Bristol, South West and beyond

Hi, I’m Rachel. This is me. And yes, that dated but happy photo in the banner is of my wedding day! It represents the culmination of a lot of fun (and hard work) planning our day just the way we wanted it.

Unfortunately, we didn’t know about the role of a celebrant back then, though our registrar did their best within their allotted time and protocol restraints. It would have been less stressful and more meaningful if a celebrant had been working with us to devise a personalised ceremony, guide the symbolic rituals and tell our love story.

I am now a celebrant who can make a huge difference to the enjoyment of the couples and their guests. There may be many other elements in the day… a meal, photos, dancing… but the ceremony is where you have everyone’s undivided attention. So, let’s make it memorable and evocative of you both.

A celebrant-led ceremony does not mean that the power has gone to my head and I want to lead on everything and do it my way. It just means that I am a professional who can help you create a bespoke ceremony for your wedding, commitment or vow renewal.

A well-planned, tailor-made, celebrant-led ceremony lets your stress drift away and leaves you free to enjoy this truly special day.

Prices depend on what you would like included. For guidance please refer to my Fees page.

The beauty of a ceremony with a celebrant is that it can take place wherever you want and you can interlace all sorts of rituals, traditions and cultural elements to make a magical ceremony to remember. So, if you fancy a mini Mindfulness meditation, a Handfasting, a Native American prayer and a song by a Gospel choir - then go for it - the sky’s the limit!

There is no time limit or restriction on time of day. I only book one ceremony per day, so you can joyfully and meaningfully declare your commitment whenever you like - in front of cherished guests or simply to each other.

Remember, a celebrant cannot yet perform the legal side of a marriage – though we can provide a beautiful and personalised wedding ceremony. So if you want to be legally married then you will need to complete a paperwork-only 2+2 ceremony at a register office before or after your celebrant-led celebration (see my blog post on Wedding Law Reform for more info).

A common thread throughout my life has been finding joy in languages. Whilst I am not fluent in anything other than English, at one point or another I have reached a reasonable level of everyday French, Spanish, Portuguese and German, even a little Nepalese a long time ago. So, if you would like me to incorporate a few phrases of another language into your ceremony for any reason then, please just ask, I’d love to 😊

Taking the time to know you means I can craft an exclusive, one-of-a-kind ceremony script that reflects your personalities, your connection and your values. I will weave warm, beautiful words to send you lovingly on your way whilst you revel in the happy calm.

The symbolic celebration of a Commitment ceremony, allows you to declare your love in front of those you both love most.

Perhaps you are not interested in the potential legal and financial entanglements of a marriage or civil partnership, or perhaps you could not afford a wedding when you first got together as a couple. Whatever your reason for deciding on a commitment ceremony, we can celebrate your relationship and connection with each other and those around you. You can exchange vows and rings in a completely flexible ceremony with no constraints.

Even though the ceremony is not legally binding you can still receive a commemorative certificate if you wish.

As you might imagine, an Elopement ceremony focuses solely on the couple, though there may be a small number of guests. Veering away from the last-minute elopements of old, the modern version is usually planned well in advance to ensure that a celebrant is available as well as to allow time to customise your adventure to be as magical as possible.

You may want to hold the ceremony in a deeply significant location as a romantic, ‘just you’ experience, whilst avoiding the expense of a large event or the stress of family politics. You can still do the legal bit with a registrar before or after if you want to.

As with other ceremonies, you will receive a personal consultation, script writing, and delivery of the ceremony but it will be shorter, with fewer elements.

You can renew your vows whenever and wherever you like. Every year at home by yourselves or in a special ceremony surrounded by friends and family.

There is every reason why you should celebrate the life you have created together and ask others to join you in looking forward to many more years of love and friendship.

Maybe you never had the chance to write your own vows first time round or maybe you want to repeat your original vows and evoke once again those emotions you felt during that powerful moment when you say “I still do”.

Whether you want a small, intimate occasion or a large, booming reaffirmation of your commitment, I can help you bring it to fruition in a way that truly befits you both.

Together, we will celebrate the heart and soul of your unique relationship.

If there are children that you would like to involve in your ceremony in a meaningful way then we can discuss what role they might play (and make a back-up plan just in case they decide not to play ball on the day!). As well as the option of being a ring-bearer, there are many other possibilities, such as taking part in a sand ceremony, a painting ritual or a family wishes tree. Ask me for details.

Of course, if you have a pet or a particular liking for animals, then they could be included in your ceremony too Just make sure that someone is prepared to chase after them if they run (or fly) off with your rings; or to be on standby with a cloth in case they decide to show you their love by jumping up with muddy paws! 😊

What’s the famous saying… “Never work with children or animals”…? Well, it’s a good way of entertaining your guests anyway!

Alternatively, if your pets are staying home and you need someone trustworthy to look after them whilst you are away at a ceremony, then I can recommend an amazing, tried and tested pet sitter in Bristol.

~ You contact me to arrange an initial chat to discuss thoughts and answer questions – in-person is best for getting to know each other but online is fine if needs be.

~ If you are happy, you book me as your celebrant, we secure the date and contract and set up a small WhatsApp group (if you want to) to share ideas and progress.

~ We meet again a few months before your special day to confirm elements to include – you may have firm ideas or I can make suggestions that really reflect you, such as symbolic rituals (like handfasting), readings and poems. I can guide you on writing your own vows or I am very happy to write them for you.

~ It really enriches the ceremony if you also each complete some information about yourselves and meet me individually. This helps me build a picture of your love story and your hopes and dreams for life together.

~ I compose and share the personalised draft ceremony script with you for fine tuning. Revisions are welcome– it is important to feel that the ceremony is unmistakably you.

~ I liaise with others involved (planner, venue, photographer, musicians…) so that everyone knows the plans and the ceremony can run smoothly.

~ See you on the day! I arrive early to meet everyone with a role in the ceremony, check you are ok, iron out any last-minute hiccups and ensure everything is in order before the ceremony starts.

~ I welcome your guests and let the magic begin.

~ Afterwards, I send you a copy of your unique, handcrafted ceremony to look back on lovingly in years to come … until your vow renewal!