HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Humanist wedding my favourite part of the whole day

Bride didn’t want Humanist wedding to end

Hi Joe,

Such a cliche but it was the best day of my life. And the ceremony was my favourite part of the whole day. I didn’t want it to end!

Thank you for making our day!

And of course that was all down to you so thank you SO much for making our day. I loved picking the readings, and how you tied together the meaning from all of them, that is exactly what we were trying to portray. And choosing the personal music. We’re delighted you advised us to look for a live singer.

Personally meaningful rituals

All the rituals were really meaningful. I’m looking forward to reading Leo’s letter in 5 years, going by his vows!!

Relaxed, funny, involving, intimate ceremony

All the guests commented on the intimacy of the ceremony; how it was so relaxed and funny and involving, and the most personal ceremony they’d seen. I’m gutted we didn’t have anyone recording it now, I’d love to relive it.

-Fiona & Leo, Humanist wedding ceremony conducted by Joe Armstrong at the Headfort Arms Hotel on 17 August 2018

Fiona and Leo were a wonderful couple to work with. They had a gorgeous wine box for their chosen wine box ceremony. There was a lovely moment remembering the bride’s parents with love. Groom Leo’s personal vows were outstanding, gorgeous, heartfelt and moving. Bride Fiona’s dress was spectacular – stunningly beautiful. And she had a very helpful bridesmaid who did everything right. There was a great vibe at the wedding, a lovely atmosphere. And how could there not be – they are a lovely couple. And the Headfort Arms Hotel in Kells did a great job as they always do.

Excellent Feedback from:

Sonya & Darragh

Hi Joe, I’m not sure I can put into words just how special the ceremony that you performed for us was. The one thing that really stands out for me were the giggles that filled the room throughout. It was a ceremony of celebration,  inclusion and love…so much love. Everything about our ceremony was so special, personal and in keeping with our personalities and values.

HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Thrilled and overjoyed by Humanist wedding

Linda & Dave were thrilled and overjoyed by Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong

Dave writes:

Bowled over by witty banter, ease and encouragement

Joe, we were absolutely thrilled and overjoyed at how you conducted our Wedding Ceremony. The amount of positive and beautiful comments we got from our congregation made it all even better. They were bowled over by the ceremony, the witty banter, the service itself. And, most importantly, how you encouraged the audience and made them all feel so easy and comfortable whilst taking part in the ceremony.

Feeling part of something special

Everyone commented on the audience participation and said you were brilliant. Even my youngest daughter couldn’t believe that she got up in front of everyone and said a few words. She said you made her feel very much a part of something special.

Calming the groom to enjoy every moment

And a special thanks from me Joe for calming me down and making me sure that I enjoyed each moment as it came. This ceremony really did set everyone up for an exceptional fantastic and fun day.

Exceptional, outstanding and very heartfelt

Exceptional, outstanding and very heartfelt Joe. The Wife and I (love saying that!!) hahahaha were delighted. The whole day will never be forgotten. And you started that all off Joe. The wife and I – there I go again! – would recommend you to anyone who wanted a humanist ceremony. And I am sure that the rest of the congregation would too. Joe, absolute perfection from yourself! And what a spectacular day we both had. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Linda writes:

Professional and welcoming manner

My dearest Joe,

I will NEVER forget our amazing wedding ceremony and that is all down to you! From the moment I saw your smiling face outside of the ceremony room I felt totally as ease and the positivity and calmness that exuded from our guests can be attributed to your friendly professional and welcoming manner.

Spontaneity, laughter & inclusion

It was an atmosphere of celebration and happiness and guests later commented on your ability to encourage spontaneity, laughter and inclusion. You let the ceremony progress at its natural pace and took your time to ensure both Dave and I were comfortable and relaxed and the feeling of love in the room was palpable due to your understanding and explanation of a humanist wedding.

Our choice of celebrant

I believe you must have made eye contact with each and every person as the amount of compliments we received in relation to our choice of celebrant and his attention to our congregation was overwhelming. We have some wonderful photos which I will forward in due course.

‘Best wedding ever’

Joe we have received many thank you cards and they say it was the best wedding they have ever attended from beginning to end. It is our honest opinion that you set the foundation for our day and as they say a strong foundation is fundamental. And boy did we have fun!!!!! (see what I did there?)

‘I have married the love of my life’

The day continued to gather momentum with thanks to the atmospherics created by your good self. I cannot believe I have married the love of my life, it still gives me goosebumps and I sincerely thank you for making our commitment so loving and unforgettable. I have and will continue to recommend you to any persons ‘getting hitched’ in the future. You are a wonderfully special person Joe and we are delighted our paths crossed.

-Dave & Linda, Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong at Ballymagarvey Village, Co. Meath, 27 July 2018

Special Humanist wedding of giggles, celebration, inclusion and love

Sonya & Darragh

Hi Joe,

Giggles filled the room

Celebration, inclusion and love

Ceremony in keeping with our personalities and values

Attention to detail and every guest relaxed

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Excellent Feedback from:

Louise and Andrew

Hi Joe,
Loretta and I are sitting here waiting to go on honeymoon and we were talking about our wedding day.
We would like to thank you so much for helping to make our day so special. You were very professional
from the first time we met but more important you are a very nice chap. At the ceremony you set the tone
for the rest of the day, everyone was in high spirits and we all had such great fun. So many people
commented on how wonderful the ceremony was. Joe we hope our paths cross again and, again, thank you so much. Enjoying every moment!
-Loretta & Donal, Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong at Ghan House, Carlingford, Co. Louth, 6 May 2018.

Humanist wedding ceremony unique to us we’ll never forget

From Laura & Mikey:

Amazing from start to finish

Hi Joe, We just wanted to say a huge heart felt thank you for making our wedding ceremony a ceremony we’ll never forget, for all the right reasons! It was amazing from start to finish, bar the interruptions from our unruly 2yr old , which I must say you handled perfectly.

Personal interaction, everyone included

For me, it was the personal interaction that made it, it felt like everybody was included in the ceremony.

Relaxed, warm, funny, unique, perfect

It was relaxed, it was warm, it was funny, it was unique to us, it was just perfect. Neither of us would have changed a thing. Thanks again for everything.

– Laura & Mikey, Humanist wedding ceremony conducted by Joe Armstrong at Ballymagarvey Village 29 April 2018

HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Mo and Bob

Hi Joe,

We absolutely loved the ceremony and received so many responses from guests sharing the same sentiment. Many guests said that it was the best ceremony they’d attended and that it was more like a party than a formal event. You gave us the opportunity to make it so personal to us and you put everyone at ease, including us which I really appreciated! Usually people are waiting for the ceremony to be over to have fun, but it was the ceremony that everyone enjoyed and commented on. It was the ceremony that we will remember – the nerves, the laughs, the readings and music. It made the best memories! Thank you so much for giving us that Joe. Thanks again Joe and we would be happy to recommend you to anyone else we come across who is in need of celebrating their love!!

HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Roslyn & David

HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Aisling & William

Hi Joe,

Thank you for the fantastic ceremony you performed for us. Everyone commented on the content and in particular, the inclusion of our girls. The rituals were of great interest to our guests, in particular the older people. Thank you again Joe – it was perfect.

Aisling kindly contacted me again, adding this:

From the very beginning, Joe was an absolute pleasure to deal with. At our very first meeting, Joe set the tone for the entire ceremony and planning process with his very calm, informative and relaxed attitude. He took time to get to know  our individual story, our history  and used all this to make our ceremony so personal and  unique.

Joe explained the rituals thoroughly and helped us choose which ones would work best for us. He had fantastic ideas on how to include our two daughters in the ceremony, something that was very important to us and something that all our guests commented on.

Joe was in touch on a regular basis and was always available to help tweak the script if and when needed. On the day itself, Joe made sure everyone knew exactly what they were doing and when, kept everyone calm and gave the whole ceremony a sense of relaxation. There was no pressure, everything was so easy going and above all fun!

Every one of our guests commented on how enjoyable the ceremony was. For many it was their first experience of a wedding outside the traditional religious setting, and they were all very impressed, particularly our older guests. They were especially complimentary on the inclusion of our daughters in the ceremony.

All in all, our ceremony would not have been what it was without Joe. He was the perfect choice for us, a professional from start to finish.  We couldn’t have asked for better, it was a beautiful, relaxed ceremony that was everything we had ever imagined. Thank you Joe!

-Aisling & William, Humanist wedding at Hotel Kilmore, Cavan, 31 March 2018.

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HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Ruth & Christopher

Hi Joe,

Firstly, I want to send a BIG thank you from Chris and I. You really made the ceremony extra special and we enjoyed every minute. I remember being blown away when you conducted Valerie’s wedding ceremony and I knew that moment that this was for us. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. We were genuinely so delighted with everything. You are fantastic at what you do Joe. Our friends and family thought it was so personal. Thank you again! We might bump into one another again at another ceremony some day.

-Ruth & Christopher, Humanist wedding ceremony, Virginia Park Lodge, 29 March 2018

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HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Lesley & Owen

Hi Joe,

We had a fantastic wedding. The ceremony was everything we could have hoped for and very personal. We have recommended your services to our friends. I would not suggest any changes for the ceremony. Your input into it was fantastic. Thanks again for making our wedding all we could have wished for.

-Lesley & Owen, Humanist wedding ceremony conducted at Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells, 24 March 2018

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Thank you so much for performing our wedding ceremony – we loved every minute of it. You are wonderful at what you do. The ceremony was really beautiful, we couldn’t have dreamt it better!

(Photos courtesy of Rashida Keenan Photography)

-Laura & Andrew, Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong at Darver Castle, Co. Louth, 9 March 2018

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Hi Joe, We are just back today from our honeymoon. We would both like to thank you so much for conducting such an amazing and heartfelt ceremony. We loved every minute and found it so calming and inclusive. There is nothing at all we would change about your performance both before and during the ceremony. It was just perfect. Everyone we spoke to has said that they have never been to a ceremony quite like it. My auntie and uncle even told me that your car broke down beside their house a few days before the wedding and were delighted to see you during the ceremony as you were a lovely man! We would happily recommend you to anyone as you were fantastic.

-Humanist wedding of Donna and Cormac conducted by Joe Armstrong at Crover House Hotel, 17 February 2018. Video courtesy of  Matt Ryan Films.

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HUMANIST WEDDINGS by Joe Armstrong

Excellent Feedback from:

Paul & Amanda

Hi Joe,

-Paul & Amanda, Humanist wedding conducted at Ballymascanlon Hotel, Co. Louth, 3 January 2018 (pictures show the couple completing a variation of the unity bowl ritual, and jumping the broom – symbolizing crossing the threshold into marriage.)

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Lisa & Paul

Hi Joe, Everyone loved the ceremony. Nobody had been to one in a hotel and done with a Humanist celebrant. They said it was a lovely, funny ceremony and very emotional. It was lovely the way we had ribbons and stone and everyone was involved. Thank you so much for helping us celebrate our special day. I was so nervous at the door just before I came in and then you started to speak and I calmed down because you had me laughing.

-Lisa & Paul, Humanist wedding ceremony conducted at the Castle Arch Hotel, Trim, Co. Meath 30 December 2017

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Jane & Janos

Ah my dear Joe, Thank you, thank you, thank you doesn’t nearly cover our appreciation, respect and gratitude to you, for everything since Jessica’s naming ceremony.  I’m humbled by our experiences and, bias aside, I feel our wedding was the nicest wedding I’ve ever been to, and that is all thanks to you. Your experience shone through, while our lack thereof was smoothly covered! I’ve been so happy, feeling it couldn’t have been any nicer or better. (And definitely upped the ante on the Mate waterworks! Lol.

-Jane & Janos, Humanist wedding conducted at Ghan House, Carlingford. (I was privileged to conduct naming ceremonies for their two children, and the funeral ceremony for the bride’s father, and most recently their Humanist wedding ceremony on 28 December 2017. Sometimes it’s impossible to better a small, intimate, meaningful wedding such as Jane and Janos’s with just close family gathered.)

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Michelle & Conall

Hi Joe, Thanks again for conducting our ceremony it really was the best day of our lives! So many people said said it was one of the most beautiful ceremonies they had ever been to!

-Michelle & Conall, Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong at Ghan House, Carlingford, 27 December 2017.

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Kathryn & Damien

Hi Joe, We and our guests loved the ceremony. We felt so at ease and the whole thing flowed along and was beautiful. Our guests are still talking about it and how nice and friendly and good you where. Thank you again Joe for everything!

-Edel & Paul, Humanist wedding conducted at Darver Castle, Co. Louth, 26 November 2017.

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Conor & Sarah

Hi Joe, We can’t fault the ceremony in anyway whatsoever. It was brilliant. It was funny and engaging and our guests said it was probably the best wedding ceremony they’d been to. Sarah and I would like to thank you for everything. It was a brilliant job on your part – exactly the kind of thing we were aiming for. When we got back from our honeymoon, the wedding video was at home and we have watched it now about 6 or 7 times and the ceremony was FANTASTIC!

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Hi Joe,

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Hi Joe,

Thanks for your email and thank you so much for conducting our wedding. I have to say you did an excellent and professional job. If we had do it all again there is nothing we would change and we are delighted that we had you as our celebrant. All of the guests were commenting on what a fabulous ceremony it was and thought you were fantastic. So my advice to you is – don’t change a thing! Just keep doing what you are doing. Thanks for being a part of our Special Day.

– Veronica & Andrew, Humanist wedding conducted at the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan, 7 October 2017

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Hello Joe!

Firstly, thank you so so much. We both were ridiculously happy with our ceremony. It was even more special than either of us could have imagined. We thought you did an absolute superb job, really there is nothing we can find fault with! Overall, we were really happy that we held it indoors in the end, as we felt this added to the intimate atmosphere which we feel would have been lost had we held it in the garden. What stood out for me in terms of the rituals was the children doing the ribbon ceremony and our parents being involved with the candles.

In terms of your style, needless to say you really created a fun, inclusive and warm environment which I think was very special. What was really telling was the fact that many of my elderly relatives who had never been to a humanist ceremony (and I imagine it had caused quite a bit of discussion behind closed doors!), all sincerely loved it. They loved how relaxed and inclusive it was. I also had a number of people texting me after the wedding just to say how much they loved the whole day, and especially the ceremony. I also think our musicians really added to the overall feel of the occasion.

One other thing that you did which I really loved was after the readings, you were speaking about relationships and love, and you called on my sister again to recite a line from her poem. For me (and many others) this showed that you had really been listening to the reading and wanted to engage with her again, which gave her the recognition that I felt she deserved (she is such a beautiful writer).

And lastly, a friend of mine who is not yet married said that she would definitely be contacting you for her wedding – so I think that says it all 🙂 Thank you once again for helping to create a wonderful day for us, your thorough preparation and making us really think about what we wanted made it a total success.

-Gayle & Guy, Humanist wedding conducted at the Heritage Centre, Carlingford 8 September 2017

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Hi Joe,

Unfortunately we didn’t have time to personally thank you on the day. The ceremony was fantastic and was the most commented upon part of the wedding. You were very professional throughout the process and highly entertaining on the day!

-Rebecca & Derrick, Humanist wedding conducted at Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore, 2 September 2017

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Picture shows Anita & David about to leap over the broom, symbolizing crossing the threshold of marriage.

Hi Joe,

David and I just wanted to say thank you so much for Friday. I’m just sorry we didn’t have a chance to say thanks in person. Almost every guest commented on how much they enjoyed the ceremony and that it was one of the best they had ever been to…..relaxed and fun and moving. One couple who are getting married next year enquired if you travel outside of Ireland! 🙂 So thanks again for everything and making our marriage ceremony so special.
– Anita & David, Humanist wedding conducted at Carlingford Heritage Centre, 1 September 2017

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Hi Joe, Thanks so much for being a part of the wedding. We really had the best day ever and it all started with the humanist ceremony! You did an awesome job at creating the ceremony, it was perfectly personalised just for us and you even managed to seamlessly work in a military guard of honor. You kept the vibe very relaxed and fun which was exactly what we were hoping for. Straight after the ceremony we had so many friends and family tell us it was the best ceremony they had ever been to! No one really knew what to expect but everyone loved it! Neither of us have ever laughed and smiled as much as we did that day and we’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to you for being a part of it all.

-Jen & Ian, an officer in the Irish army, Humanist wedding conducted at Mount Druid 30 August 2017

(Photographs courtesy of Amy French)

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Hi Joe, Thanks so so much for everything. The ceremony was the best part of the day for both of us and it meant a lot to us.

Hi Joe,

On behalf of myself and my husband 🙂 i would like to thank you so much for conducting on our wedding ceremony.
It was an absolute pleasure working with you from the moment we first met you. The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and was exactly how we thought it would be. Our guest have also commented on how beautiful the ceremony was 🙂 We had the day of our life, we wish we could go back and do it all over again.
Thanks again Joe for being a part of our special day, we have memories the we will cherish forever 🙂

– Angela & Ryan, Humanist wedding conducted Crover House Hotel, Co. Cavan, 12 August 2017

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Dear Joe, We have been enjoying our first Christmas as a married couple! We were both so happy with your officiating at our ceremony and we got so many positive comments from our guests about it afterwards! Even Fiona’s Dad, who freely admitted that he was dreading the ceremony beforehand, was full of praises afterwards! Thanks again for all your help both in the build up to the day and on the day itself! You were a major part in making our day so special!
– James & Fiona, Humanist marriage ceremony conducted by Joe Armstrong at Cliff at Lyons on 8 August 2017. Video credited to limelightweddingfilms.ie

Hi Joe, Thanks so much for a lovely ceremony as we really enjoyed it and the feedback from our guests was really positive. A number of people said you made them feel welcome and at ease from the start. Many of our guests had not been at a Humanist ceremony before so it was a new experience for them which they really enjoyed.

– Jen & Chris, Humanist wedding conducted at Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Athlone, Co. Westmeath 28 July 2017.

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Hi Joe,

We both want to thank you for conducting our ceremony, it was truly a special day for us. The tone of the ceremony was perfect and everyone in our small congregation agreed it was a fantastic, relaxed and personal event. Thanks for being so easy to work with throughout the whole process, we enjoyed every moment of it and you made it that much more enjoyable.

– Patrick & Emma, Humanist wedding conducted at Westcourt Hotel, Drogheda, 27 July 2017

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Dear Joe,
Thank you very much for a wonderful ceremony…it was all we dreamed of and more!!! Our friends were so impressed with it. We had an amazing day…every aspect went as we had planned…we had a 70’s disco and the floor was full all night….five hours of fantastic music that wasn’t too loud!!!
Thank you very much again , Joe. Your words at our ceremony were so thoughtful and personal.
Thank you for the help with our readings…remember you sent us a list and we used some from that list; I was so happy with our musicians as well: they were so professional as indeed were you!

– Una & John, Humanist wedding conducted at Glasson Country Hotel, Glasson, Athlone, 23 July 2017.

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As we sit down to write this review we think back fondly on our big day and remember what a great time we had. We were immediately put at ease thanks to Joe’s humour and clear instructions on what was needed on the day. From the beginning when Joe met with Ben and his Best Man Keith right until the end of the ceremony Joe paid attention to the bride and groom’s needs. He kept the ceremony lighthearted and authentic in a way we had never experienced during a wedding ceremony. There was a lot of laughter and smiles throughout the day and we would recommend Joe as a celebrant. We are so happy with our decision and would like to thank Joe from the bottom of ours hearts. Thanks so much for all you did for us Joe!

-Ben and Casey, Headfort Arms Hotel, Kells, Co. Meath, 21 July 2017

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Video credited to www.firstlook.ie.

Hi Joe,

We just wanted to drop you a quick email to say thank you so much for our wedding ceremony. So many of our guests spoke to us about how much fun and heart was in the ceremony. We are grateful to you for your help drafting it and for your delivery of it. Everyone was so at ease and you really helped to get them into the party mood.

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Hi Joe, Thank you so much for such a wonderful ceremony! Everyone complimented us on how beautiful it was. You were so patient with Lucas [Ed note: the couple’s young son] being so fussy. You made it very relaxed. There is nothing we would do to change it.

– Annmarie & Martin, Humanist Wedding conducted at Crown Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, 3 June 2017

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Hi Joe, We don’t know what to say! ‘Thank You’ just doesn’t express enough how happy & grateful we are that you were our celebrant and who joined us in marriage for the rest of our lives. The ceremony was AMAZING and we are still hearing 6 weeks later from people about how great the ceremony was. Honestly Joe you made our day! It was fantastic, the perfect balance of fun & seriousness. The only thing we are gutted about is that we didn’t get to say goodbye to you. We were so busy saying hello to people after the ceremony and then we were swept away for our photos, but I wish we had been able to have a drink with you after. We could sit here and type all night, as we have nothing but praise. FANTASTIC! You made our day Joe…. Thank you so much.

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Thanks for everything Joe. It was an amazing day!

– Sarah & Guy, Humanist wedding conducted at Virginia Park Lodge, 6 May 2017

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Hi Joe,

We just wanted to let you know how grateful we are for the truly wonderful ceremony you conducted for us.  I know that some people might say that choosing to have an outdoor ceremony, in March, in the Wicklow Mountains could be foolhardy, but we wanted to thank you for following our wishes and in helping us to create our perfect day.  The ceremony, like the day, was fantastic.  It was personal, relaxed, sincere and evocative.  It was everything we’d envisaged and more.

A lot of our guests were blown away by the ceremony, many of them had never attended a humanist ceremony prior to ours; all of them commented upon the humour, warmth and intimacy that you injected into the ceremony.  Our guests come from many different backgrounds and have many different beliefs; probably covering the whole spectrum of faiths, from devoutly religious to rational atheist.  Yet every guest felt that the ceremony was inclusive, meaningful and magical.

We also wanted to thank you for all of your help in the run up to the ceremony, from help with the drafting process, to providing suggestions on readings and in allowing us to create a ceremony and a day that reflected not only who we are as individual people, but how we want to live our lives as a married couple. Thank you so much, Joe!

– Mary and Ben, Humanist wedding conducted at Kippure Estate, Co. Wicklow, 11 March 2017

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Photos courtesy www.garethmcgaughey.com. There are also lots of more photos of this wedding on my Pinterest weddings board . And for a great video of the whole ceremony, see the You Tube image below.

Hi Joe, We absolutely loved the ceremony, as did all of our guests. Everyone commented how welcoming you made everyone feel – we had a wide range of faiths from devout Catholics to United church members to atheists and no one was made feel unwelcome. The inclusion of the Skype call to Holly’s sister Jody – a very last minute addition – was expertly handled and made Jody feel as if she was part of the ceremony too. It was a lighthearted and most of all fun experience for all in attendance which helped kick off the party for the rest of the day. We honestly couldn’t have been happier with how it all turned out and would recommend you to any of our friends/family.

– Holly & Daniel, Humanist wedding conducted by Joe Armstrong at Clonabreany House, County Meath, 8 March 2017. Video courtesy of Eye Capture Weddings

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Hi Joe,

(Photos courtesy of Danielle O’Hora Photography www.danielleohora.com)

Hi Joe, We never got to speak to you or shake your hands after the ceremony but before we headed off on honeymoon we wanted to say thanks so much for what was a truly wonderful ceremony on Saturday. A lot of people said to us afterwards, quite rightly, how personal, relaxed, bespoke and meaningful the ceremony was.

It set the tone for the whole day, which was all wonderful. Your preparedness, thoroughness and reassurance before the ceremony also helped settle the nerves and give us all some guidance for the ceremony itself. We were very fortunate to have you as a celebrant.

It really was a wonderful and special ceremony for us. Thank you for creating such a perfect tone and atmosphere.

Thanks again and best wishes with all your work.

Hi Joe,

I just wanted to send you a quick email to say thank you so so much for conducting such a beautiful ceremony for us on Thursday. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to thank you personally. It meant so much to us to have such a personal ceremony. It’s was really perfect and you made everyone feel so relaxed and welcome.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

– Fiona and William, Humanist wedding conducted at Brooklodge, Co. Wicklow, 6 October 2016

Hi Joe,

Just wanted to thank you for a beautiful ceremony on Saturday. It was exactly what we wanted, relaxed and fun! So many people were complimenting on how personal it was and we really loved that. Thanks again!

– Jennifer & Emmet, wedding conducted at Mount Druid, Co Westmeath, 3 September 2016

Thanks again for Saturday. We loved the ceremony and got so much positive feedback about it from friends and family. You really made it very special.

– Eavan and Néill, wedding conducted at Hibernian Club, St. Stephen’s Green, 27 August 2016

Photographer Claire Byrne said of the ceremony ‘They had some of the most beautiful readings I’ve heard at a service’. For some of her professional pictures of this wedding, click here.

And here’s a brief video of the procession at the end of the wedding:

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Thank you for everything you did for our wedding. We really enjoyed it and we were so happy with the ceremony, it really set up a lovely and relaxing day thanks to you (Not the wasps!) and everyone was raving about the ceremony.

– Lisa & Colin, Humanist wedding conducted at Coolbawn Quay, Co. Tipperary, 26 August 2016

You were brilliant Joe,

Hi Joe,

Thank you a millions times for something we will never, ever forget. Looking forward to working with you again. Maybe in about a year!

– Emma and Ryan, wedding conducted at Mount Druid, Co. Westmeath, 5 July 2016

(This Humanist wedding was featured on One Fab day. For pictures, click here.)

Hi Joe,
We had a wonderful couple of days, the highlight of which was undoubtedly the ceremony, all our guests were blown away with it as were Rebecca and I.

– Rebecca and Gearoid, wedding conducted at Ghan House, Carlingford, 16 June 2016

Hi Joe,

 Photo courtesy of http://www.paulcallaghan.com/

Hi Joe,

Was looking through some photographs of our wedding and when I saw this I thought you might like to have a copy. Wonderful memories of a wonderful day.

– Annemarie & Eamon, Humanist wedding ceremony 31 July 2015

Joe, we both want to pass on our thanks and gratitude to you for making our day so special, and for playing such a big part in helping the day be so, so personnel.

From the first time we met you in Kells, through to your guidance on the ceremony; from your experience in letting us know what would work well, through to helping Shane and his Best man & Groomsman that morning. All of it, every little bit, made the ceremony you conducted special in a way that can be only summed up by saying, there is no other way we would ever have done it.

All the read throughs we done prior to the ceremony didn’t do justice to prepare us for how beautifully you delivered it. You brought humour, sensitivity and character to our day. You made us feel relaxed throughout, and by doing that, you made everyone in that circle relaxed watching it. Your generosity with the readers, with our parents and with all who played there little part – it made it feel so inclusive for everyone. Listening to the words leap from paper to the ceremony brought on emotions that we just could not have prepared for.

Humanism, for the majority of people there, was an unknown, it was just a word when they took their seats. But by the end of it, humanism was about people, about friendship and about love to everyone there. People were blown away. Their eyes were opened. Shane’s aunt, who is a nun, and his Uncle, who is a Christian brother, loved every minute of it. So many people came up and said it was the most beautiful ceremony they had ever attended.

So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for playing such a big role in making the day, the ceremony and our wedding such an enchanting memory.

Thank you so much! We really can’t speak highly enough of you and what you brought to our wedding day.
– Caroline and Shane, wedding conducted at Boyne Hill Estate, Navan, Co Meath 26 June 2015

Hello Joe!

-Dena and Craig, Wedding conducted at the Grand Hotel, Moate, Co. Westmeath 13 Dec 2014

Hi Joe, hope you’re well.

We just wanted to say a big thank you for the ceremony you performed at our wedding on the 5th of December in Ballybeg house. We thought it was amazing, extremely intimate and you added great personality to the ceremony.

I (Daniel) personally want to thank you for the guidance you gave me and Eddie on the day – it meant I could enjoy the ceremony and not worry about anything, I wasn’t nervous at all.

We wish you well in everything you do, as more weddings go down the humanist route hopefully our paths cross again.

– Kate and Daniel, Wedding conducted 5 December 2014 at Ballybeg House, Co. Wicklow

Hi Joe,