07808022587
Helen Elizabeth ~ Independant Family Celebrant
“Creating your ceremony, your way”
Independent Family Celebrant.
Hello, welcome to my website, thank you for dropping in. Firstly let me introduce myself. I'm Helen Elizabeth - Independent Family Celebrant. I'm a Yorkshire lass, and a daughter to 2 wonderful parents, I'm a big sister, an Auntie to 2 fabulous nephews, I'm a wife, a grateful step-mum and a very proud and besotted Granny. I believe in the family unit, family values and I believe in unconditional love within that family unit, and I am grateful every day for my family and love inside it.
I became a celebrant when my stepdaughter asked me to be celebrant for her and her partner. I'd never knowingly met a celebrant, but did some research and I was hooked!!! What an amazing and interesting role a celebrant has. I enrolled in a course and after 9 fascinating months of study, I passed my training and was ready to start my new role. Scary but very exciting and I love being a Family celebrant.
As your celebrant I will create your chosen ceremony, your way. Weddings, Marriage Vow renewals, Baby naming ceremonies and Funerals, all bespoke for you without the restrictions of traditional vows and religious restrictions. You want to be married in a field, with your pets as attendees….. We can do it!! You want to include a commitment ritual into your wedding like Handfasting….We can do it!!! You want Morris dancers at your funeral…..We can do that too!! Your ceremony should reflect you and your individual personality, and my aim is to give you the ceremony you have in your head and your heart. Would you like a non-religious naming ceremony for your baby or older children? Where would you like to hold it? In your garden, in your favourite park or your happy place? Your dreams and ideas are all possible. Celebrants are not held back by religious or traditional ties, so we are creative and imaginative and extremely flexible and up for a challenge.
I'm located close to York, North Yorkshire, but cover North, South, East and West Yorkshire, and further afield if you require.
Please feel free to contact me for to arrange a chat or face to face meeting, I love to chat!! You are under absolutely no obligation so ask all your questions and let me help create your ceremony your way.
Unfortunately, as an Independent Family Celebrant in the UK, I cannot legally marry you. But don't log-off or be disappointed, we are hoping this changes soon. MP's are working on towards a Law Reform.
So at the present time you must legally register your intention to marry with your local registry office and book your legal ceremony with them. This can be days/weeks before or after your Celebrant led ceremony, and some Registrars also attend our ceremony on the day, to cover the legal bit. They offer a Simple Ceremony of around 15 minutes where you attend with 2 witnesses and make your legal vows. Simple. Done!
Commitment Rituals and Special Ceremonial Elements.
There are several ancient an modern elements we can include in your ceremony. Handfasting is just one.
Have you heard about Ring or Band Warming, where your friends pass around your wedding ring while sending you love and positivity. What about Sand-Pouring or Blending where your family and friends make a foundation of sand in a vessel before the ceremony for you to then pour and combine your sands during the ceremony. What about a Unity Candle lighting.....
Handfasting is my favourite and is an ancient Celtic tradition that dates back to 7000 B.C. Traditionally, when two people wanted to commit to each other, they came to see the priest or elder of the village.
A cord or piece of material was used to bind the couple's hands together during a ceremony before they were sent away, for a year. After that time, they returned and declared their intention to marry, or indeed separate. If they intended to marry, the wedding ceremony was then carried out.
Today, as part of my wedding celebrations, I offer this ancient ritual to be involved in your ceremony as a commitment ritual. It’s a physical action of literally Tying the Knot.
Civil Marriages, Funerals, Vow Renewals, Naming Ceremonies.
Next Level Service
Every ceremony I'm asked to create begins with a friendly, no obligations chat, so you have nothing to lose. I do love to chat. Firstly on the phone, but soon after that a Face-to Face getting to know you meeting. Your place or a social place, over coffee and cake, or something stronger.
I follow that up with an email of all the information I have for you specifically aimed at your chosen ceremony, including a couples homework questionnaire. Here you have to be open and honest with your answers, because this gives me all the information on your hopes and dreams that I need to create your personalised ceremony be it for a
Wedding, Vow Renewal, Naming or Adoption ceremony or or funeral or a Memorial ceremony.
We’ll talk in lots of details about what you have in mind for your ceremony, who you’d like involved and what you’d like involved. I will plan the running order and content of your ceremony with you. I can help you write your own vows or eulogies, supply readings and poems too. Once I have completed the first draft copy we will not stop tweaking it until you are 100% happy.
You will receive a bound copy of your script to keep. You also have me on your day, with unlimited contact from start to finish.
Contact me for prices for all ceremonies with absolutely no obligation.
Get in Touch
Helen Elizabeth ~ Independent Family Celebrant is committed to exceeding your needs. Questions, comments or special requests? We’d love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to reach out today.
Address:
York, UK
Email:
Phone:
07808022587