I had already considered myself to be a Buddhist and was investigating Tibetan Buddhism, (I hadn't realised that there were other Buddhist traditions too) when I was advised to take Refuge with the head of a Tibetan lineage/school. The ceremony took place at a large crowded venue filled with lay people and many more Tibetan Buddhist monks than I had ever seen before. To be truthful, I was more overawed by the visuals and the sounds, and the site of the head of lineage who was said to have special powers, than having much thought of what I was actually doing. It didn't feel very personal either, because there were so many of us taking Refuge at the same time, and it was all done in Tibetan. So I think that my private recitations at my home shrine were probably more effective for me in the sense of being inspired and attuned to what I was actually saying and doing. I now practice with the Theravada Forest tradition, but its still important to me to recite the Refuge every day . with kind wishes,
I have never attended a Buddhist ceremony. I recited the words of refuge to myself some years ago, in private and alone, just to try it out (and also in the hope that it might reduce suffering), a number of times, on a number of occasions. That is all. I have always been more interested in the concepts of Buddhism and have never had a great leaning towards ceremony. But, to each their own.