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Three new Alderney civil celebrants have been sworn in by the Royal Court, as they seek to make the most of the northern isle as a romantic, unique and quirky wedding destination.
Whether on a beach, in a Victorian Fort or in a plane, the new marriage laws open the door to ceremonies that would not have been possible under the recently-repealed, century-old legislation.
The new law allows for registered civil celebrants to conduct a marriage ceremony in any place a couple chooses, while also allowing for a backup venue to be stated on the marriage notice if, for example, it’s raining and the beach is a washout.
Lisa Sanders, Helen Martin and Annabel Finding have undergone the necessary training and were sworn in at the Royal Court in Guernsey yesterday.
Pictured: Alderney Greffier David Knight said earlier this year that modernising marriage laws can create new opportunities for the island as a wedding destination.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for Alderney to benefit from increased visitors who are looking for a unique wedding experience," said Ms Sanders.
"Alderney was recently rated as one of the top 15 UK and Ireland Honeymoon destinations, which shows the interest is already there. Post pandemic people’s appetite for travelling longer distances may also be lacking and again Alderney has the opportunity to benefit from that."
One of the reasons that becoming a civil celebrant appealed to the Alderney Jurat is the opportunity to make a wedding ceremony "unique and bespoke to each couple", allowing people to express themselves through the wedding location, music and other important details both before and on the big day.
Pictured top: Annabel Finding, Helen Martin and Lisa Sanders.
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