Wedding Celebrant in France – Bespoke Ceremonies for International Couples
Ceremony and secular wedding officiant Céline Larigaldie expresses love stories in words. Photo NP
Sud Ouest, October 15, 2017
"She celebrates love stories in a secular way."
Céline Larigaldie is the very first officiant in the department. A vocation that came to her late in life, after an eclectic career.
"Magnifying an important moment in a couple's life." This is how Céline Larigaldie describes her new role. Since July, she has been a secular ceremony officiant. She is the very first in Lot-et-Garonne to be registered on the official register of wedding and secular ceremony officiants.
"At first, I replaced a friend at short notice for a Franco-German wedding at the Château d'Auros, near Bordeaux." Having worked as a public writer for several years, Céline Larigaldie has more than one string to her bow. Holding a master's degree, she is also fluent in English and German, having lived in Berlin for ten years.
"It's very gratifying."
Now living in Lannes with her family, Céline Larigaldie is interested in a thousand things, including theater, which she has been practicing as an amateur since the age of 15. "When I was offered the delicate mission of celebrating a secular wedding, I didn't know if I had all the skills for it." Faced with the very positive and enthusiastic feedback from the bride and groom and their entourage, Céline Larigaldie was convinced: "I want to continue celebrating this style
of ceremony". A real preparation work is done before the big day: "I discuss a lot with the couple and determine with them what style and what framework they want to give to the ceremony." Many criteria are taken into account. The duration of the wedding, the speakers, the extracts of texts, poems or quotes, the music, the possible staging from the bride and groom but also from the witnesses, friends, family members... "Everything is
In French, German, or English, the lay celebrant has the talent to compose the text in a fluid and harmonious way, without word-for-word translation. "Beautiful love stories have always touched me. When I was younger, I wrote dozens of poems about them. But it's in prose that I prefer to express myself."
Nathalie Pouey
Contact: 06 20 61 37 69.
Website: www.ceremonie-laique.fr/officiant/celine-larigaldie/
possible, there is a great deal of freedom and everything is adaptable."
Polyglot
To do this, Céline knows how to show empathy and always listens to the bride and groom. "Every love is unique, and it's about creating a ceremony that truly reflects the two people involved." She adds, "It's very rewarding and enjoyable to accompany people through a happy moment in their lives.