Why I Love These Sustainable, LGBTQ+ Friendly Suppliers Throughout my previous career I always made a point of working with ethical businesses that had strong sustainability credentials. My years at The Body Shop made sure of that! And now that I run my own small business, I am proud to say that I am pretty much paper free. The only time I use paper is when I do my large A4 mindmap for each ceremony soon after my first meeting with a couple or family, and when I come to prin

Sunset on the Ashdown Forest, East Sussex. Photo credit: Craig Payne Why we still need to say goodbye More and more people are choosing direct cremation. No mourners, no service, no gathering; just a straightforward, unattended send-off, arranged at a fraction of the cost of a traditional funeral. I understand why. These services are marketed hard, often to older people at a vulnerable stage of life, with a message that sounds sensible and even generous: “don't make a fuss, d

Being asked to write and deliver a eulogy is one of the most meaningful things you can do for someone you love. It is also, understandably, one of the most daunting. You are grieving, you may never have spoken publicly before, and you want to do them justice. Here are five things that I hope will help. 1. Don’t write their biography, use stories instead Resist the pull towards dates and facts. Instead, ask yourself: what will they be remembered for? What were their passions o

I was asked to create a deeply personal wedding ceremony for Carl and Maxine that combined their Jamaican and Celtic heritages. They also wanted the ceremony to be romantic, lighthearted and involve their guests in various ways. At our initial meeting they said they wanted the saxophone played at their wedding, and asked, is that possible? I let them know that at a celebrant-led wedding anything is possible. The other element they definitely wanted was a reading from a cher

We may think of ceremonies revolving around birth, marriage and death however the ritual of ceremony can be created for any major life...

Tips and a guide on how to write your wedding vows by Beth MacLeod The importance of your vows Your vows are personal and unique to each...