The Lightbulb Moment.
The idea came to me at my own mum's funeral in 2019.
I'd written the eulogy, and I was sitting there listening to the celebrant deliver it when something just clicked. A proper lightbulb moment. I thought, "I can do this. This is a privilege, telling people's authentic stories."
Storytelling was already what I did for a living, in a roundabout way. As a commissioner for a local authority, my job was to gather information from all sorts of people and pull it together into something coherent and meaningful. Service specifications, reports, strategies. It was always about listening to what people told me and shaping it into a story that made sense.
Right from being a child, I never really got the hang of funerals. All that sadness. Yes, we have a loss when someone dies, but what we don't seem to do is celebrate what we actually had. It was always so sombre. People not talking about the person who'd died, or if they did, it was in hushed and hallowed tones like it was wrong. Funeral done and dusted, let's get over it.
But they're always going to be with us, aren't they? In our hearts and in our minds. A piece of music on the radio. A colour. A flower. A perfume. They're always there. We just move on, carrying them with us.
So in that moment at mum's funeral, I thought, "Yeah. I can do this." I was already planning how I'd work with families before the service was even over.
From Desk to Ceremony
I didn't tell anyone straight away. I sat with the idea for a while. Then in 2023, a restructure came along at work, and I took it as my sign. I took early retirement, gave myself some time, and studied to become a celebrant.
I got a lot of strange looks when I told people what I wanted to do. Most people hear "celebrant" and think weddings. They found it odd that I didn't want to do weddings. I wanted the privilege of doing funerals. Of telling someone's story with authenticity, rather than in the way we've all got into the habit of conforming to.
I trained with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy and became a Founding Member of the Celebrants Guild. The professional training backed up what I already knew instinctively: that every ceremony should be as individual as the person it's for.
Every ceremony should be as individual as the person it's for.
It's a simple idea, but one that shapes every story I tell.
Authenticity - Honouring - Authenticity
How I See Grief.
There are many theories on grief. How many stages there are, five or seven. Whether it's like a fried egg. The one that chimes with me most is this: our grief never changes in size. It doesn't shrink. Instead, our lives grow around it.
That's where the Kintsugi comes in. The Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. You don't hide the break. You make it part of the beauty. That's the spirit behind everything I do, and it's why my brand uses the colours of yellow, green and gold. A nod to rebirth. To the new life going forward, with your nearest and dearest always held at the centre of it.
You make it part of the beauty.
The Off-Duty version.
When I'm not crafting ceremonies, you'll find me walking my dog or with my nose stuck in a book. With three grandchildren too, my knitting needles, crochet hooks and sewing machine are always on the go making something for them. Proper granny hobbies which seem to go down a storm. I can’t wait to pass on my skills to them as they get older.
I love meeting up with friends over brunch or a glass of wine and catching up with their latest news too.
When I'm not crafting ceremonies, you'll find me walking my dog or with my nose stuck in a book.
What It's Like Working With me.
I'll start with a cup of tea and a conversation. Bring whoever you'd like: family, friends, anyone who has a story to share. I'm there to listen. Not to rush you, not to fill silences, just to hear what matters.
From those stories, I'll craft the ceremony and share it with you. You have full editorial control. We'll go back and forth until it says exactly what you want it to say. On the day, I'll deliver it with care, making sure everything runs smoothly and professionally.
It's your ceremony. I'm just the person trusted to hold it.