If you’ve just started planning a wedding and you’re feeling overwhelmed by the list of Things You Apparently Should Already Know, let me take one off your plate. The difference between a registrar and a humanist celebrant? It’s a biggie - and it’s not just about who gets to sign the paperwork. Let’s break it down. The Legal Bit Registrars are employed by the local council. They’re the official record-keepers, the government representatives, the ones with the power to make yo

A reflection inspired by Andrea Gibson’s “Love Letter from the Afterlife” I recently came across a poem that stopped me in my tracks: Love Letter from the Afterlife by Andrea Gibson. If you’ve never read it, go gently. It’s the kind of poem that rearranges your insides in the best possible way. At its heart, it turns our usual thinking on its head. We so often speak about people "leaving us” when they die, as if they’ve vanished to some unreachable place. But this poem sugge

One of my favourite parts of being a celebrant is introducing couples to beautiful symbolic gestures that give their ceremony a bit of extra heart. I've already written about the glorious Oathing Stone ;  now I'd like to talk about one of the most powerful (and photogenic!) symbolic gestures of all. If you’ve ever watched Braveheart , you’ll remember the tender scene where William Wallace and Murron are married in secret, hands wrapped in tartan, whispering vows no one else h

There’s something beautifully simple about sand. It’s soft and unassuming. It gets everywhere. And it’s absolutely brilliant for symbolic ceremonies — especially if you’re looking for a keepsake that doesn’t wilt, need watering, or rely on you remembering where you last put it. Sand ceremonies have become a lovely feature in both weddings and naming ceremonies. Why? Because they’re visual, meaningful, and very forgiving if one of your party goes rogue with the pouring. How it

Amongst many a pearl of wisdom, Ricky Gervais once said, “You won’t burn in hell. But be nice anyway.” When I first read it, I wanted to...

The other day, Carolyn asked me what I wanted my legacy to be. It’s a good question, and one we’re often encouraged to ask as celebrants...

When I first started working as a funeral celebrant, I honestly thought my role would be pretty straightforward. I imagined delivering...

A few days ago, I wrote about holding space when it hurts —about the delicate honour of sitting with someone near the end of their life...

This morning I woke up with a sharp, breath-catching pain under my ribcage. The kind that makes you pause mid-inhalation and wonder what...