What different ceremonies can I help you with?
There are all sorts of ceremonies that I, as an Independent Celebrant, can help you with, some I suspect you wouldn’t necessarily have thought of. Below are a selection of different ceremonies that I offer.
Ceremonies for All the Best occasions
Couple Ceremonies
love a good wedding! I’m an old softy really, and I like seeing people in love starting out on their lives together, committing themselves to each other and making vows in the company of all the people that love them. Of course I can’t legally marry anybody – I’m not a registrar – but I can host the ceremony, help to compose the vows, write and deliver a script, designed with you, to make your day the amazing event it should be. I’m not religious myself, but then nor am I a Humanist Celebrant with all the restrictions that brings. In a ceremony I deliver, you can have whatever you’d like included, whether you are religious yourself, in a mixed-faith relationship or an atheist who still likes to sing a hymn or two. Also, I have excellent friends and family in the LGBTQ+ community, (including two of my own children, of whom I’m inordinately proud!). I strongly believe in inclusivity and I’m definitely an ally of the unconventional. So, all the ceremonies listed below are for everybody, whoever you are and whomever you love.
Family Ceremonies
I know the importance of family. I also know that sometimes it’s good to celebrate as a family. Perhaps you have a new baby you’d like to show off to them and your friends. It may be that you’re not religious but like the idea of a Christening. Of course, I can’t offer your child eternal salvation – I’m not a priest – but I can host the ceremony, help to compose the commitments, write and deliver the script, designed with you, to make your family’s day the special event it should be. You might be adopting a child or children and would like to celebrate their arrival with a celebration. Or you might be joining families together for whatever reason. Regardless of the nature of the event, I would do my very best to help you celebrate it.
Individual ‘Red-Letter Day’ Ceremonies
There are any number of events in people’s lives that they may want to celebrate. I can offer my services as a Master of Ceremonies to help with whatever you’d like to commemorate, however unconventional. Let’s celebrate your good news!
End of Life Ceremonies
Perhaps, you’ve recently lost the most important person in your world, a loved one or a really close friend. They deserve a ceremony that reflects how important they were to you. You’ll want a beautiful bespoke ceremony to celebrate their life, with poetry and music that evokes the good times and helps everybody to remember how special they were. You’re in the right place.
What can I offer you, and what might you pay?
For weddings, I guarantee I am yours for the whole day (which will be blocked off in my diary as soon as we agree to start working together). We will have an initial meeting either in person or online if it’s more convenient which can last an hour or more; it’s up to you really and how much we have to discuss. Then, over the months leading up to the big day, I will send you a number of short questionnaires for you and your partner to complete, either individually or together. I will contact friends and family members you trust to give good character references, stories and gossip.
Once I have all the information, I’ll produce an outline which I’ll share with you just to check that you’re happy. As soon as I get the go ahead, I’ll write an initial version of the script which I’ll share with you. This we can change, tweak, tinker with right up to the day itself until you feel it’s right. We can also work on your individual vows to each other if that’s what you’d like (which will remain secret from each other until the ceremony itself). I can help you write these if you wish.
I can also advise you on music, readings and poems that you could use, as well as rituals (like hand-fasting and sand ceremonies) that you might wish to include. We will visit the venue together and spend some time there to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day.
You’ll be able to contact me by phone, video call or email whenever you need to. On the big day itself, I will deliver your ceremony during which you can say your vows to each other, swap rings, sign a certificate (not a register – remember I can’t legally marry you – you’ll have done this legal bit separately), before you go on to have all your photos done and enjoy your wedding breakfast. I’ll leave you with a bespoke presentation copy of the ceremony for your memory box. Prices from £500.
