Graham Liney

How often does one of the happiest days of your life go past in a blur of excitement. We plan the reception, the clothes and the flowers with meticulous detail but often the actual ceremony is forgotten because the input was left to someone else who has done it all before.

It doesn't have to be like that. It often seems as if the ceremony is separate from the rest of the day. But if you can carry a thread throughout the day, how much more special would it feel.

It can take place in a palace or in your own home, in your garden or on a tropical beach. The important thing is that it is yours and the words have never been said by anyone else. You can write your own vows, choose your music and readings, plan your memory book and importantly, involve your family and friends in a way which doesn't happen in a more traditional ceremony. Once the legal requirements have been met, you can do almost anything you want. The ceremony can be as grand or as simple as you wish.