street in the heart of the Surrey Hills

Occasionally I’ve arrived at a venue all geared up to lead a knockout wedding ceremony and immediately it gives you the feels. ‘Oh yes, I am going to love this place!’ and that is just what I thought when I first arrived at Gate Street for Lucy & Stewart’s wedding back in August 2022.  

Gate Street had been on my radar as one of Surrey’s most gorgeous wedding venues since I started out as a celebrant in 2018. Now I was getting the full experience with officiating a wedding in their beautiful barn, and it didn’t disappoint. I’ve been lucky to return to lead wedding ceremonies at Gate Street several times since, and every time I love it that bit more. Being a recommended supplier with them these days is the icing on the cake!  

So let’s explore some ideas for your wedding ceremony at Gate Street…

Barn, Gardens or Woodland Ceremony?

You are spoilt for choice with wedding ceremonies at Gate Street, and it feels like there’s a location for everyone. The barn is the natural starting point with its gorgeous vaulted ceiling and oak beams. Light floods in from the atrium which is also a perfect spot for musicians if you are having live music. Adding foliage to the beams gives a romantic feel too. The bridal party enter from the back of the barn with some clever double doors which ensure that no-one sees the bride and her party until the big moment arrives. And Leanne and Holly are of course on hand to make sure your entrance is perfect.

If you like the thought of getting married outdoors with a garden style wedding, then Farmhouse Avenue provides the perfect backdrop. It’s nestled in the landscaped gardens with gorgeous views over the Surrey Hills as you say your vows with your F&F looking on. You can also get creative with the space here. Maybe a flower arch as the focal point while your guests sit in a horseshoe curve so everyone is close to the action. The Pheasantry bar and Orangery are just a few steps away for the all-important drinks and canapes after the ceremony.

Or does something more rural appeal? How about a ceremony in the woods surrounded by mature trees and shrubs with nature all around you. The Woodland is just dreamy for a summer solstice wedding. Think wildflower bouquets, hurricane lanterns and the shady arbour decorated with local foliage. Your guests sit on cute wooden benches while you stand in front of the rustic, open sided arbour as your wedding celebrant tells your love story. This is the perfect setting for romantic symbolic gestures too such as a handfasting with cords and ribbons to match your colours. Weddings here are truly magical, your photos will be too. And you are still just a short stroll from the comfort of the Pheasantry and Orangery.

Woodland wedding with flowers and benches in front of the rustic arbour
Woodland wedding ceremony

Legal Wedding or Celebrant Led Ceremony?

Thankfully, all of the wedding ceremony spaces at Gate Street are licensed for Civil Ceremonies so this doesn’t need to limit your options. They also have gorgeous space for your pre-meeting with the registrar. But if you’d like your wedding ceremony to have some personal touches, that reflect you as a couple, then a celebrant led wedding is a great option. This can include anything you choose… Your love story, marriage advice from those with plenty of experience, a family unity circle with your children, or a heart-warming sing-along. The awesome staff at Gate Street also welcome your furry family members. So how about your pooch bringing up your wedding rings! Creating each wedding ceremony to match their couple is what wedding celebrants do best.

But what if you want your legal wedding and your celebrant led wedding on the same day? No problem. In Spring 2024 I led a fun filled wedding ceremony at Gate Street for Emma & Ollie. This directly followed their legal wedding in the Barn. So, all of their F&F got to witness them committing to each other and signing on the dotted line. Then we went straight into the celebrant wedding. They saved their ring exchange for this part of their celebrations and this followed them making personal vows which they wrote together. We also had some hilarious anecdotes about the two of them from their closest friends. Then I relayed secret words from the bride and groom on what they love most about each other. It was a perfect combination of registrar legal stuff and celebrant fun, no need to choose!

Emma and Ollie being showered with confetti by the their guests in the driveway
Emma & Ollie’s confetti moment!

How About the After Party?

Straight after the wedding ceremony I like to arrange a confetti walkway with all of the guests lining up, confetti at the ready. At Gate Street, the gravel driveway provides the perfect setting for the confetti moment with the barn in the background. The bride and groom appear from the glassy front entrance to get well and truly covered in confetti!


Then, of course, it’s on to the drinks and canapes. The gardens are just right for sipping champagne and nibbling filled croustades while catching up with all your guests. And you can save the teepee for warming drinks late into the evening. The Barn or Pheasantry are prepared for your wedding breakfast depending on your numbers. With exclusive use at Gate Street, and accommodation too, you have the whole place to make your own.

There are plenty of options for your wedding photo shoot. From cosying up alongside the sheep, to flower laden courtyards, and tree lined walkways.

Gate Street does seem to have it all, really. You can meet the team and find out more about weddings at Gate Steet here https://www.gatestreet.co.uk/weddings. And don’t miss their amazing photo gallery https://www.gatestreet.co.uk/gallery

Can’t wait to see you there! Find out more about my wedding ceremonies here https://www.silverbeeceremonies/ceremonies/weddings

Symbolic gestures for your wedding ceremony

Symbolic gestures add an extra dimension to any wedding ceremony making it more personal and memorable for you as a couple and your guests. There are plenty to choose from that work really well with humanist wedding ceremonies, here’s just a few of my current favourites…

Hand fasting ceremony

This is the best known symbolic gesture for weddings and involves tying ribbons around the hands of the couple whilst a hand blessing is read out, or the couple making promises to each other with the ribbons being tied by a friend or family member for each promise. The ribbons are then pulled by the couple to create a Celtic love knot or a chain of promises. In each case it has real visual impact and provides keepsake from your ceremony. And it is steeped in tradition, this is where the phrases ‘tying the knot’ and ‘binding agreement’ originate.

Hand-fasting-ceremony

Ring warming ceremony

Ring warming is a great way of getting all of your guests involved in your wedding ceremony. Each guest is asked to take hold of the rings, which are tied with ribbon to a ring dish or wooden disc, and to privately bless the rings with their love and wishes for your future life together. This takes place during the ceremony and once the rings have been passed around all your guests they will be warmed with everyone’s blessings for you to then place on each other’s fingers. A really inclusive symbolic gesture for your wedding.

Ring-warming-ceremony

Sand blending ceremony

Particularly good for weddings by the sea, but sand blending ceremonies and work well anywhere and are a brilliant way of visually representing two families coming together. If you have children, either together or from previous relationships, this is a good way to help them feel part of your wedding too. Different coloured sands represent your families and are poured into a glass jar by each person, initially separately, and then together so the sand begins to blend in the jar. Promises can be made as the sand is poured by each family. The jar is then sealed as a keepsake of your special day.

Tree planting ceremony

If you are having your wedding ceremony in your own home or that of a relative then incorporating a tree planting ceremony as part of your celebrations leaves you with a daily visual reminder that will blossom and grow for many years. Close family and friends can be invited to add soil during the planting ceremony whilst making a blessing for your future together. You could also ask guests to write messages and tie these to the tree before the planting and then save these in a memories book afterwards.

Other ideas

There are plenty of other symbolic gestures that you can include such as lighting unity candles to bring your two families together; walking through a ceremonial arch at the end of your ceremony to represent your path together which guests then follow you through; lighting a ceremonial fire for guests to throw wooden discs into whilst making a wish; and really anything you think would work well for you. Humanist wedding ceremonies are all about making your day suit your personality as a couple.