Forget the generic
Embrace the personal
Ceremonies that celebrate your you-nessweddings, vow renewals and more
bristol-minded celebrant
Hi, I'm Toby
I’m a certified wedding celebrant based in Bristol, and I want to give you the ceremony that celebrates your you-ness. A ceremony that contains all the things you want, and nothing that just feels like something you 'should' have. That celebrates your quirks, your passions, and everything that makes you you. This is your wedding, vow renewal, commitment ceremony or other celebration: why should someone else dictate what you can and cannot say or do?
I’ve spent three decades working as a theatre reviewer and features writer for publications including The Independent, Bristol 24/7 and Venue, so I know how important language is. With that experience, it would be fair to say that I can definitely do words – words that create atmosphere, awe, laughter, and hopefully even tears (of joy, obviously). The right words to capture your story, your dreams, your unique moment.The ceremonies I provide are rooted in the traditions of my hometown. Bristol has a reputation for celebrating creativity, independence and the unconventional. And while you definitely don’t need to be a Bristolian for me to do your ceremony, With Love From Bristol certainly caters to those with a Bristol mindset: people who shy away from the generic and the cookie-cutter, and want to make a meaningful statement of individuality that celebrates exactly who you are.
Whether you’re planning something intimate and bohemian, a lively celebration of your uniqueness, or a joyful fusion of traditions, I’ll guide you every step of the way. The process is simple and stress-free, so you can focus on what matters most: each other.
how it works
Your ceremony done your way
We will meet (in person or over Zoom) for an initial chat so you can decide whether I’m the person you want to work with. It’s your big day – you need the right celebrant. Hopefully that will be me, but if not, I’m sure I can direct you to one of my fellow celebrants who might suit your needs better.And if you do decide that I’m the right celebrant for you, we will have another meeting to work out exactly what you want for your special day. Inspired by Bristol’s creative, independent spirit, we can create a tailor-made ceremony that is unique, a little unconventional, and truly your own.
On the day, I will be there to deliver the ceremony that we've created with the script that you have approved and to make sure that everything goes off perfectly. I only do one wedding in a day, so you can be sure that I will be fully focussed on helping you create memories that will last a lifetime.Your story deserves to be celebrated with love. Let’s make it unforgettable.
ceremonies
Weddings, commitments, vow renewals and more
I am here to help you create an unforgettable wedding, vow renewal, commitment ceremony and more that celebrates your you-ness, with a pinch of Bristol’s independent spirit.Wedding, commitment, vow renewalFor as long as there have been humans, people have wanted to join their lives with that of someone else, a special person, a person who touches them in a way that nobody else has. And they often want to do that by proclaiming their love and making their commitments to one in front of their loved ones, their friends and their family. That’s what a wedding is.
A commitment ceremony is the same as a wedding – declaring your coupledom to one another and your community – without actually getting legally married. A celebrant-led ceremony is perfect for that: your chance to stand up and tell the world that you are one another’s chosen person without the formalities of getting legally wed.A vow renewal is a ceremony for couples who, for whatever reason, want to restate their commitment to one another in a clear, distinctive way. Or who just fancy an excuse for a good party to celebrate their love, of course.If you use a celebrant, all three of these can be tailored to make it truly your own. Unlike a wedding led by a registrar or a member of clergy, there are no rules and restrictions on a celebrant-led wedding. You can use the words you want and include any traditions and symbolic elements you like. From symbolic rituals like ring warmings, handfastings or jumping the broom (or more modern variants like making a cocktail together) to personal touches that reflect your story, we’ll craft a ceremony that’s meaningful and authentically yours.
[Note: celebrants in England cannot legally marry you. See Can you marry us legally? for an explanation of why it’s still worth using a celebrant for a truly personal celebration]
And moreThere are many other life events that are worth celebrating. I would love to help you design your very own gender affirmation, coming out ceremony, adoption celebration, ceremony celebrating a change of name, leaving home celebration, uncoupling ceremony or anything else. The only limit is your imagination. Together we can make it whatever you have in your mind’s eye.
FAQs
Here are the answers to some questions you might have.
But if there's anything else you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Can you marry us legally?
Do you only do weddings and vow renewals?
What areas do you cover?
What do you charge?
Do you do funerals?
Why is there a photo from your own wedding in the slideshow?
Can you marry us legally?Celebrants are currently not able to legally marry couples in England. The only people that can do that are registrars and members of clergy. Unlike a celebrant, they have a variety of rules and restrictions around what you can and cannot do and say as part of your wedding ceremony (for example, a registrar cannot allow anything religious – so no vowing to take one another “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, til death us do part” because it comes from the Book of Common Prayer).But the thing to remember is that a wedding has two elements: the official and the ceremonial. The official part is a formality, telling the state that you are now a couple for legal purposes. The ceremonial part is where you both make your commitments to one another in front of your friends and family. Where you declare your coupledom to your community, if you like.There is no reason why the two need to take place at the same time. For example, when you have a baby, you do the official part (the birth registration) separately from the ceremonial welcoming (the baptism/christening/naming). Which is why more and more couples are choosing to do the official part (short proceedings with a registrar involving just the couple and two witnesses) separately from the ceremonial part with their loved ones with a celebrant who can tailor it entirely to what is right for you.
Do you only do weddings and vow renewals?Absolutely not. I am definitely up for celebrations of all kinds. If you want to mark something with a ceremony that will create a lasting memory, I am happy to help. I would love to help you create a gender-affirming ceremony, a coming out, an adoption celebration, a name change ceremony, a leaving home celebration, uncoupling ceremony or anything else.
What area do you cover?Rather than a distance limit, my basic fee covers attending ceremonies within approximately 1.5 hours drive of Bristol. As a rough guide, that covers Oxford, Reading and Berkshire, Salisbury, Exeter, South Wales as far as Swansea, the Cotswolds, Cheltenham and Gloucester, Abergavenny & the Black Mountains, and Somerset. Venues located further from Bristol are available subject to an additional charge.
What do you charge?A wedding, commitment ceremony or vow renewal within my area of coverage costs £ 750. Further from Bristol will be subject to an additional charge. The price for other ceremonies is tailored to the event, depending on what you want.
Do you do funerals?I'm afraid I don't do funerals.
Why is there a photo from your own wedding in the slideshow?Because it was my own wedding 6 years ago that inspired me to become a wedding celebrant. We had an amazing wedding that was all about what we wanted rather than some sort of checklist of shoulds. Making it simply a joy-filled celebration of our love for one another, with only minimal fretting about things like canapes. I want to help you achieve the same. And that photo captures the sort of joy I think is essential for every wedding.
Let's chat
Ultimately, a website is nothing more than an introductory calling card. The best way to find out whether I'm the right celebrant for you is to get in touch using the contact form and arrange a meeting (in person or via Zoom) where we can talk about what sort of ceremony you have in your mind's eye. It doesn't commit you to anything.