FAQs

A celebrant delivers the ceremony for your special day he or she will craft a script which is unique to you. Whether you are celebrating a wedding or renewal of ours or welcoming a new child to your family or celebrating any other milestone event. A celebrant will get to know you and together you will create a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony that your family and friends will remember always.

An Independent celebrant is someone who can create a ceremony for you with no restrictions on location or the way that you choose to celebrate. Unlike a Registrar, an independent celebrant can deliver your ceremony wherever you. choose - on the beach, in a barn, in a wood or even in your back garden. Unlike a humanist celebrant, an Independent celebrant is able to incorporate readings and symbolic actions unique to your religious or spiritual beliefs. This can be very helpful if the celebration involves a couple from differing faiths. An Independent Celebrant will be able to design and deliver a ceremony that is meaningful, heartfelt and unique to you.

Not all celebrants are qualified so it's always worth checking what qualifications your chosen celebrant holds. I have studied with Civil Ceremonies Ltd and I have a NOCN Level 3, Diploma in Naming and Couples Celebrancy. This is the highest level accredited national qualification available in the UK – so you can feel comfortable that your ceremony will be crafted and delivered to the most rigorous standard.

I live in the south west of England but I am happy to discuss travel throughout the country and even abroad. If more than an hour from my home in Devon, this will involve an extra fee to cover travel costs.

My fees vary and we can put together a package that will be bespoke for you, depending upon the type of ceremony, the location, and the number of elements that we include. Baby naming ceremonies start at £350. Commitments and Renewal of Vows are usually about £600. Wedding packages start at £750 but you can purchase a ‘Bespoke Ceremony Pack’ which I will tailor-make to your exact requirements! Contact me to discuss the options. I currently have a 10% discount available on bookings for 2023

As the law stands in the UK at the moment Independent celebrants cannot yet conduct legally binding marriage ceremonies. However, on 19th July 2022 the Law Commission presented a very comprehensive report to parliament proposing far reaching reforms to marriage law in England and Wales. If adopted, the changes will make huge changes to marriage law, in particular allowing celebrants to conduct legal marriage. Currently the. legal part of your marriage must be completed by a priest or other religious leader, or by a Registrar in a civil ceremony at a location that is licensed to perform marriage. Because of the restrictions and limitations on Register Office ceremonies, many couples choose to complete the legal marriage or civil partnership formalities separately from the ceremony and celebrations. They will visit a Register Office a week or a few days before their celebrations, for a very simple and cost-effective 2+2 legal ceremony which only takes about 15 minutes. This then gives you the option to celebrate your wedding or civil partnership with no restrictions around location, time of day, or the content you include. It also gives you and your celebrant free rein to design a ceremony that is heartfelt, meaningful and unique to you.

In times gone by new babies were mostly welcomed into the family with a church baptism. As fewer families attend church there is something of a void, and new parents are seeking alternative ways to welcome a new baby, their adopted child or a blended family of stepchildren into the family and the wider community. Holding a naming or welcoming ceremony allows everyone to feel involved as they speak of their love and their support for the child’s future development within the family. Parents can appoint close friends or family members to stand up and declare their special relationship with the child. These Significant Adults can be called God Parents, Guide Parents, Guardians, Mentors or Sponsors. There are many ways that a celebrant can help the family to create a unique ceremony using words, music, and symbolic actions to say a heartfelt "we welcome you".