General Information Blog!

Whenever anyone asks me what I do, and I say ‘I’m a Celebrant’, I’m met with confusion, very strange looks and even a little giggle, especially with a surname like mine! So first of all, let’s get something straight…there is a huge difference between a Celebrant and someone who is celibate or someone who practices celibacy! You would not believe how many people get confused!

And, if you were being totally honest right now, did you know?

My mission here is to demystify what a celebrant does, outline what is included as part of my service packages, and how you can book me.

So, I will start with the basics; a celebrant is a person who officiates at a ceremony, such as a wedding, renewal of vows, funeral, memorial, celebration of life, significant milestone birthdays, naming ceremonies, retirements, and at many other life events. They can design and deliver a perfectly bespoke ceremony, totally unique to you and your loved ones, reflecting the beliefs and values of the individuals involved.

Celebrants are typically not affiliated with any religious organisation, and cannot perform religious ceremonies, but can incorporate religious elements (i.e., hymns, readings, prayers) into a ceremony.

Alternatively, a Celebrant can create and deliver a completely non-religious ceremony, or even an eclectic mix of many different values and beliefs, the choice is absolutely yours! You can decide what style and vibe you would like to create, and even incorporate a theme. A celebrant can also work at any location, providing that permission is sought from the landowner.

Let’s first look at Wedding Ceremonies first.

You have decided to name the date, but you do not want a religious ceremony and do not want to get married at church. There are a few options; you can either get married at a Register Office, at a registered venue, or you can instruct the services of a celebrant to officiate at any location of your choice.

A Register Office will offer a few options of ceremony; you could get married at the Register Office itself, at a council registered premises such as a hotel or wedding venue that has been licensed to hold weddings onsite (the Registrar then attends to conduct the service), or you can just get the legal bit completed and then have a bespoke ceremony elsewhere.

Having a ceremony at a Register Office or registered venue has its benefits; you get all the legal bit and the ceremony delivered all at once. The downside is, you have a standard ceremony script, that is only very slightly changed based on a few options. Sometimes costs can be higher than a celebrant route, as the Registrar will charge a fee and so will the venue.

The beauty of instructing a Celebrant is that you can have a completely bespoke ceremony, tailored exactly for you as a couple, at any location (providing you have landowner’s permission); it doesn’t even need to be a council registered venue! You will however, need to get the legal bit completed at the Register Office. This can be arranged for the same day, or before or after your ceremony. It is called a 2 + 2 service, and costs £57 to legally register your marriage. It is very simple and will take place in a private office at the Register Office, just the two of you, and two witnesses. You will then be able to have whatever wedding ceremony your heart desires! 

Your perfectly unique ceremony can be designed around you; it can include family members and friends, children and even your pets! You can incorporate symbolic rituals/ceremony, have whatever music, readings, poems, and even entertainment. The choice is absolutely yours!

Now, let's focus on Funerals, Memorials, Celebration of Life Ceremonies.

Whenever someone dies, it can be totally overwhelming; we are left crippled by grief and completely bereft by our loss. Traditionally, people follow their faith, and the funeral is arranged between the family, the Funeral Director, and the Vicar/Clergy/Minister of the church (or religious body).

However, not everyone wants to have a religious funeral. Some people choose to be cremated, some cremated and their ashes scattered, some choose a burial after a ceremony in a non-religious setting. Some may opt for a Pure/Simple Cremation and there is no ceremony, but the family might choose to hold a memorial service later.

At such a sad time, and whatever the chosen route, a Celebrant can help organise a ceremony, to arrange readings, hymns and music, and even help write a eulogy. Celebrants can deliver the ceremony at a Crematorium, at a funeral director’s premises, at a graveside (including natural burial sites), and for memorials, at any location the family would like.

Here's where it gets a little bit muddled, we are not all necessarily Humanists; even many funeral directors refer to us as Humanists.

A Humanist Celebrant believes that morality and ethical values are based on reason, empathy, and an understanding of human nature. They reject any belief in supernatural or divine forces, and instead focus on building ceremonies focusing on the meaningful life that the deceased led. So, in a nutshell, Humanists believe in being human during our lifetimes, and focus their writing on our contribution as a human. They do not believe there is anything afterwards, they have no belief in the afterlife of any kind.

I, however, am an Independent Family Celebrant, not a Humanist Celebrant; I appreciate many faiths, and can also understand a person’s choice to be an agnostic or atheist. Because of this, I can incorporate any beliefs and followings into a ceremony.

Many Funeral Directors have a list of local celebrants that they regularly use, but it is not compulsory to use the celebrants that are recommended by them. You can choose who you would like to work with to create a funeral or memorial ceremony. And did you know, it is not actually necessary to use a trained Celebrant at all, but it is recommended to use someone who has experience of working with Crematoriums or within the funeral industry.

I am affiliated with many Funeral Directors so that they can recommend me to families who have come to them for services. However, as an Independent Family Celebrant, I do not necessarily have to just take instruction from Funeral Director. I have provided many ceremonies for family and friends and can also offer a service directly to families, so that when they appoint a Funeral Director, they can inform them of which Celebrant they would like to use.

Now finally, let’s look at other Rites of Passage – our milestone events.

We all love a celebration; whether it be a ‘Big’ birthday,  a retirement, a renewal of vows, a graduation, a naming or adoption ceremony or a magnificent celebration of life, a celebrant can help you create an incredible memory! No dream is unachievable, no idea too crazy, a celebrant can design a fun and memorable ceremony to mark any occasion.

And there is no rule on location; a celebrant can deliver your ceremony at a location of your choice. It could be more formal at a hotel or restaurant, or at a village hall, a sports centre, a forest, on a beach or even in your back garden! Just remember that we need permission from the landowner.

Your ceremony could include favourite music (even singing), funny anecdotes, recollections of generations gone before, life goals and achievements, the world is your oyster! The most important part is creating something that everyone will go away and remember for a long time.

So, if I can help, how do you book me?

I have an established website, and this provides all my contact details – click here to view. Drop me a message and I will be more than happy to discuss your requirements (at no obligation of course).

You can also send me a message on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin, and I am always available 24/7 to answer your questions.

Thank you so much for reading this blog, it would be a pleasure to work with you!

Kate x