Ildi and Andy’s Hampshire Celebrant Wedding Ceremony at Harewood Forest

Ildi and Andy’s Hampshire celebrant wedding took place within the beautiful Harewood Forest, a private forest sandwiched between Winchester and Andover and literally five minutes from my front door! Don’t you just love a wedding where you can roll out of bed and practically be there! And although the weather didn’t play ball with us that day, it did not stop Ildi and Andy from having the most beautiful day!

Harewood Forest, a former rope course, feels like a forest within a forest! Nestled amongst the gorgeous bracken and towering trees, the team created an incredible day for Ildi and Andy that drew on their love of rock music and gathering family and friends from all over the world. With nods to Ildi’s Hungarian heritage and their shared interests, they created a really fun day. Friends and family clubbed together to help ensure that the day ran smoothly and bring the fun vibes!

As a Hampshire celebrant, I have the absolute privilege of working with couples across this stunning county (and beyond!), but there was something extra special about Ildi and Andy’s celebration. From the moment they told me they wanted their wedding to feel like Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday party, I knew we were in for something magical. They absolutely nailed it!

A Love Story That Started with Guns N’ Roses

Every couple has their story, but Ildi and Andy’s is one for the books. Picture this: Bangkok, 2017. A legendary Guns N’ Roses concert. Two strangers standing side by side, screaming along to Sweet Child O’ Mine, completely unaware that they were about to become each other’s person. 

Later that night, Ildi was mindlessly swiping through Tinder when a message popped up from someone called Andy: “I stood next to you at the concert last night.” Having absolutely no recollection of him (sorry, Andy!), she showed his picture to a friend who confirmed he was indeed the guy from the concert. Intrigued, she agreed to meet him at a night market.

True to form, Ildi got them completely lost – her sense of direction is, by her own admission, non-existent. They ended up at an entirely different market, but as they wandered and chatted, it turned out to be the perfect mistake. Their story might have ended there as just another travel romance, but Andy did something that showed Ildi she was special: he changed his flights to come back to Bangkok just to spend more time with her.

What followed was nine months of long-distance love, with messages, calls, and frequent visits bridging the 7,233 miles between them. When Andy flew back from Thailand to spend Christmas with Ildi in Europe, she realised this was the real deal. And somewhere amidst the magic of Budapest over Christmas, Andy told Ildi he loved her. She said it back.

Eight years later, after surviving long distance, career changes, house moves, a lot of DIY, and countless travel adventures, they were ready to make it official. When Andy proposed in a shepherd’s hut in Cornwall (after an awkwardly long kneel in the hot tub that Ildi nearly missed!), there was never any doubt about her answer!

The Ceremony: Rock, Laughter, and Hungarian Traditions

As a Hampshire celebrant, I work hard to weave each couple’s unique story into their ceremony, and Ildi and Andy gave me so much to work with. We opened with Sweet Child O’ Mine – how could we not? – and from there, the ceremony was packed with personal touches that reflected who they are as a couple.

One of my favourite moments was the ring warming ceremony. Before Ildi and Andy exchanged their rings, we passed them through every single guest, asking each person to hold them, warm them with their love, and make a silent wish for the couple’s future together. Sam, their best man and very own “Lord of the Rings,” started the journey at the back of the audience. By the time those rings made it back to the front, they contained the love and support of everyone present.

The vows were absolutely beautiful. We decided to inject a bit of competition by having Ildi and Andy play rock, paper, scissors to determine who would go first – best of three! Ildi won and went first, promising Andy that she’d “keep cooking his favourite Hungarian dishes with plenty of paprika” and that she’d “keep him laughing from the moment they wake up to the moment they fall asleep at night, until he laughs so hard that he starts to hiccup.” She finished by telling him he was her favourite thing she’d ever found on the internet – which, considering everything available online, is quite the compliment!

Andy’s vows were equally touching. He thanked Ildi for the trust she showed in moving halfway around the world to be with him, promised to continue being her biggest fan, and pledged to “get old and grey (greyer) with you.” He even threw in a bit of Hungarian, finishing with “Szeretlek” – I love you.

A Bucket List for Two Adventurers

Given their love of travel and adventure, we also included a Bucket List Ceremony. A bucket list is essentially a collection of experiences, adventures, or goals you want to achieve in your lifetime – all those things you dream of doing before you kick the bucket, so to speak. For a couple like Ildi and Andy, whose relationship has been built on exploring the world together, this felt like the perfect addition to their ceremony.

As guests arrived, they were asked to write down their bucket list suggestions on cards for Ildi and Andy. During the ceremony, we picked a few out to read aloud, and the range was fantastic. Suggestions ranged from humorous to sentimental, as well as a few not to be repeated! What made this particularly special was that it wasn’t just about the wedding day – it became a roadmap for their future together, filled with ideas and dreams from the people who know and love them best.

After the ceremony, I put all the cards together in an album, leaving space for Ildi and Andy to add photographs after they complete each list item. Years from now, they’ll be able to look back through this album and see not just the adventures they’ve had, but remember that each one was suggested by someone special on their wedding day. It’s the gift that keeps on giving, and for a couple who’ve already travelled 7,233 miles for love, I have no doubt they’ll tick off every single one.

When it came time for the ring exchange, these weren’t just any rings. These were rings that had been on quite the journey themselves thanks to the ring warming ceremony. By the time Sam handed those rings over, they’d been held by every single person there, each guest infusing them with their own hopes, wishes, and blessings for the couple’s future.

So when Ildi and Andy exchanged those rings, promising to stand by each other’s side through every adventure and challenge, they weren’t just making promises to each other – they were carrying the love and support of everyone who matters most to them. Their rings became symbols not just of forever, but of all the adventures waiting for them, all those bucket list items ready to be ticked off together.

A Hungarian Toast to Remember

But the symbolic element that really brought the house down? The Pálinka shot ceremony. For those who don’t know, Pálinka is a Hungarian fruit brandy that’s traditionally brought out for special occasions. The name comes from the Slavic word “paliti,” which means “to burn” – and trust me, it lives up to its name!

As a Hampshire celebrant who loves incorporating cultural traditions into ceremonies, this was a first for me, and I absolutely loved it. I explained to everyone that a good Pálinka is like a good marriage: it warms you from the inside, gives you strength and confidence, and helps you face difficult situations with ease. Sometimes it gives you a bit of a headache, but you get over it because Pálinka is always forgiven.

Ildi and Andy each poured a shot, symbolically adding their own unique strengths to their marriage. Then, on the count of three, the entire audience cheered as they knocked back their shots together. It was the perfect way to kick off the celebration and honour Ildi’s heritage.

The Magic of Harewood Forest

Working as a Hampshire celebrant means I get to officiate ceremonies in some truly stunning locations, but Harewood Forest holds a special place in my heart – partly because it’s so close to home, but mostly because it’s just magical. This ancient woodland, once the hunting ground of Saxon kings, provided the most incredible backdrop for Ildi and Andy’s celebration.

The forest setting perfectly complemented their festival vibe. Despite the weather refusing to cooperate (welcome to British summertime!), nothing could dampen the spirits of this couple or their guests. The towering trees and lush bracken created an intimate, enchanted atmosphere that felt worlds away from everyday life.

Throughout the ceremony, I reminded Ildi and Andy that their vows would weave themselves into the very fabric of the forest – carried on the breeze and etched into time. Standing there amongst the trees, surrounded by family and friends who had travelled from across the world (some from as far as Slovakia and Hungary), you could feel the weight and beauty of that moment.

Days like Ildi and Andy’s wedding remind me exactly why I became a celebrant. There’s something incredibly special about crafting a ceremony that’s so uniquely personal, so full of laughter and love and meaning. From their love of rock music to their shared sense of humour, from the nod to Andy’s grandparents’ 70-year marriage to the Hungarian traditions, every element told their story.

Ildi and Andy didn’t want a traditional ceremony. They wanted their day to feel like a celebration with their favourite people, complete with music, laughter, and a good dose of fun. Being able to create that kind of experience for couples is the best part of my job.

As we sealed the ceremony with not one but two epic kisses (because one is never enough!), and I presented them as Mr and Mrs Ashton, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to be part of their story. Here’s to Ildi and Andy – may your marriage be filled with laughter, adventure, and just enough Pálinka to keep things interesting!

Feedback

“We couldn’t be happier with our wedding ceremony, all thanks to Miranda! From our very first call, she made us feel completely at ease and took the time to get to know us. The ceremony she created was personal, fun, and full of thoughtful, unique touches. Our guests are still talking about it! Everyone loved the ring warming, the bucket list, and the surprise shots during the ceremony. So many people said it was the best wedding ceremony they’ve ever been to – fun, emotional, and anything but boring. Miranda went above and beyond, and even surprised us with a beautiful keepsake box including our vows, the script, and readings. Her energy and warmth were unforgettable, and we’re so grateful we found her.

If you’re looking for a celebrant who truly cares and brings something special, Miranda is the one. We can’t recommend her enough!”

– Ildi and Andy

Supplier List

Venue: Harewood Forest

Celebrant: Miranda the Celebrant

Photographer: Studio 1314

Videographer: Pete Chiddy

Ceremony Music: Rob Singer (booked via Tailored Entertainment)

Reception Band: Honey I Punk’d the Kids

Catering: Sausage + Mash Company

Cake: Sally Ann Bakes

Lighting + Sound: All The Kit

Flowers: Steph Mackintosh

Hair + Make-Up: Lisa Victoria MUA

Dress: Lush Curve Bridal

Suits: Hunter + Greys

Bridesmaids Dresses: Lace + Beads