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Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
00:04 – 00:47
Hello, folks, and welcome to Supplier Spotlight: The Tales of the Trade, where we shine a light on incredible wedding suppliers, making your weddings extraordinary. Today I’m joined by an award-winning wedding celebrant from Sudbury in Suffolk with a reputation for heartfelt beautifully crafted ceremonies. Now she was recently recognized at the Wedding Industry Awards as the top celebrant in her region, and it’s really, really easy to see why. She has a modern, creative approach to rituals with deeply personal storytelling, and she really helps couples to create and shape a ceremony that truly feels like them. So let’s dive into the world of wedding celebrants as we meet Ruth from Ceremonies by Ruth.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
00:58 – 01:01
I just about think my head will fit inside this screen.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
01:01 – 01:05
Well, that’s all right. It’s uh yeah, you’re you’re doing a pretty good job. Nice hair, by the way. It looks looks
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
01:05 – 01:09
fantastic. One’s always got to try, darling. One’s always got to try.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
01:10 – 01:21
Yes, very much so. So, yeah, so obviously, Ruth, you’re a wedding celebrant, which is different, isn’t it, from a reg. Is that right?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
01:21 – 01:25
Oh my goodness, Liam, that could be a whole podcast all to itself.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
01:25 – 01:26
Yes.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
01:26 – 01:32
Completely different to a reg, completely different. Would you like me very briefly to explain the difference?
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
01:32 – 01:34
Yeah, sure. That’s really interesting.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
01:34 – 03:07
Okay. A reg is a council employee and their task in life is to conduct the legal registration of your marriage. Now they can do that for you very reasonably priced at the local registry office. or they can charge you a substantial amount and come and do the ceremony at a licensed venue that you may have chosen to celebrate your wedding. A licensed venue, again, that could be a completely different um completely different podcast. But it’s their job, their job to just conduct the legal registration of your marriage. It’s not their job to get to know you really personally. It’s not their job to personalize that ceremony because they have to hear certain words that are constructed in a certain way that make your marriage that legal entity. Then you come on to what does a celebrant do? Well, a celebrant is completely the opposite to a reg. Yes, at this present moment in time, sadly Independent celebrants in and humanist celebrants in England and Wales cannot conduct the legal aspect of your marriage. However What we can do is create for you a complete personalized wedding ceremony. It is my job to get to know you. It is my job to find out what you want. It is my job to create for you the wedding ceremony that you’ve always dreamed of. And that’s where a celebrant steps
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
03:07 – 03:16
in. That’s great. So how did you discover the world of being a celebrant? And what I mean, what was it that enticed you into thinking this is what I want to
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
03:16 – 04:33
do? It’s a beautiful story actually. And back in October twenty nineteen, our family went to Australia to attend the wedding ceremony of our gorgeous son. And it was the first time that I had ever, apart from funerals, I’d ever experienced what a a wedding w you know, what a celebrant does. And I was literally blown away by my son’s and daughter in law’s wedding ceremony. Now, obviously, it was my son’s wedding ceremony, so it was going to be super special for me. But even days afterwards I was still talking about their wedding ceremony, and I said to my son, Do you know what, son, that wedding ceremony was just the best. It was you two, it wasn’t stuffy, it was fabulous and he looked at me and he said,’Do you know what, mum, I think you’d make quite a good’? And I,’Do you know what, son? I think I might look into it. So I returned from Australia and I started looking into training to become a celebrant, which I then did with civil ceremonies, and I qualified four years ago. I have my diploma. in naming and couples, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
04:33 – 04:39
That’s really great. So how would you describe your own personal style in terms of what you do?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
04:39 – 05:46
My own personal style. Car, warm. I ‘ve been told that my voice is quite a nice voice to listen to. And uh also I would say that most of my couples see me as a really safe pair of hands. I tell them, and w as I get to know them, that I’ll just take care of that part of your day. Any other supplier that touches into your wedding ceremony, your photographer any playing music, any readers, I’ll speak to all those people in the week before in the week leading up to the ceremony to make sure that we’re all co, that everybody knows what part they’re going to play in the ceremony and how it fits into the flow of the day. what happens throughout the ceremony, it it’ll never phase me. Because I used to be a driving instructor, so I don’t have don’t need dual controls for any any wedding ceremony that I conduct, anything that happens. just go with the flow. I’ll just deal with it on that at that time. So a safe pair of hands, I’d say.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
05:46 – 06:01
I I mean that’s really fair. I mean obviously I’ve I mean I’ve seen you a few times at at sort of various places. But of course, more recently at the Wedding Industry Awards, which you won. So I think that that sort of speaks for itself. How did that feel? How was that moment for you?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
06:02 – 07:20
Massive. I mean, you probably saw my reaction, and if anybody wants to see my reaction, it’s pinned as a reel. I was in a quiet little number, leopard print and sequins, you know, every day should be a sequ day, I think. Um it was huge recognition for me, Liam, because um I start my business at sixty four years of age. And for me, I once I’d qualified, I then thought, mmm, I’ve qualified, but will people maybe want somebody who’s a little bit younger, who they maybe feel more that’s more in touch with them? And um I j I just started, you know, that self doubt, everything came in. And you then know that out of all of the other celebrants that had gone that had entered the Wedding Industry Awards, that my name was called out as the winner for the East of England. I was literally blown away. And it for me, it was recognition that it doesn’t matter how old you are when you start a business If you can form a human connection with people and just be yourself and just deliver what you say you’re going to deliver, then you will you will succeed and you will have recognition for it. So, yeah, it was recognition, really.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
07:20 – 07:39
Yeah, I mean, that really is a thing, isn it? Because I, for anybody that doesn’t know, the Wedding Industry Awards they’re all voted by couples, aren’t they? So people who’ve worked with you and they share their thoughts and feelings and their reviews about you. And then of course that’s all that’s all judged. So it it really is uh it’s it it’s the it’s the greatest concept of of how an award Should be run.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
07:40 – 08:00
I was blown away, Liam. Every single one of my couples that I sent the link to for the, you know, the voting period that they were allowed to vote for. To a couple they all voted, every single one of them. And in fact, one of my couples even wrote back to me and she said, If one of your couples doesn’t vote for you, send me their details and I’ll go around and another word with them
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
08:01 – 08:04
That’s the kind of people you need on your team, isn it? Yeah,
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
08:04 – 08:16
the sort of people you want having your back. No, I was literally blown away by the support. That I had from my couples. And it was, yeah, it was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic experience.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
08:16 – 08:24
Brilliant. So, wait, so when you’re working with people, what are the kind of questions that you ask when people start planning their ceremony? What’s in your head when people first make contact?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
08:25 – 09:58
When people first make contact with me, my first question to them is, What do you want? What is your vibe? What’s the feel for your day? And sometimes couples don’t really know the vibe for their day. They they might do. For example, I’ve had country music um ser um festival type weddings I’ve had, castles or teepees. So they’ve got a pretty strong idea of the vibe, what they want, how they want what they want me to bring to their day. But you know, when you ask most couples what do you want from your wedding ceremony, their answer will be I don’t know, because they’ve vast majority of couples have never had to arrange a wedding day before, and they don’t know what they can bring to their ceremony. So my job, my love, my passion is to speak to the couples over a period of time and find out about them and find out what will suit what they want for their day and to just introduce lots and lots of different ideas to them. Some couples will throw ideas back at me and go, Oh, Ruth, no can’t think of anything worse. Other couples will say, M give me more, give me more ideas like that. So it evolves, if you like. But my very first question is, what do you want? How have you imagined this perfect ceremony of yours is going to be?
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
09:59 – 10:31
Yeah, that’s right. I I imagine as well there must be an element of inspiring confidence in people in that moment because I mean I certainly know when I do things like big intros they say, oh, we want it to be a part zone And then on the day they’re really nervous. What should we do? And I kind of have a bit of a pep talk I give people. So how do you work through that in advance? How do you convince people to really do what what really is their best when they come when they say, we want this, and you think, I know exactly how to make that awesome and how it’s going to fit for you. How do you kind of battle those confidence issues?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
10:32 – 11:50
Just really by in I would say by instilling confidence in my ability to deliver. And obviously, the awards and everything help with that and my all of my lovely Google reviews. But it’s just getting to know the couple and them trusting me. This is the difference again between myself and a reg. You won ‘t know who the reg who’s going to be conducting your wedding ceremony is until maybe forty minutes before. But all of my couples know me, and they’ve I speak to them on a regular basis, and I’ll speak just a few days again, just a few days before the wedding ceremony, and I’ll be there a couple of hours beforehand. just to go and visit, make sure that everybody feels settled. And so many of my couples have said, just seeing me a couple of hours before the big moment just calmed all the nerves. I’ll speak to whoever’s making entrances, grooms, brides, groomsmans, wedding crews, whoever we’ve got making their entrance, and just calm everybody’s nerves. And sometimes couples, you know, they might think, Oh, we’d like to do that for our wedding ceremony, but we don’t quite know if others will approve or they quite don’t Don’t think it fits in, and I say, Do you want to do it?
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
11:50 – 11:51
Yeah.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
11:51 – 12:19
And I say, Yes, we do. And I say, Then we’ll do it. And I’ll facilitate that for you. And we will make it personal to you. What you want. you will have on your wedding day. Unless, of course, someone wants me to jump out of a plane to deliver the ceremony. Prob would be that that’s one proviso. Or anything to do with spiders involved in the ceremony, I’d have to probably decline on that one. But within reason.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
12:21 – 12:23
Have you been asked to jump out of a plane to do a ceremony?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
12:24 – 12:24
Pard?
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
12:25 – 12:32
Have you been asked to jump out of a plane? No. I’m thinking there’s a story there. There’s a story there.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
12:32 – 12:54
Yeah, there is. There is. Don’t uh don’t anybody please ask me to do that I don’t really like heights. But uh no, I for s I’ll whatever my couples want I will try and always instill in them: it’s your day. It’s your day, and you should have what you want within reason. And I’ll make that happen for them.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
12:54 – 13:06
As trust as it should. So so what kind of things come around for you when somebody says, Right, Ruth, what we’d really like to do is this and you think, Yes, I love doing this. What are your favorite things to do?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
13:07 – 15:15
I really love it when couples include a unity ceremony, and that unity ceremony is basically just a symbolic element within their ceremony. They’ve generally exchanged their I do vows. possibly personal vows and they’ve exchanged their wedding rings, and then we bring it all together. One of the most glorious moments is something called a hand ty, which is a a very ancient Celtic tradition. But that again is another podcast. Um, but it’s a v in very simplistic terms, it shows how a couple feel their future is going to be bound together. And I asked them to hold their hands in a particular way, and I wrap ribbons around their hands. And again, these ribbons can have all sorts of meanings. memories to guests that are no longer with us. All sorts of symbolism can be included within the ribbons. And then as they pull their hands apart A great big knot is tied in the middle, and I say, Yes, I declare, you have officially tied the knot. And guests can then see. Oh, that’s where the saying comes from, I’ve already explained a little bit to the guests beforehand, and it’s something visual for guests, and I get my couples to hold it really up high, and well Generally the guests go crazy and start cheering, and then that is something that the couples have got forever. I say to them, On your first wedding anniversary, take a little look at that knot And just go back to all the gorgeous feels that you had at the moment you pulled the ribbons and tied the knot. So there’s all sorts of different things like that. A un candle, I’ve got a few of those. coming up this year, which is lovely. And just moments that are different within a ceremony, something different for guests to experience as well. Because Sadly, guests have sat through many, many boring weddings, and uh my hashtag is Hall Fab Ceremony, and I’m determined to make that true for every single ceremony.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
15:16 – 15:28
That’s great That’s absolutely good. So what kind of trends have you noticed that are sort of coming around and things that maybe couples are seeing and thinking that that’s new and cool and interesting. I’d like to include that?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
15:30 – 17:24
It’s really uh it’s difficult to talk about trends really, but um I I have noticed a f a feel, if you like, in ceremonies developing over the last couple of years. Um cou now have generally maybe got their own home, they’ve maybe got children, uh they’re quite they’ve established themselves in their in their careers And they want this day to be completely reflective of them. So gone are maybe the uh the quick little ceremonies that maybe take ten minutes. And couples now are expressing to me that they really want the ceremony to reflect them, to reflect their completely unique love story. They want people to know why they’ve asked them to maybe travel from the other side of the world to come to their wedding day. So I think it’s a feeling that I’m I’m getting more, that couples want slightly longer ceremonies, and they want their love story to be included and woven into every single as. Of the wedding ceremony, not just of, well, this is their love story, this is what brought us here together. Yeah. Just generally, they want them to be completely reflected in their wedding day. And music. Music. I’m always surprised. Entrance music, exit music, certificate signing music. It it’s my year as music, you know. I mean, I had Sister Sledge a couple of Saturdays ago, right said Fred. Luther Van Dross, all sorts of that and I’m I’m always quite surprised when someone chooses that sort of music and they’re only in like their their thirties And a lot of a lot of country music as well. Luke Comb is very, very popular.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
17:24 – 17:24
Very useful.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
17:25 – 17:27
Which I adore. I love country music.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
17:27 – 17:38
That’s great. So what kind of changes do you think might evolve in the weddings and celebrants industry in the next few years? What kind of changes do you think you’d like to see if you could have anything?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
17:39 – 19:12
Massive, massive, massive, massive. Number one on my list is wedding law reform. Obviously, it’s something that as celebrants, independent and humanist celebrants, we have been campaigning for now for years. and we are still waiting for the present Government, which it should have been the previous Government, to make an initial response to a law reform. The law sorry, the Law Commission’s report, which will change root and branch marriage laws within this country, which, as we all know, are completely archaic. completely archaic. We have a licensed a buildings based system at the moment instead of a people based System and the law, hopefully, when it’s changed, it will change from a building which will be licensed for the efficient to go into to a people-b system. So then wherever I am, that Will be the place where you can actually have your wedding ceremony and have the legal registration of your marriage conducted at the same time. And I’ll just have to. learn that or be trained and recognized and registered to actually then conduct the legal aspect of that and weave those words into my normal wonderful ceremonies. So that’s my that will be the biggest change that every single celebrant in this country is well, I say every single celebrant, vast majority of
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
19:12 – 19:14
celebrants
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
19:14 – 19:17
are campaigning for and want, hopefully.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
19:17 – 19:38
Cool. So, I mean, that that being the case, then, of course, it sounds like there’s sort of huge changes ahead. But at the same time, I guess for the weddings that you’ve done over the years, you must have seen some really really fantastic things that that like have have really kind of stuck in your memory. What are some of the best memories that you have from weddings that you’ve officiated for?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
19:38 – 21:55
Oh, my goodness. So many. I get emotional at nearly every wedding ceremony because you invest you just invest in your couples, don’t you? and to see them having everything that they want. But there was one particular moment, and it was at Heading Castle actually, and I knew that up in the galleries up they’ve got this m amazing ceremony space here. and they’ve got a gallery, a min’ gallery that goes all around. And I knew that there was a beautiful choir up there waiting to step forward. So I opened the ceremony and I said, now, but j before we get into this, how about a little piece of music? and this choir stepped forward, and they sang a te they sang they sung a take that song. Oh, my goodness It reverberated, the acoustics reverberated around there, and it was just fantastic. Everyone was looking up into the gallery. There was it was my I called it my very own Love Actually moment. It was beautiful. And obviously the guests had no idea it was about to happen, and I was so excited to introduce them. And then they sang two other different songs, once just before the vows and one on the ex. Fantastic. But one of the just recently, I just have to share this, one of moment just recently that touched me a couple of Saturdays ago. The the it was the one of the most joyous ceremonies that I’ve had ever ever had the privilege to conduct. They’re all joyous, but this one, the the guests And it was the bride’s face as she came down the aisle. They’d be they’d been together quite a few years, and as she came down it was the look on her face that just said, We’re actually doing this. We’re actually, actually doing it. It was joyous. Tears from me, everything. It was the joy. I think that’s what stands out to me most of all my ceremonies. It’s just the sheer joy of the couple that they’re having a fantastic time, and that their guests afterwards say to them, Well That was a ceremony and a half. That was fantastic. So yeah.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
21:56 – 22:25
I think it really is. It’s the there’s for me, there’s definitely a an atmospheric difference. in what can sometimes feel like a really clean cut, dry legal ceremony versus something where somebody like yourself will say, Hey We’re going to make it all about you. It’s going to be you through and through. You can do anything that resonates with you. Here’s the world of ideas. How shall we make it awesome? And I think that’s fantastic.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
22:25 – 23:04
Other suppliers are quite happy when they know it’s a celebrant-led ceremony as well. I got to be honest with you. Had a number of photographers say to me, Yes, it’s a celebrant-led ceremony. That gives them obviously a little bit more freedom to for photography, for where they can and where they can’t take photographs. And just the shoot. opportunities for different things that are going to be included. The different looks on guests’ faces as they’re completely engaged in the moment, you know. So yeah, the number of so because I always speak to Photographer the week before the ceremony, and I can’t tell you the great reaction I get. Yes, it’s a celebrant lead ceremony, fantastic.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
23:04 – 23:49
I think as well, and and it’s it’s funny actually, I so one of my really good friends got married about 18 months ago. And they actually had a registrar at the ceremony. And there was there was a really there was a really funny thing that came up where when they’d been to register the fact that they were getting married, they went to the office and filled in some forms and they booked it all in. And then on the day the reg arrived and they had this interview and then they went down and they were all ready to go and and the bride was about to walk down the aisle and one of the reg turned to the other and they had a conversation and they went Just give us five minutes, folks. And they grabbed the groom and dragged him outside. And it turned out that on his original birth certificate, he had a different name than what was his current legal name.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
23:50 – 23:50
Oh.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
23:50 – 24:24
Yes. And apparently, of course, some issues. So twenty minutes later, the three of them are still stood outside having this chat. And I just kind of thought What’s going on? You’ve got all these guests in here. The bride’s got no idea what’s happening. What’s happening? And I sort of went over and I said, What what’s what’s what’s kind of going on here? And he, Oh, there’s there’s a bit of a mix-up and This and that and the other, and and they’re now saying that they might not be able to marry us And I remember sitting there thinking, Oh no
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
24:27 – 24:30
How come that wasn’t all sorted out at the giving not appointment?
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
24:31 – 24:59
Well, indeed, I thought that was that was one of the questions. But the funniest thing for me was I remember standing there thinking, I’m hosting this day. I’m probably going to have to walk out there in a minute after the that they’ve got in the car and driven off, because they’ve got to go down to the registry office tomorrow and sort it out, perhaps. I might have to walk out there in a minute and make something up so that they can have the moment. And in the end it all got sorted out. But I remem I remember in that moment thinking, sitting, This this is just
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
25:00 – 25:16
No, that’s that would be tragic. All that m all of that preparation, all of those dreams, all of that all of the thought process that’s gone in to That moment, the music, everything, and it would all be crushed. Oh,
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
25:17 – 25:17
God,
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
25:17 – 25:19
I’ve never heard the like. That is.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
25:20 – 25:24
But of course the beautiful thing about having a celebrant like yourself is it’s never an issue, right? Because they’ve
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
25:24 – 25:25
never an issue.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
25:25 – 25:26
So yeah.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
25:26 – 26:46
The legal bit’s already been done. You know, the legal bit’s already been done. And this is an absolute celebration of your love in a manner and in a tone and with language that suits you. Your words, your language. your vibe. So all of that’s been done, you know. My only my only tu reason for going and seeing people beforehand is not to fill in forms. It’s to go and get excited with the Prose and the Mascara and your hair and just join in that excitement. and just give a little bit of guidance as to what’s going to happen. Because, you know, sometimes wedding crews don’t know where to go. They don’t know what to do, so I just always give them guidance, and if I I’m there early enough, and I always say to them, Do you want to come and have a quick practice? If your make up’s done, your hair’s done, you’re you’re ready, what, do you want to come and have a pract? Number of them Oh, can we? Of course you can. Come with me now. We’ll go and have a little practice And then as I see the first of the wedding crew start to appear, uh they got eyes on me and I just smile. And then gent guide them, go into my little air hostess mode, you know, yes, there’s space for you here, there’s space for you here. Just just flows, just flows so much easier. So
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
26:47 – 27:07
so Thinking about that then, if you had a magic wand, and I think about some of the like I, Heading Castle, for instance, phenomenal venue, absolutely brilliant. But if you had a magic wand, what would be your perfect ceremony setting? Or maybe a perfect moment that that you that you would love to officiate?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
27:09 – 28:00
Um, a perfect ceremony setting. Well, my son got married on on the beach. Well, they they were in a restaurant that was all the windows were open, doors wide open. Pacific Ocean crashing against rocks. It was absolutely fantastic. And the beach is my happy place, I have to say. where whenever we whenever we get time w in the car quickly, uh even if it’s New Year’s Day and the pouring rain up to Fr Beach just to blow the cobwebs away. Um a beach. I absolutely adore it. And I’ve often thought to myself, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be standing barefoot on the sand and to see everybody um gathered there. Yeah, I think the beach with the ocean crashing in the background, I think that would be idyllic.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
28:01 – 28:11
Fabulous. Yeah, I like that. That sounds great. So a little bit more about you then. It’s the morning of the wedding. You’re about to run out the door. How’d you take your coffee?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
28:12 – 28:38
Oh, I don’t drink coffee. Oh, not coffee. I can’t drink coffee. No no, I cannot drink it. So I’m one of those people that coffee makes ah I know ca I know the tea has probably got as much caffeine in it, but I don’t know what it is with coffee. Something to do with the bean, obviously. I ain’t no coffee person. I grab a pepperm tea with ginger and lemon because I’ve always got to be thinking of my vocals.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
28:39 – 28:47
Sounds very healthy as well. And when you’re not doing ceremonies, what keeps you busy? What’s the thing going on in your world that really gets you excited?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
28:48 – 29:33
Well, I’m virtually working twenty four seven, but that sounds a little bit Strange to be saying that, but I it’s my world, it’s my passion. So, I just work a lot, and but I don’t really consider it work, Liam. I know that sounds a cliche, but it isn’t really, is it when you’re dealing with love? Yeah, but I do adore yoga. And I do adore walking. My husband and I love to go for long walks. And if there’s a pub at the end of it, obviously That’s always an added bonus. But yeah, walking yoga and being with my children and my grandson, and we do have a new little granddaughter on the way. So very shortly it will be with my grandchildren. The family. My family are super, super important to me.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
29:33 – 29:39
Fabulous. And if you were going to get married again right now, What would you walk down the aisle to?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
29:41 – 30:24
Oh my goodness. Well, I had to get married in a church because there wasn’t really any option then. And I had to walk down to the traditional. Oh, I would probably oh, I’m a real old soft it would probably be Karen Carpenter, the Carpenters, we’ve only just begun. If you listen to the words of that You know, white lace and promises. We’ll start out walking and learn to run. ‘Cause you do. When you actually first get married, you don’t really know what you’re getting yourself into, truth be told. And it is it is a little bit of a journey. You do start off walking and you learn to run together. So probably something mushy and romantic like that.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
30:24 – 30:33
I like that. Okay. So let’s get back to the business stuff. What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you and find out a bit more about you?
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
30:34 – 30:51
People can contact me either via WhatsApp with my telephone number or my em, Ruth at Ceremonies. By ruth. My Instagram gives a really good feel for my vibe, and there is a contact form on my website.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
30:52 – 31:11
Brilliant. Great. So, yeah, that’s ceremonies. folks. If you want to go and find out more about Ruth, also check her out on Instagram and Facebook. I’ll put the links for that. on the final slide of this video. But Ruth, it’s been an absolute pleasure having you. Oh, and Julian, thank you so much. And we’ll catch up soon. Take care.
Ruth Salisbury-Higgs – Independent Celebrant – Ceremonies by Ruth
31:11 – 31:13
Brilliant. Thanks, Liam. Take care. Bye.
Liam Ball – Your Magical Wedding Host – The Gentleman Magician
31:15 – 31:48
So there you go, folks, that was the fantastic Ruth Buy Ceremonies by Ruth, bringing you some grace, creativity and warmth. to every single wedding that she comes to. Remember, if you want to find out more, just go and visit her website at ceremoniesby. and you can find out for yourself how and why she’s winning awards and hearts. Across the region. Thanks also again for joining us here at Tales of the Trade. Stay tuned for more conversations with some more remarkable suppliers who are going to make your wedding days truly magical. Take care, folks. See you there.