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The UK Celebrant Blog

6/1/2025 0 Comments

What is a Natural Burial?

In recent years, natural burials have become an increasingly popular choice for those seeking a meaningful and environmentally friendly farewell. Rooted in simplicity, sustainability and reverence for nature, a natural burial allows for a gentle return to the earth. In this blog, we’ll explore what natural burial entails, the beauty of such settings, and how you can create a deeply personal and memorable ceremony, focusing on options near Kent in the southeast of England.
Celebration of life at Eden Valley

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20/12/2024 0 Comments

How to Write a Eulogy for a Loved One

Writing a eulogy for a parent, grandparent, sibling, cousin or special friend is both an honour and a challenge. It’s a chance to share cherished memories, celebrate their life and provide comfort to those gathered to remember them. However, during such an emotional time, putting thoughts and feelings into words can feel overwhelming. If you’re unsure where to start, taking it step by step can make the process more manageable.
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Here’s a helpful guide to get you started on writing a eulogy.
Planning a eulogy can be overwhelming
Eulogy - starting with a blank page

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6/12/2024 0 Comments

Your Luxury English Garden Wedding At Home - How To Plan Your Dream Day

A garden wedding in England is a perfect venue choice if you have access to a large garden (maybe with a paddock or field attached) as it combines the sentimentality of saying 'I Do' at the family home with the natural beauty of the great outdoors. Let’s face it, in the UK we have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and if you, your parents, grandparents or someone special in your life has a stunning home with extensive grounds and views to die for - why would you want your ceremony anywhere else? You have a stunning and totally unique location and you can add to the precious memories you have already created in this beautiful garden.
Bridesmaids enjoying the freedom of a home wedding in England
​In this guide, we'll explore how to make your home garden wedding a huge success and a celebration that will be talked about for years to come. From the benefits of having celebrants to lead the ceremony, to the importance of on-the-day coordination and the luxury of stunning marquees and structures, let's plan a celebration in a venue that holds great significance for you.

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17/7/2023 1 Comment

Finding Comfort in Times of Grief: How a Celebrant can help personalise a funeral

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.​

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3/5/2023 1 Comment

How To Organise A Celebration of Life Ceremony

A Celebration of Life is a gathering that is held to honour and commemorate the life of a loved one who has died. Unlike a traditional funeral service, a Celebration of Life is often more upbeat and focuses on celebrating the person's life and accomplishments, rather than mourning their death (although saying goodbye is also an important part of the ceremony).
Elegant Celebration of Life at The Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells
Outdoor Celebration of Life
Celebrations of Life are all very different - just as we are all different. It should reflect the way the person lived and certainly not feel like a conveyor belt approach to death which can often happen at the crematorium.

The ceremony can take place with the coffin present or after the cremation or burial has taken place (often after a direct cremation or an unattended burial ie without family and friends in attendance).
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A Celebration of Life  is a much more modern approach to funerals and can be visual, happy, loud and even instagrammable if that is what they would have liked;  it can be elegant, luxurious and beautifully orchestrated or alternatively it can be back to nature in a woodland or garden with nothing but the backdrop of birdsong, vegetation and the smell of summer flowers.​

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4/11/2022 1 Comment

Cremated Ashes In Fireworks - Funeral Memorial in Kent

Cremated ashes in fireworks
‘I want my cremated ashes to go up in a firework’ - if you have said this or your loved one has said they want a firework funeral - then you are not alone! Firework memorials or firework funerals are vibrant, personal, special and very different from a funeral ceremony in a crematorium, whilst still being respectful, emotional and celebrating a wonderful life! They can take place any time of the year - as long as it is dark!

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Cremations are the most popular form of funeral in England but you do not have to hold a big ceremony at the crematorium - why not have a spectacular funeral ceremony with fireworks in an unhurried relaxed environment?

​ There are no time constraints when you have the ceremony away from the crematorium.


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3/11/2020 1 Comment

5 Top Tips on Eco Friendly Funeral Options in the UK

Biodegradable, sustainable caskets
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.


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5/10/2020 1 Comment

What are Symbolic Wedding Ceremonies?

Wine Blending Ritual with Justine
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!


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3/9/2020 1 Comment

Include some religion with a non religious Humanist Funeral Celebrant

Spiritual music at a funeral
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!


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22/8/2020 0 Comments

6 Reasons to Renew your Vows in the UK

Vow Renewal
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)!


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9/8/2020 1 Comment

Top 10 Tips for an Outdoor Rainy Wedding in Kent

Bride and Groom with Umbrella
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!


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17/6/2020 1 Comment

Registrars are too busy! How can we get married on the date we want?

Celebrant wedding at night
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!!


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1/6/2020 1 Comment

Postponing your wedding in the UK

Postponed wedding 2020 / 2021
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.


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28/5/2020 2 Comments

Outdoor Woodland and Forest Weddings - Choose a Celebrant in Kent

Getting married in the woodland
Kent is just beautiful - as an outdoor wedding Celebrant I am very lucky as my clients have so many beautiful wedding venue options! Kent has a long coastline which separates the UK from France, it sneaks into London in the north and has the city of Canterbury and historical market towns such as Maidstone, Ashford, Tonbridge, Rochester and Tunbridge Wells as well as numerous beautiful villages; but in between these settlements we have the most amazing countryside made up of woodland, forest and farms - it really is The Garden of England.


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24/5/2020 0 Comments

Who Should Marry Us?

Should I be married in a registry office?
​So you are now engaged to be married - how should you start planning your wedding?
Will it be near to home or in another part of England or will you choose a destination wedding? (Note: There are regional differences even Scotland has different laws to England!)


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    Author

    My name is Justine and I’m a Civil Celebrant in Kent. Contact me using the form below or use my contact page for more details about my services and celebrations of love, marriage and life in the South East and further afield.

    www.justinecelebrant.co.uk

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