“You made sure we had the ceremony we absolutely wanted. You asked whether we wanted to include Sri Lankan elements and we are so glad we said yes. Unforgettable! Everyone said so!” 

Weddings, namings, vow renewals, celebration days……. we are here but once – so live. Not only for today but for our future. Make a difference. Make a declaration “I choose life”. Then live it! Once I got the hang of it, it changed me. No more hanging onto convention or weasel words like ‘should’ or ‘mustn’t’ or ‘can’t’. We have one life, and the time is now. 

To be honest, I chose Humanism as a deliberate act of rebellion. Kindness, fairness, love, equality, fun and compassion are fundamental values in my life. Religion – part of our culture and for many, essential to their life – is not for me. I choose to be responsible for myself and how I live. That is why I choose Humanism, I didn’t wait to be chosen. I spent many years working in Director level roles. Then I broke free and for the past 12 years I’ve set up three Companies, I’m  a self-employed consultant, a busy coach with international clients, and public speaker in the UK and Europe. And I am a Humanist celebrant.  I love being with and working with people, and they tell me I am easy to be with – we have fun together.

People ask my why I am a Humanist celebrant and my honest answer is that it uses the best of me – what I do, how I am, what I’ve learned and who I am.  I’ve finally melded all the experience and learning into one place, and I am happy with that. It feels like coming home. 

I love travelling, I love my man more than anything in the world. I love swimming. I love cooking for the masses that seem to appear regularly around our table. I’m easy-going with a strong sense of the ridiculous. I love watching our grown-up children thrive and our two grandchildren develop. I love watching the sun go down and being in our campervan in a quiet place. I love live music and dancing in a crowd of people.  I also value solitude. I love conversation, novel ideas, quirky people, my mum and my home.  I collect far too many cookery books. I have a beautiful black Labrador called Ted.

That’s me. Living in the here and now is what I do. That’s how I feel about life – and it’s a bit like the ceremony you are planning – there will be only one –  so between us we’d better make it extraordinary! 

Top photo credit: www.pointandclickphotography.co.uk

Video credit: www.chrisgilesphotogrphy.co.uk

Bottom photo credit www.ettphotography.co.uk

Here’s Adam and Laura’s crazy confetti walk at their wedding at College Farm, Thompson and Eadie Rae’s baby naming ceremony at The Flint Room, Norwich.