Welcome to my blog
This blog is a compilation of thoughts, musings and experiences of my life as a Civil Celebrant, mixed in with my reactions to relevant current events and news stories. There’s always lots to talk about!
End-of-year Musings
In my blog this time last year, I looked forward to 2021 with optimism. Perhaps I was a little naive, but at least it has not been the write-off 2020 mostly was. Personally, although our son had to isolate with COVID, his attack was not severe - and he didn't pass it...
What does a Celebrant Really Do?
People rarely have any idea what a civil celebrant actually does. The wonderful results don’t just come from a few minutes’ work! Or even a couple of hours. There’s so much that goes on unseen – even before the “couple of hours” on the day. The Day of the...
Expectations
There's no ignoring it. We've had Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Christmas is looming and a new year is beckoning. It's been difficult to plan weddings or celebratory events, never knowing when the next lockdown might be imposed. In fact, it's turned out to have been...
Who’s your wedding officiant?
You’re getting married? Congratulations! Have you decided who will be the officiant? Will it be a priest (or equivalent), a registrar or a civil celebrant? Did you even realise that you have a choice?! [This post is designed for English or Welsh couples, although laws...
Why I love Funerals
People can't understand why I am passionate about funerals. Weddings, OK, but funerals ...??? The key reason is that I get a lot of satisfaction helping people when they are (often) at their lowest ebb. I come in, usually as an outsider, and give them information they...
How do I Deal With a Wedding Supplier?
One of the questions I am often asked is “how do I deal with a wedding supplier?”. For many people, this is a new experience. What do you need to ask them? How do you decide between two (or more)? How do you know you’ll get what you want, once you’ve chosen? First...
The Roles at a Wedding
I confess that I am approaching this subject tentatively. When I last wrote about it, a year or so ago, micro-weddings were almost the only type of weddings taking place. It made no sense to talk about wedding trains, processions, and the like. Things have changed...
A Very Special Day
Of course, you want your wedding to be a very special day! It’s an important and (hopefully!) unique occasion; it’s natural to invite lots of friends and family to share your joy. One thing you don’t want is to have to worry about suppliers on the day. That definitely...
Planning Your Wedding
Planning a wedding is an exciting activity but comes with challenges. You want to get these right. Of course, no two couples will do exactly the same as any other. One thing you're likely to need to do is to set a budget (and agree who will be on the decision-making...