"What Could Possibly Go Wrong" - Be Prepared!

Celebrants are involved in a wide range of ceremonies, often held outside involving children, dogs, emotional family members and people taking part in rituals for the first time in their lives. What could go wrong? The answer is anything and everything!

Today we have our regular guest blogger Melanie Lawson from Oberon, NSW raising awareness of potential calamities in your ceremonies and tips on how to be prepared.

Celebrants need to be prepared for all kinds of unexpected natural and human events. Some of the classics are:

The weather
Your outdoor ceremony could turn out to be hot, cold, wet or windy. Celebrants can be prepared by carrying and umbrella, water, sunscreen, pins or clips to hold down hair, documents or anything else that might blow away. A waterproof document holder is an essential item.  

Emotions

All ceremonies are likely to bring out strong emotions in people. These include happy events such as weddings or baby namings or more sombre events such as funerals. Tissues and a waste collection bag are good items to keep in an emergency kit. It’s also good to make sure the venue has a chair or two in a quiet spot for people who may feel overcome and need to sit for a while.

Breakages and injuries

Many celebrants carry a small array of bandaids, safety pins and clips to help mend blisters caused by new shoes, split seams or veils and scarves that have come awry.

Technology

A modern headache! All celebrants can tell horror stories of microphones with flat batteries, devices that refuse to connect via Bluetooth and PA systems that are interrupted by interference from other electronic sources. The best plan is to trial equipment on site wherever possible and to take spare batteries for all devices you plan on using.

Paperwork

It’s a good idea to take extra copies of the ceremony and any poems or readings. A nervous family member or friend who has promised to bring their own copy of their reading can easily forget in the heat of the moment! Extra copies of certificates are also a good idea, including a blank copy of a marriage certificate. Not only could certificates get blown away or soaked with rain, you may also need to change the venue at the last minute due to weather or other events.

What’s in your emergency kit?  

Check out The Celebrants Network for more ideas and information on being prepared.