What is all the fuss about?
The origins of Valentine's Day are not clear but many sources believe that it stems from the story of St Valentine, a Roman priest who was martyred on or around February 14 in the year 270BC. How he became the patron saint of lovers remains a mystery but there are several theories.
The ancient ceremony included putting girls’ names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. Couples would then be paired off until the following year.

Eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those whom one admired became the accepted way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. When I was young there was always great excitement for anyone who actually received a Valentine's Card because they then spent time wondering who the sender was!! Over the time the cards became more decorative and extravagant and then  presents started to be part of the Valentine's Day 'deal'.
I read now that the day is used to show love and appreciation for those we love and respect. The meaning of the day has grown over the years and I suspect this has also seen the growth of money exchanges in many businesses!! For me, I think I will pick a flower from the garden and make sure we have a nice meal tonight!!

This week has been a week of meeting with couples and doing some planning for their ceremonies so I thought it might be a good idea to look at the things you might want to consider when you are planning your ceremony. Your ceremony is so important and it needs to reflect you both as a couple and be memorable. My role as a Celebrant is to ensure that every ceremony is exactly that so what are things to think about?
Music - what music will be played as you enter and as you leave? Do you want to play music as you sign the Marriage Licence? You may even want someone to sing?
Entrance - who is going to escort the bride?
Vows - are you going to write your own or are you going to use some that are already available?
Rings - will you both have rings and who will be the ring bearer?
Signing - don't forget you need to arrange a table or similar for the signing. Who will be your witnesses?
Themes / extras - do you want to incorporate a Sand Ceremony, a Wine Ceremony, Marriage Rocks, Keys to a Successful Marriage or something else of your choice?
Your Celebrant should be available to discuss all this with you and support you with your choices. It can be a good idea to contact several Celebrants and then work with the one you feel most comfortable with - you do have a choice!!