Grief is often seen as something that is intrinsically connected with love. However, to some people, grief does not equal love. How do you grieve someone you didn’t like? In the below I’ll share some thoughts on how this may affect your grief and what to say or do at a funeral for someone you[…]
No one is prepared for a baby funeral. This article is a guide for bereaved parents on how to have a funeral for their baby.
Virtual candlelight vigils to remember people who have died and support the living in times of COVID-19.
A virtual funeral offers a meaningful alternative when a physical get-together is not possible. Rosalie Kuyvenhoven, London based celebrant, explains how a Zoom funeral works.
Every season has its own special beauty. Autumn has many attributes that relate to the cycle of life and death. Watching nature transform its colours from green to a palette of golden yellow, bright red and warm brown is a delight. Yet, there is also a sadness in all this beauty as it is also[…]
The transition from childhood to adulthood, the ‘coming of age’ of children to become young men and women, is a significant stepping stone in everyone’s life. Many traditions around the world have rituals and ceremonies to mark and remember this pivotal moment in someone’s life. They are often linked to religion, such as Bar and[…]
Real wedding: a personalised wedding ceremony with a Dutch touch
Cheers for Hornsey Town Hall, an iconic community building in the heart of Crouch End that is closing its doors for redevelopment. Screenshot from video by Sugarsweet Productions The vast majority of the ceremonies I lead are for people: babies who are given a warm welcome into the world; couples who commit their love to[…]
Children grieve too but they do this differently than adults. Unlike adults, children have a limited ability to express their feelings, thoughts and memories verbally. Alternatively, play can be an effective and safe way for them to give messages on how they feel. Bonnie Jansen, who teaches at a primary school in the Netherlands and has[…]
“I am not sure if I should take my children to the funeral. What do you think?” Can I take my child to a funeral? It’s a question parents often ask me as a funeral celebrant. If prepared well, attending a funeral can be a healthy, healing and positive experience for children. The following feedback from a[…]
A precious moment at S&R’s wedding. Photo by Paul Wilkinson Photography It has been a great honour (and lots of fun!) to be interviewed by award-winning wedding blog ‘Engaged and Ready.’ If you don’t know this blog yet, check it out. It’s filled with advice and inspiration for wedding ceremony guiding and planning, life-living,[…]
Funeral at Willow Row Barrow, Cambridgeshire On a chilly but bright autumn morning, David’s family and friends gathered to both celebrate his life and acknowledge his death at the place he had chosen as his final resting place, Willow Row Barrow, in the Cambridgeshire countryside. It was the first time that a funeral ceremony was[…]