This summer I had the joy of conducting a Vow Renewal ceremony for two lovely people. They had originally had a legal wedding in September 2021, in the break between three UK wide lockdowns as a result of the global Covid-19 Pandemic. They felt that they could not celebrate in…
Celebration of Life vs Traditional Funeral: Which Is Right for Your Person?
When someone we love dies, there can be an awful lot to think about at a time when your brain may feel like it’s running on empty. There are decisions about practicalities, paperwork, flowers, music, venues, transport and a whole host of things you probably didn’t have on your to-do…
Real Wedding: Hannah and Andy
In this blog we will be looking back to a balmy summer day in a woodland setting for Hannah and Andy’s wedding. Who: Hannah and Andy Where: https://browningbros.co.uk/teybrook-orchard When: July 2026 First Contact: Unusually I had a contact from one of my cousins to say that a work colleague was getting…
How Much Does a Celebrant Cost? Understanding the True Value of a Bespoke Celebrant Ceremony
How much does a celebrant cost? It is one of the first questions many couples, families and loved ones ask when they start planning a wedding, funeral, naming ceremony or celebration of life. And quite rightly. Budgets matter. Weddings cost money, funerals need to be planned carefully and most of…
Can a Celebrant Legally Marry You in England?
Can a celebrant legally marry you in England? It’s one of the questions I’m asked more than any other, and it’s easy to understand why. You may have seen beautiful celebrant-led weddings on social media. You’ve fallen in love with the idea of getting married in a woodland, on a…
What 50 Years of Living Has Taught Me: The Power of Ceremony, Kindness and Letting Go.
There is something wonderfully reflective about reaching your fiftieth birthday. People often ask if I feel older. The truth is, I feel grateful. Fifty years have given me stories, laughter, heartbreak, friendships, adventures, lessons and more cups of tea than I could ever count. They’ve taught me that life isn’t…
Welcoming Your Child with a Naming Ceremony: The Beautiful Alternative to a Christening.
Welcoming Your Child in a Way That Feels Right for You The arrival of a child changes everything. Whether you’re welcoming a newborn baby, an adopted child, a stepchild joining your family, or celebrating a child later in life, many parents feel a deep desire to mark the occasion with…
Top Celebrant Wedding Trends for 2026/27: The Future of Personalised Weddings
Top Celebrant Wedding Trends for 2026/27 If there’s one thing I’ve learned from creating hundreds of bespoke ceremonies, it’s that couples are becoming increasingly confident about doing weddings their way. Gone are the days when everyone felt obliged to follow the same wedding rulebook. Today’s couples want authenticity, personality and…
Re-Naming Ceremonies: Celebrating Your Authentic Self After Transition, Divorce, or Life Change.
There are moments in life when a name no longer fits. Not because it was “wrong” at the time, but because you have grown beyond it. For some people, that moment comes after gender transition. For others, it arrives after divorce, family estrangement, spiritual change, sobriety, personal healing, or simply…
How to Make a Funeral Ceremony More Personal and Meaningful.
There’s a quiet truth at the heart of every farewell: no two lives are the same, so no two funerals should be either. A meaningful funeral ceremony isn’t about ticking boxes or following a script that’s been dusted off a thousand times before. It’s about telling a story. Their story.…
