Services & Pricing
As an experienced and licensed wedding celebrant for over 15 years, I have had the honour and pleasure of helping couples express their love and commitment to each other in their own unique way, and in their own chosen environment. I am able to officiate fully legal ceremonies anywhere within Northern Ireland; whether in a church, a hotel, a castle, a lighthouse, your own home or garden… even on the beach!
Your ceremony should reflect who you both are, and capture the essence of who you hope to become together. As the curator of a progressive faith community based in Co Antrim, I can offer a more relaxed, non-denominational wedding ceremony with the option of Bible readings, prayers and blessings. Alternatively, you and your partner may prefer something closer to a meaningful civil or humanist ceremony, with more contemporary, non-religious wording and vows.
I can also guide you with your vows, which can be as romantic or quirky as you like, or a happy mix of the two! In any case it will be my privilege to facilitate a unique ceremony that is meaningful to you, your family and your guests.
My service includes:
Initial conversation/meeting to discuss and plan the ceremony
Assisting with legal paperwork
Officiating on the Big Day itself
Pricing - £320
Just one straight forward flat fee for all ceremonies including vow renewals *
* Depending on distance, some travel expenses may also apply; for example County Fermanagh, North Coast etc. Please make an enquiry to check.
Fancy a simple, no fuss elopement style ceremony on the North Coast of Ireland? Here’s a sample ceremony featuring the wonderful Ashley and Adrian!
Thanks to www.skylarandwild.com for the videography
How it works
This page provides details of timings, payment and ceremony options. Please get in touch if you have any questions and I’ll be more than happy to help.
Giving Notice
It is a legal requirement for all couples wishing to marry in Northern Ireland to first “serve notice” with the registrar of the district where the marriage will take place.
Although many couples book their venue, celebrant and other providers some years in advance, notice can only be served with the registrar a maximum of 12 months (and a minimum of 28 days) before the ceremony is due to take place.
The first thing to do is to make an enquiry to check my availability. If I am available, I will reply with a link that explains exactly how to give notice to the registrar and also what the next steps are regarding a deposit and arranging to have a chat about the ceremony options.
Payment
Once my availability is confirmed, you will need to pay a deposit of £30 to secure the booking at my end. Instructions on how to pay will be included in my reply to your initial enquiry, or you can just use the PayPal button below.
The balance of payment can then be made anytime before the wedding, up to a minimum of seven days before the ceremony. (Please see the “Services & Pricing” section for pricing details.)
Ceremony
Ready to start thinking about the ceremony itself? You may already have a clear idea of exactly the kind of ceremony you want - which is great! If, however, you are looking for some guidance, below is a link to a standard outline for the most common type of wedding ceremony.
You will see that you have a number of choices to make about vows, readings or any other personal touches you might like to include.
Testimonials
“Steve was our wedding celebrant in June 2019, he put me at ease very early on as I was a bit nervous. Such a beautiful, touching ceremony which everyone commented on. He made both families and friends feel welcome and suggested the unity candles which were lit by both our mothers and ourselves. Would definitely recommend Steve Ames!”
“We can’t recommend Steve highly enough. He listened carefully to what both of us wanted for the ceremony and helped create a truly special day for both of us. He was helpful advising us about the required paperwork. He was calming and reassuring on the day itself. Thank you Steve!”
“Steve has been an absolute blessing through out the planning of our wedding, helping us include everything we wanted. Our ceremony was emotional from start to finish and Steve helped us through it all. Without you we would not be Mr and Mrs McDougall today, so words wouldn’t even begin to describe how grateful we both are. We also wanted to say thank you for your kind words of wisdom.”
“Steve conducted our wedding ceremony on the 28th August 2019 and we couldn’t have asked for better. He helped with all that he could and was a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend. Thanks again Steve!”
“Steve married us in 2015 at a church that was local to my wife. He was extremely personable and professional from start to finish and made us feel comfortable at the rehearsal and during the big day. Steve was flexible to work with and helped us to create our own unique touch to the ceremony – we would highly recommend him for your wedding day!”
“We were very happy with Steve officiating our wedding in 2011. He was easy to get in touch with and very accommodating. We were able to personalise everything about the ceremony to suit us, and he was happy to travel to our venue.”
A bit about me
My name is Steve Ames. I am married with 3 children and spend most of my time serving an independent faith community in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland.
I have been officiating at weddings, renewals, funerals, baptisms and dedication services for over 20 years. For me it's a privilege to be invited into these meaningful and even sacred moments in people's lives. These are like markers or way-points we set down along the journey of life, and it's my pleasure to help make them memorable for you.
Make an enquiry
Please feel free to make an enquiry by using this form or by sending an email to the address below. Alternatively you can always just call me on 07854 286216 or drop an email to steve199@gmail.com if that’s more convenient.
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