Blog posts in the 'Celebrant' category


Testimonials and thank yous April 22, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Death, Funerals

In the sensitive world of the funeral industry, as a Celebrant,  it is very difficult to market what I do.  I am very aware not to appear as an ‘ambulance chaser’, or hang around A&E or the local care home, in the hope of new business.   Much of my work comes from personal referral, either […]


The Cherish Pledge for Funerals April 14, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Death, Funerals

I take my work as a funeral celebrant very seriously, and I wrote this to reassure Funeral Directors that I will work professionally, competently and respectfully at all times, as befits the profession.  The Cherish Pledge   As a trained and responsible Funeral Celebrant, I promise that:   I will make contact with the deceased’s […]


You Only Live Once? April 10, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Death, Dying Matters, Funerals

Wrong!  You only DIE once!!  #YODO as the Dying Matters Awareness folk call it – and this is the theme for their Awareness Week in May this year. Peaches Geldof has been on my mind a lot… I doubt somehow that she had made her final wishes known. We assume that making our arrangements is […]


A Good Funeral March 31, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Death, Eulogy, Funerals, Thanks and Testimonials, Tradition

What exactly is a ‘good’ funeral? Is it one that upholds tradition; is very sombre; family and friends in deep mourning. Perhaps a horse-drawn hearse, an oak coffin and hymns such as The Old Rugged Cross and Guide me O though Great Jehovah’..?    Lots of floral tributes, and a wake afterwards at the family home? Or […]


29 March – A landmark day! March 27, 2014

Love is Love

Filed under: Celebrant, Gay Weddings, LGBT, Weddings

This Saturday, 29 March 2014, the Same Sex Marriage Act comes into force. At last!  Many people have worked tirelessly for years so that gays and lesbians can have the same freedom to marry as heterosexual couples. It isn’t all cut and dried though. Despite the political will, religious marriage didn’t make it onto the Statute books as the Church […]


Meet the Celebrant – It’s Wedding Fair Season! March 14, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Wedding Fair, Wedding Venues, Weddings

From January onwards, when there are not so many weddings booked, you might imagine it is when the Celebrant has a holiday, or a sleep….  well, no that doesn’t actually happen!   Apart from the fact that I am also a Funeral Celebrant (and statistically we are busier in the winter), Christmas, New Year and […]


Choosing the right reading March 9, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Poetry, Readings, Vow Renewal, Weddings

Much of my role as a celebrant involves lots of research: on the internet, where sites such as Pinterest are becoming a great source of inspiration, but also my many books of poetry, readings, song lyrics etc in order to find the right readings both to match the ceremony, the mood, the venue; as well as the […]


The Celebrant Speaks! March 6, 2014

Filed under: AudioBoo, Celebrant, Poetry, Readings, Vow Renewal, Weddings

Today is the anniversary of the birth of romantic poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Her poetry is much quoted, and is used often at wedding ceremonies as the words speak of love, which is unchanged through the centuries.   Sonnet 43 is probably the most well-known and thus the most popular. You know –  the one […]


Shrove Tuesday – last chance for marriage? March 4, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant, Symbolism, Tradition, Weddings

In the Christian calendar, Shrove Tuesday is the day before the start of Lent and a period of abstinence and fasting for 40 days. The Catholic Church used to ban eating meat, eggs or dairy produce. Every household would use up their eggs, milk, flour and butter, so as not to waste food. Incidentally, the […]


Wedding Flower Colours….. bad luck? February 9, 2014

Filed under: Celebrant

I’m seeing loads of bouquets and flowers in red and white, and Pinterest seems to be full of this colour scheme, too.   My Mum was a nurse, and she always told me that red and white flowers were banned from hospital wards (back in the day when you could actually take flowers into hospitals!).  […]


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