http://Yourbestlifecelebrant.com/

Your Best Life- Helen Phillips Humanist Celebrant, Church Farm View, Leeds (2025)

05/12/2025

✨️ Every so often, we long to steal to the land of what-might-have-been ✨️

I read somewhere that Madame Morrible is Oz's equivalent to Miss Rabbit 😄 She pops up everywhere doing various roles from professor, advisor, fixer, press/ propaganda secretary and (spoiler alert!) now Celebrant!

I am not sure what transferable skills she brings and at one point she clearly loses her s**z during the ceremony which is something us Celebrants never do 😁 (ok, I haven't had the exact situation with a load of animals stampeeding into the ceremony but I am confident it wouldn't phase me 🤣🤣).

All jokes aside, the person who leads your ceremony needs so much more than just a strong presence and a good speaking voice, Celebrants combine their wealth of experience and craftsmanship to not just create and deliver a highly personal and meaningful ceremony but to walk you and your guests through it with warmth, empathy and a quiet authority. That's why, in my opinion, you should always book a professional for this incredibly important part of your day 😍

So don't live it to chance and potential regret, book in a call with me and see if I could be the girl for you 😁

04/12/2025

🤍 As long as I live through you 🤍

As mentioned on my stories on Monday, my chosen charity for this year is St Leonard's Hospice in York in memory of M who spent her final days there.

The first two images here are from of M & G's vow renewal just a couple of months prior and it was my absolute honour to lead such an important, poignant and moving ceremony which touched every single person in the room in a deeply significant way.

Writing and conducting ceremonies for couples or families with the context of terminal illness is something I have experienced multiple times and I feel such privilege and responsibility every time. Yes, it's a cloud in the sky but it's my job to make sure the sun still shines brightly through just like M's favourite yellow roses, whilst also holding space for everyone present in an appropriate manner.

The final photo is from M's appearance on ITV Calendar talking about her cornea donation. She was an inspirational lady and I hope that a financial donation from me can support more of the great work done by the hospice and be a part of her legacy 🤗

03/12/2025

🧍‍♂️Together we will stand🧍‍♀️

On Saturday, I had the slightly daunting privilege of leading a session for my fellow Yorkshire celebrants at our annual get together in York.

One of the great things about our Humanist Ceremonies network is that, although we are all in charge of our own practice, we support each other and build a community of shared insights and resources that help us continually develop our practice and stay at the top of our game!

I facilitated a session with funerals celebrant, Roger Payne (Roger isn't used to being photographed and is a little camera shy so I cropped him out at his own request 😄) in which we explored the place of joy and humour in funerals as well as how to handle and hold space for heavier matters, such as loss, in weddings and namings.

The discussion was really engaging and interesting as were all the other sessions led by my wonderful colleagues.

I always leave these days lots of emerging ideas, new connections and a pride at being part of such a fantastic network.

This network is also a benefit to my couples and families as, should an emergency occur and I couldn't lead a ceremony, one of these very competent and capable folks would step in and I would do the same for them 🥰

P.s. it is also reassuring to see I deploy the same range of facial expressions in this kind of delivery as well as in my ceremonies 🤣

Thanks to for the photos 😍

02/12/2025

🪜A ladder to the stars🪜

Sometimes it feels heavy to be a Humanist, to not have that comfort in believing that everything is part of a pre-determinded path and that when people die they go onto another, better place. At times, I can find myself wishing I believed in those things and I have certainly felt that today.

However, whenever times are hard, it is important for me to remember that we are never alone. Our humanity binds us together and connects us to each other and everything else in our cosmos. This for me is a crucial part of Humanism.

I also find my belief that life can be short reinforced, sometimes really f*cking cruelly short and, whilst we might not be able to control this, we can make the most of each day we do have... doing the things we love, spending time with loved ones, living our lives authentically.

On Sunday, I had a fab date day with Mr P, a lovely meal, drinks and a Mumford & Sons gig. I even met a gorgeous couple who are getting married and connected with them (apologies to them that I was quite tipsy by that point 🤣) and these are the happy moments that nourish and sustain me through the darker times 🥰

Life is certainly light and shade and we all need someone to hold our hand in the dark...

29/11/2025

❤️ Hear my heart beat so loud ❤️

The decision to give love another chance and to marry for a second time is, from speaking to my couples, not something taken lightly. And so, when couples opt to do just this, it is very powerful and it often shows an underlying belief in marriage which, as a wedding Celebrant, of course warms my heart 😍

Weddings are not the exclusive domain of the first-timers and I love creating ceremonies for those for whom it's not the first rodeo as more often than not they know what they do/ don't want and are more confident to choose a ceremony that is unapologetically authentically them, a perfect fit for a Humanist ceremony 🥰

Photo credits:

Adrian Brookes

Mike Hill
Me!

Me!and.co

27/11/2025

🧡 The future's bright... the future is Humanist ceremonies 🧡

Many of you might be too young to remember the iconic Orange adverts of the '90s and '00s but I still think of the brand when someone refers to a bright future!

And a bright future is exactly what I am hoping for next year and beyond. I am stepping into 2026 with as much excitement and energy as I had here as I strode down the aisle ready to make a start at J & N's gorgeous, colourful and heartfelt ceremony back in September.

I am also ever hopeful that the path beyond 2026 will lead us (finally) to legal recognition for and the team are certainly not sitting back, they are keeping up the pace and pressure on the government for this recognition to be instated ASAP.

On this note, if you or anyone you know if holding off on planning their wedding the current options don't align with you, your beliefs and values or you are detered by having to plan (and pay for!) two ceremonies then please reach out as we are always keen to hear directly from real couples and their experience.

📸

26/11/2025

☀️ The warmth of your love's like the warmth from the sun ☀️

2026 might seem a long way off as we still have the festive period ahead of us, however, I am already looking ahead, planning and getting ready for another fab year of ceremonies in 2026 🥰

I therefore thought it was worth an availability update as, if 2026 is your year, now is the time to make sure you have your key suppliers lined up and booked in before the flurry of new enquiries land with us in January and February.

I have pockets of availability every month, although as expected, some of these (yep, those summer months!) are more limited than others.

A key point is that I only take one ceremony a day so once a date is taken, that is it!

I am already turning down enquiries for dates I am already booked and December is peak engagement season so I really recommend not leaving this until January and getting it ticked off before all the festive fun begins meaning you are able to relax through December 🎄

You can enquire about a date however works best for you; email, DM, voicenote, message or call. We can then book in a video connection call which gives you the opportunity to see if I am a good fit for you and your day and ask me any questions 😁

25/11/2025

🌡I feel my temperature rising🌡

Yes, when someone describes a Humanist/ Celebrant ceremony as the 'fake' wedding, it makes my blood boil!

There is absolutely nothing fake or sham about Celebrant ceremonies here in England, nothing. Yes they are not legally recognised just yet (I never proclaim or pretend they are) but aside from the legalities, the emotions, the feelings, the love, the sentiments are as authentic and genuine as they get.

Every single ceremony is created to be unique, personal and meaningful to that particular couple, their love and their values so, in my opinion, they are even more 'real' than any other ceremony option. This is a hill I am willing to die on! ⛰️

Yes, Celebrants inject humour and fun into your ceremony but speaking for myself at least, my ceremonies are certainly no joke. Humour is only inserted where appropriate and there are plenty of heartfelt and romantic moments that give your ceremony the gravitas and sincerity your love deserves.

I don't believe that anyone who has attended one of my ceremonies believes their haven't seen the 'real wedding' and I will wait on my hill for anyone who feels this way 🤣

24/11/2025

💙❤️ I want you to want me too ❤️💙

It is quite frankly a crime that I haven't shared more of the knockout photos that took on A & K's day last year.

I hang my head in shame 😔 But here I am to make up for it by sharing as many as Meta will allow 🤣

I have been reminiscing about this wonderful wedding day as I look ahead to 2026 and I am delighted to say that I will be back at WSF not once but twice with two ceremonies there in spring and autumn 😊

It's a fantastic venue which oozes rustic charm and coolness and has so much to offer from two large barns for both ceremony and dining/ party (they are actual barns not rooms with beams that are called 'barns'🤭) to painted walls and green spaces.

If you are looking for a Yorkshire venue that offers so much but which still has scope for you to put your own stamp on it then definitely check it out and, of course the perfect pairing for a venue with such a lot of personality is a personal, heartfelt and joyous ceremony with yours truly 😄 So if this vibe looks a bit you, please do get in touch to arrange a connection call and start planning a meaningful and memorable ceremony with me for 2026 or 2027!

23/11/2025

💪 I am who I'm meant to be 💪

I have seen a few of these cute intro posts and I thought it probably was time for an 'about me' post, especially for those followers who might be considering me as their Celebrant 😁

It has taken me a long time to really know myself and be comfortable with who I am. What is now wonderful is that it is often when I show my authentic self or share my likes and values that I build the best connection with couples and families.

So if you are biding your time and lying in wait (Hamilton is my favourite musical, I can quote it in any scenario!) then now is the time to make your move.

My diary is pretty open between now and 19th December when my kids break up so please do get in touch and let's get a no-obligation connection call in to see if I am good fit for you and your ceremony.

22/11/2025

🪧 All I need is a sign 🪧

Yesterday on my way back from Birmingham, I sat next to a lovely lady on her way to visit family in Yorkshire.

We really connected and spent two hours chatting about everything, we didn’t run out of things to say and could have probably spoken for another two hours and more!

Through the conversation, it transpired that she has been with her partner for a long time and, although she has previously dismissed getting married, is now coming round to the idea... She felt it was perhaps a 'sign' that she met me and got her thinking maybe not to hesitate any longer and to embrace love, happiness and joy in the here and now.

This made me think of this poem by Mary Oliver which featured in a recent wedding, it sums up perfectly how I feel about living in the present and making the most of joyful moments and celebrations, especially around love.

As a Humanist, I personally don't believe in signs from a greater being but I do very much believe that when we tune into others and our surroundings and through connection with them, we can open ourselves up and discover what was already our truth but with all the busyness and distractions of day to day life, we didn’t notice or acknowledge...

If you are considering a Humanist ceremony with me, please don't hesitate as I am already quite booked up for next year with just a few remaining free Saturdays (weekday weddings have much better availability) so please let's connect and let's let the joy of planning a heartfelt and personal ceremony begin!

Your Best Life- Helen Phillips Humanist Celebrant

05/12/2025

04/12/2025

03/12/2025

02/12/2025

29/11/2025

27/11/2025

26/11/2025

25/11/2025

24/11/2025

23/11/2025

22/11/2025

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