Your Best Life- Helen Phillips Humanist Celebrant

Your Best Life- Helen Phillips Humanist Celebrant Non-religious, personal & fun Wedding and Naming Ceremonies in Yorkshire and the North of England.

πŸ₯³ A day in your celebration πŸ₯³What's your favourite birthday tradition? Is it cake and candles (whatever your age)? Perha...
21/01/2025

πŸ₯³ A day in your celebration πŸ₯³

What's your favourite birthday tradition? Is it cake and candles (whatever your age)? Perhaps it's the gifts and surprises you receive? The cards sent from afar? Or maybe it's a nice birthday meal and drinks with those you love? How else do you celebrate?

Today, on completing my 42nd trip around the sun, I have had all the above including not just any cake, an M&S chocolate cake, tulips from Amsterdam (via Leeds) and a birthday meal seemingly with everyone else in Garforth and surrounding environs who has a birthday today πŸ˜†

A wedding or naming, as other forms of celebrations, are also your own distinct combination of traditions, those that are meaningful and to you, that you intentionally choose to include. I always encourage my couples and families to select and retain those traditions they like and ditch those they don't. As such, every ceremony is uniquely different and reflective of that specific couple or and I am right alongside to guide throughout the process so please get in touch to find out more about working with me.

🌷With a heart that's true 🌷It's my birthday week! I am back from a fab weekend in Amsterdam, which included the Dutch Na...
20/01/2025

🌷With a heart that's true 🌷

It's my birthday week! I am back from a fab weekend in Amsterdam, which included the Dutch National Tulip day, plenty of Heineken, bitterballen, and a lot of laughs. I certainly embraced my brand of living my best life πŸ˜ƒ

I am now working through lots of lovely January enquiries and paperwork for new bookings and planning meetings. I can't lie, progress has been slow today πŸ˜† but I promise I will be back on it after the big day tomorrow so please bear with me and drop me a line if you are waiting on anything!

#2025

πŸ”— A vital connection is made πŸ”—I didn't name my initial calls with couples and families 'Connection Calls' by chance or b...
16/01/2025

πŸ”— A vital connection is made πŸ”—

I didn't name my initial calls with couples and families 'Connection Calls' by chance or because it sounds nice (though what wordsmith doesn't love a bit of alliteration πŸ˜„). I am intentional with all my language, and this is no exception. For me, connection is vital as it's the spark that ignites a relationship and upon which every else is then built.

BrenΓ© Brown sums this up perfectly for me (as she does so much). Find and build a connection with someone, and this becomes a trusted safe space in which you feel seen, heard, and valued, where you can talk openly, be authentic, and won't be judged. This is precisely what I aim for, right from our first interaction in a Connection Call to your ceremony on the day.

If you are looking for suppliers for your wedding or naming day, then I highly recommend you spend the time finding those that you have a connection with. They are the ones that will lift you up and support you wholeheartedly through what can be a stressful and overwhelming planning process at times.

If you think I could be the right Celebrant for you, then please reach out to book one of these Connection Calls. Last few spots for 2025 are going fast, and my diary is open for 2026 and now 2027!

❀️ And the love kickstarts again ❀️From my last wedding of 2024 to excitedly looking forward to my first meetings and ce...
13/01/2025

❀️ And the love kickstarts again ❀️

From my last wedding of 2024 to excitedly looking forward to my first meetings and ceremonies of 2025.

After the .weddings fayre at the weekend, I am feeling energised and ready to go! The majority of couples I met yesterday are planning for 2026 and so I still have some 2025 spots from spring onwards if you are getting married later this year and would like to explore availability for a ceremony with me πŸ˜ƒ

Get in touch via phone, DM or email to book a connection call!

πŸ’œ There's nothing quite comparable πŸ’œR's words on her & D's ceremony in September spoke right to my heart and say it bett...
12/01/2025

πŸ’œ There's nothing quite comparable πŸ’œ

R's words on her & D's ceremony in September spoke right to my heart and say it better than I could myself.

It is so true that I feel celebrancy is my 'calling', and I have found something not only that I love and also, based on the feedback I keep getting, am also pretty good at! If there's anything better than that when it comes to a job, then I don't know what is!

I also loved that R spoke about how at ease I made everyone feel in the ceremony, including their three young daughters, and this is something that is super important to me 😍 As R and I share the same surname, I joked at the start that perhaps I was a distant family member and hopefully, all jokes aside, this is truly how it felt for everyone on the day.

One of the key benefits of a Celebrant is that you get to work pick the person who will be up there with you during your ceremony. Someone who feels like a friend or family member because, in many ways, they have become just that.

If this is how you would like to imagine your ceremony and think I could be that person for you, then get in touch, and let's make that connection in a Connection call πŸ˜ƒ

#

It
11/01/2025

It

πŸ’™ I got the blues, please come see (me) πŸ’™What better way to beat the January blues than warming the heart with chats abo...
10/01/2025

πŸ’™ I got the blues, please come see (me) πŸ’™

What better way to beat the January blues than warming the heart with chats about weddings!

I can't wait to meet loads of fab couples who are wedding planning and looking for something a bit quirky and different .weddings fayre here in Leeds on Sunday!

If you are coming along to then come and brighten by day saying hi and find out more about that are memorable and meaningful (and also lots of fun!)

🀍 A nice day for a white wedding 🀍K & A held their wedding  back in September. K looked stunning in a white gown set aga...
09/01/2025

🀍 A nice day for a white wedding 🀍

K & A held their wedding back in September. K looked stunning in a white gown set against the white washed wall of the Piggery ceremony barn and a backdrop of vases and urns beautifully filled by 😍

Beyond this though, their day far surpassed the traditional 'big white wedding'. The tables were named after crisps (K was a Crisp herself!), A's sense of humour came through via his love of cake (and money!), Wheelhouse party barn was festooned with a glorious pop of colour and they and their guests of course enjoyed an alternative and highly personal Humanist ceremony with yours truly!

I am totally obsessed with these amazing photos from and, believe me, these are just the tip of the gallery iceberg so be prepared to see many more gracing my grid very soon!

πŸͺ‘ And at every table, I’ll save you a seat πŸͺ‘Anyone still got their Christmas decs up? These days, I like to have them do...
08/01/2025

πŸͺ‘ And at every table, I’ll save you a seat πŸͺ‘

Anyone still got their Christmas decs up? These days, I like to have them down and feel the benefit of the space (squash and a squeeze effect!) before New Year, and it is tradition of course to take them down by 6th January. That said, I don't buy into the superstition 'bad luck' if you don't. I am totally with Taylor that you make your own rules.

The same also goes for your wedding, including your ceremony. You make the call on what you want from your day, whether this is the type of vibe you want, the promises you want to make to each other, or who you want to invite. I will always be in your corner, supporting and cheering you on, and if you need any help along the way, I am more than happy to offer it.

It all starts with that initial conversation, so, lovers, whether you want to reach out via DM, video call, or email, pull up that figurative chair and find out how I can help you with the ceremony that fits perfectly into your plans for your day.

πŸ—Ί My kind's your kind πŸ—ΊYour kinda place is my kinda place πŸ˜ƒI haven't done this before, but I do have a fondness for a ma...
03/01/2025

πŸ—Ί My kind's your kind πŸ—Ί

Your kinda place is my kinda place πŸ˜ƒ

I haven't done this before, but I do have a fondness for a map, so I thought I would plot my venues from last year and this year. What it told me is that I don't actually travel as much as it sometimes feels πŸ˜†, and I do actually mostly work in a concentration of venues around/ between Leeds and York and off the A1 (you can't see them all/ identify those I am at multiple times as they are all on top of each other!)

Last year's outlier was the Lake District (I would definitely love more ceremonies up there!), and this year, I am very excited about my first legal ceremony north of the border in Scotland πŸ₯³

And, who knows, maybe by the end of 2025, we'll have the wheels in motion for legal 🀞🏻🀞🏻🀞🏻🀞🏻🀞🏻

Do you want to add your venue onto this map? If so, get in touch and/ or book a connection call to start the conversation. I would love to tell and share your story πŸ₯°

πŸŽ‰ What part of party πŸŽ‰Many people's experience of a wedding ceremony is as the dull or boring bit before the party start...
02/01/2025

πŸŽ‰ What part of party πŸŽ‰

Many people's experience of a wedding ceremony is as the dull or boring bit before the party starts.

However, with this certainly isn't the case. A Humanist ceremony with your chosen Humanist Celebrant steps up to the plate and kick starts your day or evening with the tone and vibe that you want for the rest of your celebrations. In essence, if you want it to be, the ceremony is part of the party.

So if you want to raise a glass in your ceremony, have a communal singalong or combine heartfelt words with plenty of laughs and fun, get in touch to book a connection call and find out how I can help you with your dream ceremony.

πŸ“·

πŸ“‹ How did we get right there? πŸ“‹With lots of couples newly engaged over Christmas and New Year, as well as many others re...
01/01/2025

πŸ“‹ How did we get right there? πŸ“‹

With lots of couples newly engaged over Christmas and New Year, as well as many others resolving to make a start on wedding planning as we enter 2025, social media is awash with advice about what to do first (some of it contradictory; book your venue first, secure your suppliers first) as well as the much quoted anti-advice of 'don't listen to any advice, do it your way'.

Whilst, I wholeheartedly agree that couples planning a wedding should totally do it however they choose, this isn't always the most practical advice as, when chances are you haven't planned a wedding before, even knowing where to start with working out what you want your day to look like can be an incredibly daunting prospect.

So here is my two penneth for what it's worth:

Try and think about the how, where, who, and what high-level and holistically.

This will mean you don't choose a venue only to find it doesn't accommodate all your guests, or you book a date only to find that special supplier you always dreamt of isn't available 😭

If you want to flirt with me as your potential Celebrant whilst you work through the details then please don't feel you need to wait until all the ts are crossed and the is dotted, I am more than happy to wait in the wings and I can even draw on my insider industry knowledge and help you in the process.

Oh, and, importantly, don't forget the last one, why you are getting married. Through wedding planning, it can be easy to lose sight of this as you agonise over the finer details. put this right back at the top of the agenda and at the heart of the start of your day πŸ₯°

🌍 The world looks so much brighter 🌍Wherever and however you are celebrating tonight, I hope that it's what you want it ...
31/12/2024

🌍 The world looks so much brighter 🌍

Wherever and however you are celebrating tonight, I hope that it's what you want it to be. Whether it's a big night out or an early night, whether you are bidding 'good riddance' to 2024 or reflecting on a wonderful year in review, there will undoubtedly be a combination of both looking back and what is to come.

I have had a great 2024 (year in review still incoming, don't seem to have had a minute to compile it amidst all the festive fun!) but I am equally looking forward to 2025 πŸ˜ƒ I am also pleased to be seeing in the New Year without a broken bone this year (I hope πŸ˜†)

What are you most looking forward to in 2025?

#2025

πŸ™Œ If you goin' in put your hands in the air πŸ™ŒDreaming of a wedding that's as unique as you and your love are? I'm so exc...
30/12/2024

πŸ™Œ If you goin' in put your hands in the air πŸ™Œ

Dreaming of a wedding that's as unique as you and your love are?

I'm so excited to be showcasing fayre on Sunday 12th January and to celebrate I have two Ultimate VIP tickets to give away to one awesome, lucky couple πŸ˜ƒ

✨Here's what’s included in the Ultimate VIP ticket:

⚑️Entry to the Quirky Wedding Fayre
πŸ₯‚ A glass of Prosecco
🍾 Use of the Pimp Your Prosecco Bar from Popaball
πŸ› An exclusively designed tote bag filled with over Β£30 worth of merchandise, freebies and samples
πŸ“° A free printed copy of Quirky Weddings Magazine

Entering is easy:
⚑️Like this post
⚑Follow me and
⚑Tag who you'd bring with you in the comments below!
⚑️Share on your stories (and tag me) for an extra entry
Each share and tag is an entry, so tag away!

On Sunday 5th January, I’ll be picking one lucky winner at random!

At the Quirky Wedding Fayre, it’s all about celebrating individuality and making your big day truly unforgettable. No cookie-cutter weddings! You can grab your FREE tickets to any of theirfayres across the UK from today!

Don't miss out on your chance to win the ultimate Quirky Wedding experience!

Good luck, lovebirds!

🏝 Dive so deep I never come out 🏝I have been really enjoying 'The Life Impossible' by Matt Haig recently set on Ibiza an...
28/12/2024

🏝 Dive so deep I never come out 🏝

I have been really enjoying 'The Life Impossible' by Matt Haig recently set on Ibiza and all about rediscovering the joy of living life to the fullest, something I am passionate about doing and have certainly been doing a lot of recently πŸ˜†

This particular passage really resonated with me and I felt it summed up perfectly how I like to feel life and how I encourage and welcome all feelings when working with families and couples to create ceremonies that mark life's biggest moments.

So if you think we might be a good match, then why not get in touch and book a Connection call for the New Year?

🎁 Presents, what a beautiful sight 🎁If you wake up tomorrow with a sparkly gift underneath the tree, then I very much ho...
23/12/2024

🎁 Presents, what a beautiful sight 🎁

If you wake up tomorrow with a sparkly gift underneath the tree, then I very much hope to hear from you in the New Year 😊

Wishing everyone an incredibly jolly and merry Christmas, however you are spending it.

🌲 No other version of me I would rather be 🌲Congratulations to A & S, who are celebrating 1 year since their wonderful w...
23/12/2024

🌲 No other version of me I would rather be 🌲

Congratulations to A & S, who are celebrating 1 year since their wonderful winter wedding last December. They had a beautiful ceremony reliving their decade-long love story incorporating gorgeous readings, vows, a ring exchange, and a handfasting as they looked ahead to their future life together.

What a year it has been for me, but even more so for them 😍 Happy anniversary
Hope you have a wonderful day celebrating as a family πŸ₯°

☎️ I'm here if you should call to me ☎️I wanted to share some of the more informal feedback I have had this year as, alo...
21/12/2024

☎️ I'm here if you should call to me ☎️

I wanted to share some of the more informal feedback I have had this year as, alongside Google and Hitched reviews, I receive a lot of DMs, emails, WhatsApps etc whenever I send off a script or complete a ceremony.

So here are some snippets from ceremonies throughout this past year. Lovely words like these are always gratefully received in whatever form and by whatever medium. I hugely appreciate everyone who takes the time to give me feedback, and hopefully, it helps others build a good picture of what it's like working with me 😊

If you want to find out more and book a connection call then please get in touch via your preferred choice of media 😁

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