MYTH BUSTING

Absolutely! You can pretty much hold your ceremony anywhere.

At the moment in England and Wales, for your marriage to be legally recognised, you will need to attend a separate ceremony at a register office. This can be before or after your humanist ceremony, which most couples view as their 'real' wedding. The register office ceremony doesn't have to be on the same day.

Certainly. My husband and I have just celebrated our own 10 year anniversary! I am delighted to conduct fully inclusive ceremonies.

As a humanist celebrant, I am unable to lead an act of worship. However, I am more than happy to introduce someone to lead a prayer or a religious reading if you want this including in your ceremony.

I usually conduct ceremonies within 40 miles of postcode GL56 0XH (Stow on the Wold). This covers most of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and other parts of the Midlands and Cotswolds. I am happy to travel further - even overseas - but this will incur additional travel and/ or accommodation costs.

Yes. I am happy to work with you to discuss your ideas for your own funeral and to set out for your next of kin or executors your wishes for your ceremony. We can discuss your life story, any message you have for those you leave behind and your choice of music, readings, location and any special people you would want to be in attendance. I can also liaise with your funeral director or funeral planner directly if you have a pre-planned funeral arrangement in place.

Absolutely. Living funerals are gaining in popularity in the UK. A living funeral ceremony is held for someone who is still alive. They are in control of the script and details including their life tribute, words of farewell and choice of music and readings. They are often held for people nearing the end of their lives.

No, not at the moment. I am focussing on weddings, vow renewals and funerals.

Of course! Some religious music is wonderful, with words entirely fitting for a memorable funeral service. However, as a humanist celebrant, I am not able to lead an act of worship.

Costs are fully inclusive of all meetings (face to face and online) as well as however many edits of scripts are needed to create your perfect ceremony. Prices include a rehearsal (if wanted), conducting the ceremony and printing of a presentation copy of your ceremony script. Current prices for ceremonies within 40 miles of GL56 0XH are £700 for weddings and vow renewals and £250 for funerals. I will conduct funeral ceremonies for children under 15 years of age free of charge.

If after an initial no-cost consultation you decide to choose me as your celebrant, I will send you an invoice and a link to pay a 50% deposit for your ceremony fee. Once this is paid, I will organise your first formal meeting where I will begin to sketch out with you the details of your planned ceremony. A few days before the ceremony itself, I will send a final invoice and link to pay for the balance which should be paid 48 hours before the date of the ceremony. If you have commissioned my services through your funeral director, they will usually deal with my payments.

I am accredited by Humanists UK. Accreditation provides full indemnity cover and I have been DBS checked.

As part of Humanists UK's celebrants network, your ceremony would normally be conducted by another local celebrant. They would have access to my script and notes of our meetings. Your ceremony would go ahead as planned.