In addition to my previous post and upon looking back on my first few years of being a Celebrant I am now perhaps better placed to review the year from a different perspective than I normally would prior to my entering the profession.
I have officiated at weddings, naming ceremonies across North Wales, from beautiful hotels to idyllic countryside venues, from one side of North Wales to the other and each one has been a unique and bespoke service ensuring that happy couples, parents and families have exactly the type of service they want.
And that's what makes a Celebrants job so satisfying, knowing that you are helping people to achieve their dream of creating a really memorable occasion.
We have delivered wedding ceremonies that have included symbolic sand ceremonies providing happy couples with heart shaped glasses filled by family and guests with different coloured sands thereby providing, together with our Commemorative copy of service a lifelong reminder of their special day.
We have provided memory candles in memory of those no longer with us and ensured that everyone attending either as family or guests were involved in each ceremony.
People are becoming more aware that they have a choice between a traditional Church service or a service that provides them with something different and totally unique and personally bespoke.
People with Christian faith will often choose a Christian service within their place of worship, but if they choose not, then a Celebrant ceremony can provide them with a service that also reflects upon their beliefs.
A special day needs to hold special memories for those attending, and we are so glad that we have helped create those lifelong memories.
Naming ceremonies are becoming more and more popular and in difference to traditional church services allows all of the family to be involved with the guardians in welcoming their bundle of joy into the big wide world.
Our services have done just that as each parent, grandparent, guardian and all those in attendance make their own promises to the new arrival and their parents in helping to create a positive and inspiring future for their little one.
As posted previously I have also officiated at many Celebration of Life funeral services across North Wales and the North West and helped to acknowledge and celebrate the lives of so many wonderful people.
These past few years have given me so much inspiration and although I've experienced a complete range of emotions I have been reminded of just how great our society is both through the eyes of those who I have had the pleasure of working with and from the memories of those who are no longer with us.
We are living in difficult times and occasionally I often think that the World has gone mad but what inspires me most is that ordinary hard working people and their families unite as one in good or bad times, reminding us all that no matter what this crazy world throws at us our families are the most important thing in life.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy healthy and prosperous New Year.
Thursday 14 December 2017
A Celebration of Life.
Well after my second year of becoming a Family Celebrant I thought I would update readers as to how things have gone so far and also perhaps highlight some issues that may help readers to understand how I can help you in 2018 and beyond.
Much of my work has been delivering Celebration of Life funeral services including both part religious and non religious ceremonies.
I have had the privilege of having helped and supported many families to say a final farewell to their loved ones and have enabled them, through the content of the service to celebrate a life that meant so much to them.
I have tried to make each service I deliver a true reflection upon the life of the deceased and include lots of happy and often humorous memories, memories that help to ease the pain of grief by recalling the happier times together. A true celebration of life paints a picture of a persons character and personality and how that character has positively impacted upon those around them, it is indeed a real honour to be able to tell their stories, play their favourite music, read their favourite poems, sing their favourite Hymns and say their chosen prayers thereby helping to celebrate a life that meant so much to so many.
Visiting families during their hour of need and listening to their stories and memories is indeed an uplifting and inspirational experience for me as I see at first hand how much people have achieved in their lifetimes, how their talents and skills have helped their communities and importantly how their legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those who knew them best, the family they have left behind.
Each and every service I have delivered has been about the life of the loved one, every word spoken, every piece of music every poem recited every prayer spoken and every Hymn sang has their name written on it and that's what makes it easier for the family knowing that even in their grief they are celebrating a wonderful life.
So at this time of the year whilst we enter into the festive season of goodwill we should take a moment or two to reflect upon the happy times we spent with loved ones who are no longer with us and perhaps light a candle in their memory thereby helping to ensure that each year that passes we acknowledge the love affection and gratitude we have for them in giving us the life that we have today.
Much of my work has been delivering Celebration of Life funeral services including both part religious and non religious ceremonies.
I have had the privilege of having helped and supported many families to say a final farewell to their loved ones and have enabled them, through the content of the service to celebrate a life that meant so much to them.
I have tried to make each service I deliver a true reflection upon the life of the deceased and include lots of happy and often humorous memories, memories that help to ease the pain of grief by recalling the happier times together. A true celebration of life paints a picture of a persons character and personality and how that character has positively impacted upon those around them, it is indeed a real honour to be able to tell their stories, play their favourite music, read their favourite poems, sing their favourite Hymns and say their chosen prayers thereby helping to celebrate a life that meant so much to so many.
Visiting families during their hour of need and listening to their stories and memories is indeed an uplifting and inspirational experience for me as I see at first hand how much people have achieved in their lifetimes, how their talents and skills have helped their communities and importantly how their legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those who knew them best, the family they have left behind.
Each and every service I have delivered has been about the life of the loved one, every word spoken, every piece of music every poem recited every prayer spoken and every Hymn sang has their name written on it and that's what makes it easier for the family knowing that even in their grief they are celebrating a wonderful life.
So at this time of the year whilst we enter into the festive season of goodwill we should take a moment or two to reflect upon the happy times we spent with loved ones who are no longer with us and perhaps light a candle in their memory thereby helping to ensure that each year that passes we acknowledge the love affection and gratitude we have for them in giving us the life that we have today.
Wednesday 27 July 2016
Celebrant services.
At Milestone Celebrants we offer a wide range of ceremonial services, whether traditional or non denominational or themed ceremonies we will plan them with you and help you to achieve a memorable day. We have contacts with Funeral Directors, Wedding Planners and venues. We have a small Public announcement system which can be used for outdoor locations.
Follow us at Milestone Celebrants on Facebook, or visit our website www.milestonecelebrants.com our services inc:-
- Celebration of Life, Funeral Ceremonies
- Wedding Ceremonies
- Naming Ceremonies.
- Renewal of Vows.
- Memorial Services.
- Special birthdays and Anniversaries.
www.milestonecelebrants.com
Naming Ceremonies, Weddings and Celebration of Life Funeral services.
What is a Celebrant?.
The role of a celebrant is not commonly known in North Wales
and people may be surprised to learn that it is a role that helps to achieve
everything that a loving family or couple would wish for during important
milestone events in their lives.
Whether from the birth of a child, to their first important
birthday, to their wedding and the subsequent birth of their children the human
cycle goes on, all important calendar dates in a person’s lifetime and its only
right and proper that families should celebrate those events in the manner that
they would wish.
Not everyone wishes for traditional religious ceremonies or
perhaps just want a symbolic element of religion to be a part of their
celebration, as Celebrants we can help to provide any type of ceremony whether
non - religious, part religious or
following family traditions or chosen themes, it is really up to the family we
serve, we will help deliver exactly what they want and wish for.
Naming ceremonies
The birth of a child is perhaps the most important event in
a person’s life, and the naming of a child is a special moment that lives on
parent’s memories for the rest of their lives, most people think that the
normal traditional church christening ceremony is the only option available to
them, however the only legal requirement is for a family to register the birth
at their local registrar, parents can host a Naming ceremony at their own homes
or at a venue of their choice a Celebrant will work with the family to develop
a ceremony that will capture that special moment including special promises and
readings from parents, grandparents and
chosen lifelong mentors. A memorable occasion marking a milestone event.
Weddings
When young couples make plans for their special wedding day
they want it to be the best day imaginable, a day where two families unite
together as one and is understandable that such a day has to be specifically
planned to include all of the happy couples wishes,’ whatever they may be’,
again there are numerous options available to them whether they be traditional
church weddings, or registrar weddings or even getting married abroad. Perhaps
what they don’t realise is that the only legal requirement for two people to
get married is to attend a very short service at their local registry office
and sign the marriage register, this is also available at a very low cost many
registrars charging around 50 pounds for the basic ceremony. Once the legal
requirement is met the couple can hold a Celebrant wedding ceremony of their
choice at any venue of their choice and at any time in front of all their
family and friends, the only limit is their own imagination. Celebrant weddings
can include traditional, ring ceremonies or non-traditional elements such as
Unity candles and hand-fasting, or any theme that they wish. A special day for two special people to enjoy
and remember for the rest of their lives together.
Funerals
One of the most emotional and upsetting times in our
lives is when we lose someone we love, though it is clearly a sad time for
families we should also remember that even in death there is a life to
celebrate, a life that has no doubt touched the hearts of many and provided a
positive platform for their children to go and succeed. But the traditional
church funeral service may not be ceremony that grieving families want, it may
also not have been wanted by the deceased but there are other options available
and Celebrants can provide help and guidance in helping to plan and deliver a
Celebration of life ceremony that truly reflects upon the life of the deceased
and allows families to be involved in the planning and content of the service
including choosing readings and taking part in the service themselves. There
are also other options available which include a short family committal service
at the crematorium followed by a larger memorial service at a venue of the families’
choice or a memorial service first followed by a short family committal service
all officiated by a celebrant and of course no time limitations on the length
of service provided, once again there is choice and there are many options
other than normal traditional routes. Funeral services can be held anywhere
whether it be a local club or community centre even at the family home all you
need is the permission of the owner(s).
Special birthdays, Anniversaries, Renewal of Vows, family celebrations.
Celebrants can help plan and deliver any service, ceremony
or any event to mark a milestone period in people’s lives including special
birthdays,family celebrations, renewal of vows, memorial services, if you are
making plans to celebrate an important event, Milestone Celebrant's can help you.
Ian A Gunning MBE
Tuesday 5 April 2016
Wedding and Funeral planning
First and foremost I would like to introduce myself, My name is Ian Gunning and together with my wife Christine we have been trained as Celebrants by the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants.
Many people are now choosing Celebrant ceremonies and services to mark important milestones in their lives from birth to death and everything in between.
At Milestone Celebrants we offer people the choice of developing their own style of ceremony whether it be non denominational or a mixture of traditional and non denominational or just a service designed by them to mark an important time in their lives, anything is possible the only barrier is their own imagination.
When you go to a traditional funeral how many of you feel the same way in that there was little celebration of the life of the deceased, as Celebrants we visit the family obtain information about their loved one and in partnership with the family develop a service and eulogy that will live on in the memories of everyone in attendance, you can have whatever you want from favourite songs, hymns, readings and poems to displays of family photos and memorabilia and family members can also play a part in the ceremony whether it be by reading a poem or special reading, singing a song or by providing details and memories for the celebrant to include in the eulogy. We can also attend after the service to assist with coordinating an open microphone session whereby people showing their respects can relate to those present their memories and favourite moments with the deceased.
At weddings how many of you fully understand that you can have the legal marriage using a local registrar to perform the service at the registry office for little cost thereafter followed up by a ceremony of your choice, as large as you want at a location of your choice( registered or not) and at any time or on any day. You can theme your special day and also have a range of options from the traditional ring ceremony to candle, sand and hand-fasting ceremonies what ever you want we will help you to plan and design a very special event that will be remembered fondly by all who attend.
We can also assist you with naming ceremonies, your only legal obligation is to register the birth of your child at the registry office, after which you can hold a naming ceremony at your own home or wherever you please and again we will come along and meet the family to design the ceremony around your own needs and requirements and by taking into consideration any cultural beliefs and traditions you may wish to include.
Why stop there we can assist with renewal of vows, welcome to the family celebrations, important birthdays or memorials.
What is important to understand that this is all about you, what you want and how you would like to celebrate those important times in your life.
At Milestone Celebrants we want to help you achieve your special moments and provide you with memories that will live with you for the rest of your lives.
Visit our website, www.milestonecelebrants.com for more information
Ian Gunning MBE
Many people are now choosing Celebrant ceremonies and services to mark important milestones in their lives from birth to death and everything in between.
At Milestone Celebrants we offer people the choice of developing their own style of ceremony whether it be non denominational or a mixture of traditional and non denominational or just a service designed by them to mark an important time in their lives, anything is possible the only barrier is their own imagination.
When you go to a traditional funeral how many of you feel the same way in that there was little celebration of the life of the deceased, as Celebrants we visit the family obtain information about their loved one and in partnership with the family develop a service and eulogy that will live on in the memories of everyone in attendance, you can have whatever you want from favourite songs, hymns, readings and poems to displays of family photos and memorabilia and family members can also play a part in the ceremony whether it be by reading a poem or special reading, singing a song or by providing details and memories for the celebrant to include in the eulogy. We can also attend after the service to assist with coordinating an open microphone session whereby people showing their respects can relate to those present their memories and favourite moments with the deceased.
At weddings how many of you fully understand that you can have the legal marriage using a local registrar to perform the service at the registry office for little cost thereafter followed up by a ceremony of your choice, as large as you want at a location of your choice( registered or not) and at any time or on any day. You can theme your special day and also have a range of options from the traditional ring ceremony to candle, sand and hand-fasting ceremonies what ever you want we will help you to plan and design a very special event that will be remembered fondly by all who attend.
We can also assist you with naming ceremonies, your only legal obligation is to register the birth of your child at the registry office, after which you can hold a naming ceremony at your own home or wherever you please and again we will come along and meet the family to design the ceremony around your own needs and requirements and by taking into consideration any cultural beliefs and traditions you may wish to include.
Why stop there we can assist with renewal of vows, welcome to the family celebrations, important birthdays or memorials.
What is important to understand that this is all about you, what you want and how you would like to celebrate those important times in your life.
At Milestone Celebrants we want to help you achieve your special moments and provide you with memories that will live with you for the rest of your lives.
Visit our website, www.milestonecelebrants.com for more information
Ian Gunning MBE
Thursday 24 March 2016
Welcome to Milestone Celebrants
Milestone Celebrants is North Wales' only Fellowship of Professional Celebrants registered member.
See our website for details: Milestone Celebrants
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