A celebrant leads a formal ceremony including wedding celebrations, funerals, baby naming ceremonies and vow renewals. As a trained professional, I customise and personalise the ceremony to your exact requirements.
I will:
Probably for the same reason I did! I'd been to too many funerals that felt like conveyor-belt occasions, with generic references to the scriptures rather than to the life of the person whose funeral we were attending. That felt wrong.
Then I went to a funeral led by a celebrant and saw the incredible difference that made to the quality of the service and the specialness of the day.
A celebrant led my father's funeral and my mother's memorial service - both beautiful ceremonies which centred on the person we were there to honour. Your celebrant listens to you then creates and leads a service designed especially for your loved one.
I am not affiliated to any religion. I believe in equality and diversity, and in creating ceremonies that are personal and memorable. There might be no religious element to a ceremony if the family has asked for a life-centred funeral. If a family wishes - or if the deceased person left instructions - religious and/or spiritual wording can be included, together with prayers or hymns. It's all about tailoring a service to people's personal preferences. Some couples like to incorporate religious elements into their wedding celebrations, such as a favourite hymn or prayer.
You have freedom and flexibility with a celebrant, who ensures your ceremony is a joyful reflection of you both as a couple. A celebrant can't marry you legally (that can only happen at the register office, in church or in specially-licensed premises) but will lead your post-wedding celebrations to make them unforgettable. As your celebrant, I will conduct an exquisite and unique service which we have worked on together to capture the essence of who you are.
Everything is possible with the freedom of a celebrant-led service.
By contrast, a service conducted by the council's registrar may feel impersonal and dry. Celebrants are hugely popular: around 250,000 weddings take place in the UK every year but only a quarter of them are church weddings. Many couples appreciate a more contemporary and personalised service which they've helped to design. A celebrant steps in and guides you through that process, getting to know you as they plan your ceremony, so you feel comfortable and prepared. You wouldn't meet a registrar until your wedding day.
Celebrants are not permitted to perform legal registration of the marriage process in England and Wales. We leave the red-tape to the council so we can focus on creating a uniquely beautiful ceremony for you. It's like registering the birth of a baby: you register the birth at the registrars office, collect the birth certificate then celebrate with a naming ceremony or christening surrounded by family and friends.
Wedding ceremonies can take place wherever you want with a celebrant. Your local riverside park? In a bluebell wood? On the coast? In your own garden? Everything is possible. That goes for timing too – you might want a sunrise service or a wedding breakfast, a celebration at lunchtime or as the sun is setting. Your choice.
The world's your oyster! I'll talk to you in detail about exactly what you want, offering suggestions about the many possibilities that will make your day unique. From special rituals, readings and music to the exchange of vows and rings - every moment of the day is designed especially for you from a blank canvas.
I write your script for you. I'll meet you to discuss your ceremony so I can get to know more about you. You'll want to be involved in planning your own ceremony, but as your celebrant I can advise and guide you on all the special extras that will make your day unique. It's all about talking to you, liaising with you and providing as much help and advice as I possibly can. Then the day arrives and … the magic happens.
Absolutely. It's a privilege to do so. My role as a celebrant is to get to know the individuals involved, find out what they are looking for from their ceremony, then deliver a day to remember.
I am based near Filey in North Yorkshire but work as far north as Scarborough, as far south as Bridlington, then inland including Malton, Driffield, Beverley and all the Wolds villages.
Yes, I have full insurance, including liability insurance, through the International College of Professional Celebrants.
Yes. I was fully trained and assessed in the UK by the International College of Professional Celebrants – the biggest organisation of its kind in the world.
