What Happens at a Twilight Ceremony, From First Message to Sunset

From the first message to the last light, here's what happens under a glowing sunset.

Short summer reads…

Booking something new can feel like a leap, especially when it's a celebration you've never had before. What actually happens? How much do you need to plan? And what does the evening itself feel like?

Season I of Twilight Ceremonies ran through summer 2026, and I'm now accepting bookings for summer 2027. So here's a walk through the whole experience, step by step, from your very first message to the moment the sun dips below the horizon.

Step One: Your First Message

It starts with a few details about you and what you'd like to celebrate. Tell me as much or as little as you like. Whether it's a milestone ceremony, a renewal of vows or a couples sunset shoot, you can send me a message through the form on my booking page, and I'll get back to you within 24 to 48 hours. Messages that arrive over the weekend are answered the next working day.

There's no commitment at this stage. It's simply the start of a conversation.

Step Two: A Chat Over Coffee

Next comes a discovery call, a relaxed one to one chat with me over coffee, either on Zoom or in person. We'll talk about your love story, your marriage, and what you'd like your celebration to feel like. It's a space for all your questions, and most couples leave it counting down the months to summer. Some couples arrive with a list of questions, others simply bring their story. Both are perfect.

If you already know exactly what you want, you can skip the discovery call and reserve your date straight away.

Step Three: Making It Official

Once you're ready, I'll send you the booking form and resources to make it happen. You'll share the date you'd like to celebrate and any ideas you'd like to focus on. Twilight Ceremonies is exclusively for the summer months, so this is where your summer evening gets its place in the diary. It's also when we'll settle on the package that suits you best, whether that's a milestone ceremony, a renewal of vows or a couples sunset shoot.

If you eloped with me, this part comes with a lovely bonus. Elope with Leon couples receive 15% off all Twilight Ceremonies packages, and couples who had an AM to PM elopement receive their celebration free. You can see how that connects on my elopement packages page.

Step Four: Planning, at Your Own Pace

We'll work together through the months leading up to summer, with online and face to face meetings, to get as creative as you like. There's no red tape with a celebrant led ceremony, so your ceremony can reflect your marriage exactly as it is. You tune in and out to complete your ceremony script or refreshed vows, and it fits around your schedule.

We'll also choose your place. My locations page shows some favourites, from the Great Orme to Penmon Lighthouse and South Stack, and North Wales is full of others. Twilight Ceremonies is also offered in Ibiza for couples who'd like their sunset with a little more heat.

Step Five: The Day Itself

Imagine this. You spend the afternoon exploring a place you love while I capture candid photographs in the background. Hours pass as you laugh and simply enjoy each other's company. Then we travel to the beach, the hills or wherever the sun sets best, where you might indulge in a picnic while I capture the moments on my drone.

As the light turns gold, we begin your personalised ceremony under the setting sun. It's relaxed, intimate and entirely about the two of you. There's no schedule to rush through, just an evening at your own pace. Afterwards, your Polaroids are handed to you warm to the touch, the same evening, while the sky is still glowing.

What to Bring on the Evening

You don't need much. Comfortable shoes for the afternoon, a warm layer for when the sun goes down and anything that makes the evening yours, like a picnic you love or a playlist from your wedding. If you're renewing your vows, bring your words, or simply bring yourselves if the script is a surprise.

If the Weather Has Other Ideas

North Wales summers are lovely, but they're not always predictable. If the forecast looks unkind, we'll talk it through before the day and adjust the plan, whether that's a more sheltered spot or timings built around the clearest part of the evening. Cloud can also make for wonderful colour at sunset, so a grey afternoon doesn't always mean a grey evening.

Step Six: Reminiscing

Once the summer evening is over, the memories keep going. Your photographs are individually edited and delivered within 4 weeks, and videos within 8 weeks. They're added to your Love Story Album, which means if you married with me, your anniversary sits right alongside your wedding day in one album. In the years that follow, the Love Story Registry at Leon Bagnall Experiences can mark each anniversary with a commemorative letter, handpicked imagery and wild flowers delivered to your door.

See It for Yourself

If you'd like to see the kind of couples who've walked this path before you, Dean and Tori's love story takes you back to their summer 2023 elopement amongst the rolling hills of Cwm Idwal. And my Season I post tells the story of where Twilight Ceremonies began.

Summer 2027 is waiting, and the sun will set right on time.