Every ceremony we create as celebrants is about love. Whether it’s a wedding celebrating a couple’s adoration and commitment or a ceremony marking the end of a life well-lived, love is at the heart of it. Love is the thread that runs through every story we tell, every ritual we create. Whether we’re marking the beginning or the end of someone’s journey through this life, it’s always about how much they are loved and how that love leaves a mark on the world.
Being a funeral celebrant is one of the most meaningful ways to hear some of the most inspirational stories imaginable. Yet I’m often asked, “Isn’t the work you do really sad, talking about death all the time?” It’s a common misconception. Celebrants spend very little time talking about death; instead, we talk about life. We ask questions, listen deeply, and invite people to share their memories, their laughter, their tears, and above all—love. Every life has its unique melody, and our role as celebrants is to help those grieving to hear that song once again, even if only for a moment.
“Isn’t the work you do really sad, talking about death all the time?”
Creating weddings is a more obviously joyful part of our work. Weddings are brimming with love and hope, bursting with poetry, music, and personal touches that reflect a couple’s passion and dreams for the future. One of my great joys as a celebrant is my ever-expanding collection of poetry and readings, always at the ready to inspire couples to craft a ceremony that truly reflects who they are.
But love isn’t just for weddings or funerals. It’s there in so many other ceremonies, each one rooted in a different kind of love—love for family, love for home, love for a life’s work.
Adoption Ceremonies: Celebrating the Love of Family
Adoption ceremonies are among the most touching and emotional moments a celebrant can witness. They honor the love that brings a family together, whether through birth or by choice. These ceremonies can be as simple or elaborate as the family wishes, but at their heart, they celebrate connection, belonging, and the promises we make to those we treasure.
We might light candles to symbolise each member of the family and how their lives are now forever entwined. Parents may read heartfelt promises to their new child, pledging their unconditional love and protection. If siblings are involved, we can invite them to share their own words of welcome, acknowledging that love grows stronger with each new addition.
There is often laughter, tears, and a sense that something truly magical is happening. Adoption ceremonies remind us that love knows no boundaries; it finds a way to create family wherever it’s needed most.
Housewarming Ceremonies: Blessing a New Chapter
Moving into a new home is a powerful transition, and housewarming ceremonies offer a way to honour that milestone. These rituals celebrate not just the physical space but the life that will unfold within it. They are about love for the people who will live there, for the memories yet to be made, and for the hopes and dreams that will grow under that roof.
A housewarming ceremony might involve blessing each room with words of intention—wishing the kitchen to be filled with laughter and shared meals, the living room with warmth and comfort, and the bedrooms with rest and peace. Friends and family may contribute their wishes for the home, writing them on cards to be read aloud or placed in a keepsake jar.
Symbols of abundance and protection, like bread, salt, and wine, can be incorporated, or we might plant a tree in the garden as a symbol of growth and longevity. Housewarming ceremonies are all about anchoring love in a space and turning a house into a home.
Retirement Ceremonies: Honoring a Life’s Work
Retirement ceremonies are an opportunity to celebrate not just the end of a career but the rich tapestry of experiences, relationships, and achievements that have shaped a person’s life. These ceremonies are filled with gratitude—gratitude for the years of dedication and hard work, for the lessons learned, and for the colleagues and friends who became like family.
We might invite those present to share stories and reflections, turning the ceremony into a living tribute filled with humor and heartfelt moments. A timeline of the retiree’s career could be shared, highlighting key moments and milestones. Rituals like the passing of a symbolic object—perhaps a tool of the trade or a favorite book—can symbolise the transition from work life to the new opportunities that await.
Above all, retirement ceremonies are about looking forward with love and excitement, marking the beginning of a new chapter and celebrating the freedom to explore passions and adventures that might have waited patiently for this moment.
Start with the love
When we start by considering what someone loves, who they love, and who loves them in return, we’re building every ceremony on something deeply true and grounding. Scripts written with love as their foundation create a connection that can be both healing and transformative, no matter the occasion.
As I often remind my students, a funeral is about the person who has died, but it’s for those who survive and are grieving. In the same way, a wedding is for those standing at the threshold of a new life together, an adoption or housewarming ceremony is for those celebrating new beginnings, and a retirement ceremony is for those reflecting on a life’s work while embracing what comes next.
Love is the constant across it all.
As celebrants, we are privileged to stand at life’s most pivotal moments—welcoming new beginnings, witnessing declarations of love, and honoring lives that have ended. Every ceremony is a reminder that love, in its many forms, is the most powerful force we have.
If you’re considering Celebrancy as your next career, let’s talk about the training I offer and which would work best for you. You can book a call straight into my diary here.