Life Ceremonies - Musings of a UK Celebrant

Losing a loved one is never easy and navigating the process of planning a funeral can be overwhelming. It's a time when we need comfort and support the most, and that's where a celebrant can come in. A celebrant is a professional who specialises in creating personalised and meaningful funeral ceremonies that honour the life of your loved one. With their guidance, you can create a funeral that reflects your loved one's personality, beliefs, and values. From choosing the right music, to crafting a eulogy that captures the essence of your loved one, a celebrant can help you navigate the process of planning a funeral with empathy and compassion. In this article, we'll explore how a celebrant can help you find comfort in times of grief and create a funeral that celebrates the life of your loved one in a meaningful way.​

Modern funerals are not necessarily very sustainable but there are still eco friendly funeral options in the UK. Historically funerals would have been simple affairs - people lived locally so it was easy to pay their respects, shrouds were used instead of coffins and bodies were buried within days of death.

Many couples opt to include a symbolic ritual as part of their wedding ceremony, renewal of vows or baby naming ceremony. You may not want to include extra symbolism - for you the vows and ring exchange may be exactly what you want to do on your big day - but if you want to explore other options, read on!

Are all Celebrants Humanist? Are Independent Celebrants also Humanist?
Do we have to employ a minister if we want some elements of religion or spirituality in the funeral ceremony?
In short - not all Celebrants are Humanist - a large proportion of us are Independent and we therefore have the flexibility to reflect your beliefs  - whether religious, spiritual, agnostic or atheist. We do not need to be Humanist to officiate a non-religious ceremony and we can certainly include elements of religion or spirituality too!

Why would you want to renew your wedding vows?
​We are all different and we have our own reasons for renewing our vows. In England there are no legal implications or constraints - you can say or do whatever you want to do (within reason)!

If you are planning an outdoor wedding - you will have one of the most magical days of your life - it will feel spiritual and natural and will look absolutely stunning. But like any engaged couple - especially in the UK , where our climate is changeable - you may be apprehensive about having a rainy wedding but let's embrace rainy day weddings and enjoy them!

How can we book the date we want for our wedding when Registrars don't have any appointments available? We don’t want to wait another year! 
Let me tell you how to do it - and what you will discover is that this is how it should have been planned all along!!

Many brides and grooms in the last year have had plans and dreams smashed by the Covid pandemic. Many will have had to postpone (maybe more than once) or re-think their wedding plans altogether.