Hi, I'm Judie from JN Celebrancy and I am a registered Celebrant, appointed by the Attorney General, here on the Gold Coast of QLD, Australia. I offer a variety of services that guide you through your life's journey; including Weddings, Naming Days and End of life ceremonies. These celebrations are a very personal thing and that's why I perform them: "your way, as it's your day".
For example, your wedding day is the most important day of your life and should be as perfect as can be. Every girl dreams of their ideal wedding day from a very early age and so you should give great attention to the marriage ceremony itself. I believe in uniqueness of us all as individuals and as no two couples are alike, no two ceremonies should be the same. I work with you to craft a magical ceremony that is personal and meaningful to your own special qualities. The ceremony should be about you, your beliefs, your traditions and your dreams for the future. I provide professionalism, warmth and humour throughout the ceremonies that I create from scratch. I plan meticulously so that the day runs smoothly and goes off without a hitch. In the event of any unforeseen problems, I am ready with a Plan B option so don't stress, just call me and lets get started planning.
When the time is right to show your love and commitment to the one you have loved and have shared so many special memories with, a Renewal of Vows can honour your relationship in front of family and friends. It is important to celebrate the milestones of your marriage or relationship and your ceremony can be romantic, fun, serious or a combination of all of these! For these occasions, children can also make this a special time for you all.
The ceremony can be as simple as the two of you in a beautiful place reciting your vows or you could do something with more creativity that involves family members or special friends who have shared in your life’s journey. Whatever you choose, it’s a romantic day dedicated to celebrating life and friends and the scared ritual of marriage. As there are no “legals” involved, there are no time constraints as to when to hold your ceremony. Whenever you feel the time is right to reaffirm your love and commitment to your life partner is the right time to have this special ceremony.
BABY/CHILD NAMING CEREMONIES:
This ceremony is usually held to celebrate the arrival and naming of a new baby/babies if a multiple birth. Together we can design a personalised ceremony where the baby is welcomed into the family and circle of friends. You can also honour your new child by announcing their godparents/guardians to your family and friends. Your ceremony may include any number of rituals such as the blending of the sand’s ceremony, lighting of candles, wishing box or a balloon release. Generally speaking, it is held at the same time as the child's first birthday party. I particularly love performing these ceremonies for couples I've also been blessed to marry. A Baby Naming Ceremony is also a celebration of the miracle of birth, the gift of life and unconditional and lasting love. It is also a pledge of your commitment and promises for the future of any child. Your child will receive a Naming Certificate. Godparents and Guardians can also receive a certificate. Every naming ceremony I perform I spend time with the family and we create a special ceremony where family members and special friends commit their love, protection and guidance to the child and the child’s future.
FAMILY BLENDING CEREMONIES:
I also perform Family Blending Ceremonies. These occur when husband and/or wife
have children from a previous marriage and wish to “Blend” their family. It makes the children on both sides feel all the more special as they can participate in the ceremony themselves. This is usually ideal for older children as they would come to understand the importance and special nature of the ceremony. The children will receive a keepsake Certificate which can be a touchstone for them as your family grows and moves forward.
MEMORIALS/FUNERALS/SCATTERING OF ASHES:
I am new to this industry but have worked for many years in the hospital setting with sick/ elderly patients in my community on the Gold Coast. I always wanted to be a Celebrant after attending several funeral/memorial services over the years. I saw how uplifting ceremonies could be and wanted to help the grieving families have that same experience. After doing my research, I chose to train with Rose Training in Brisbane and am very happy to be a part of AFCC, one of the largest Celebrant organisations in Australia.
I am determined to give families more choice. I would like to give every family the opportunity to have a Celebration of Life Ceremony at a venue of their own choosing, and at a time and day that best suits them. This may be at a Crematorium, a Natural Burial Site, your backyard or another local venue that had a special meaning to your loved one. I will advise you on venues and help you to plan a fitting ceremony that celebrates the life and character of your loved one. I enjoy talking to people and finding out what makes someone unique and special. I will meet with the family and/or close friends and write a unique Celebration of Life Ceremony of your loved one. I can also talk to you loved one to help them plan their own memorial service so they can be involved in the planning and know that I will put their needs first and reassurance that they will get the memorial they want.
I have always been creative and write my own scripts from scratch. I enjoy getting involved in my local community by volunteering my time and love learning new things and meeting new people. I enjoy travelling, am open to new experiences and am curious about our natural life cycle. I now use my experiences to create more choices for families who want an alternative to the current limited offerings of crematorium/funeral home-based services. I am dedicated to helping families have the goodbye ceremony that they want.
Scattering of the cremated ashes.
The act of scattering cremated remains can be incorporated into a memorial service itself. A memorial service can be held at the location of the scattering, or the service leads into the scattering at a different location. Ashes can be scattered (with the permission of Council) in
places such as offshore at the beach via boats/canoes, scattering at home under a favourite plant/tree, or at a favourite outdoor location. The ceremony could also include unique, exciting and even bizarre scattering choices such as including scattering under a tree to be planted, shooting off as fireworks, launching into space, mixed into the paint in a custom
painting, made into pencils, and more, however I do not have access to those services.
