ellie & steven’s bilingual english-german castle wedding
Monika was the celebrant at our bilingual wedding up in Scotland near Kinross and we couldn’t have asked for a more memorable and beautiful ceremony. From the first point of contact Monika was so on top of it and so we already knew we had made the right decision in choosing her. We had no idea at first what to expect, but she provided us with plenty of resources to start off. Her communication was excellent all throughout which is exactly what you need in the weeks leading up to your big day. That also allowed us to have meetings over zoom which gave her an exact idea of what we were like as a couple. Then on the day, she led the ceremony in both German and English which was absolutely effortless and so natural. Her story of us and how we met and the kind of couple we are was spot on. Thank you Monika for absolutely nailing it! We will forever be able to treasure the memory of the beautiful ceremony that it was!
ellie & steven
This year, I had the joy of conducting a bilingual wedding ceremony for a lovely couple at the enchanting Tullibole Castle. I had conducted a German ceremony earlier in the year but It was my first time fully leading a ceremony in two languages, and I was excited to bring my native German skills to such a special moment. Ellie & Steven had a significant number of guests from Germany and incorporating both languages was essential to creating an inclusive and relaxed atmosphere.
Our work together in planning the ceremony was not any different from planning an English wedding… we spent time getting to know each other, looking into the structure of the ceremony and how to incorporate readings and rituals. Being aware of everything happening in two languages meant watching the overall length was important, especially for an autumnal outdoor ceremony, but it all fell into place very quickly and we could focus on the anticipation for the big day.
The Saturday in September came around quickly and while the much wished for sunshine did not make an appearance it was dry and it meant the outdoor ceremony could go ahead as planned. The excitement among family & friends was palpabe, with people milling about inside the castle and outside (including a peacock). After everybody was seated Ellie arrived in her beautiful gown and the ceremony started with a welcome for all the guests and appreciation for those who had undertaken a long journey. Alison, Steven’s sister, contributed a beautiful reading – a poem by the Gaelic poet Aonghas MacNeacail, which I introduced with a few German words she had written, which expressed her welcome to her new sister-in-law and her family.
After I shared highlights of their story Ellie & Steven said the vows they had written to each other and then followed their spoken committment with a handfasting ritual. Both their mothers brought their handfasting cords forward, with was a nice inclusive gesture to make them part of this important tradition. The legal words to take each other in marriage and exchanging rings completed the ceremony and after signing the marriage schedule and a final blessing the celebrations could start!
Being part of this unique celebration, where everyone could truly be present and enjoy the day immersed in their native language was definitely one of the highlights of my work as a celebrant. It reminded me of the beauty of bridging cultures and languages to make such occasions meaningful for all involved.
Thanks Ellie & Steven to give me this opportunity and many thanks to your guests for their appreciation also!
