Humanist wedding, naming and funeral celebrant, accredited by Humanists UK. I conduct bespoke, personal ceremonies in London and surrounding counties.
04/01/2025
☕🍰☕ First Wedding Planning Meeting of 2025! ☕🍰☕
What better way to start the new year than with a fun meeting over coffee and cake with E & C at the lovely .co in East London?
It may have been ffffffreeeezing and grey outside but inside we were planning a fabulous summer wedding
The beauty of having a celebrant-led wedding is that you can craft a ceremony that tells your unique story and reflects your values and style
Roll on July! 💃🍾🎉
31/12/2024
🎇🥂🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆🥂🎇
Getting in early with my New Year messages ...
Thanks to all the families and couples who chose me to be their wedding, funeral or naming celebrant in 2025
And thanks to all my 2025 wedding couples - can't wait to pick up the pace over the next few months
It's a privilege to be asked to work with people at such huge emotional moments. It's a responsibility I don't take lightly
I'm ending a year that has been one of massive change for me (relocating from North London to West Yorkshire) and I'm full of gratitude to my family, friends and colleagues who have bouyed up my spirits when the going got tough
Here's to a happy, safe, healthy and peaceful 2025 🎆🥂🎇
17/12/2024
🕯️ Saying a personal goodbye 🕯️
What a privilege it was to work with R's family to conduct her celebration of life yesterday
The lovely space at in Todmorden was decorated by R's family and included a memory table full of objects they will forever associate with her, including a packet of HobNobs - the biscuits which she often fed to the geese on the Rochdale Canal
Her coffin was decorated with ribbons, flowers and little animal momentoes - to remember her love of nature and colour
And a pair of boots belonging to her late beloved partner were also placed next to her coffin
The family opted for a private cremation which gave them the time and space to create a more relaxed ceremony. Mourners lit tea lights in remembrance of R and we watched a moving slide show of photos
A unique ceremony for an irreplaceable person
Thanks to Rosie and Lisa at for all the support
15/12/2024
Love this.
Why do people get married? 'So they can get smoochy smoochy with each other' 🥰
A teacher's wedding has gained massive attention online thanks to adorable centerpieces featuring sweet and funny notes written by the groom's fourth grade students.
Lindsey Monte, a bridesmaid and cousin of the bride, shared photos of the centerpieces from Halle Strieter and Thomas Randles' wedding.
The centerpieces displayed the students' responses to two questions: "What is love?" and "Why do people get married?"
Among the answers: "When you look at a person and your heart goes fast and you're in love" and "So they can get smoochey smoochey with each other."
Tanja's happy place was Epping Forest. She loved to spread nuts and seeds out for the squirrels and birds. So being able to recommend to her family the wonderful Greenacres Epping Forest as the venue for her funeral ceremony was so gratifying.
It was the perfect setting for family and friends to honour her unique life and say goodbye
Swipe to see the beautiful space which looks out onto the edge of the forest. Before the ceremony staff even topped up the bird feeders so there'd be plenty of bird and squirrel action
She was carried in by her partner Tom and five friends. The room was packed and I'm not sure how he managed it but her Tom played guitar and sang Jim Croce's Time In A Bottle.
At the end of the ceremony, as per Danish tradition, the family carried the coffin out.
Good to work with
28/10/2024
🍃🍂🍁 Autumn Wedding Vibes 🍁🍂🍃
How can it be a year since this lovely, heartfelt wedding at in Highgate?
Happy first anniversary to Gracie and Louis!
One of the stand-out moments from the ceremony was when the two fathers performed a special quaich (or loving cup) ritual
By drinking from the same cup, Louis and Gracie symbolised their commitment to share all that the future may bring
It was an absolute pleasure to conduct this wedding ceremony - here's to a lifetime of shared love and adventure! 🕺💃
21/10/2024
🌈🌈 Vows that induce laughter and tears 🌈🌈
Happy first anniversary to Neil and Edmund! ✨🥂✨
I love this shot taken by Liza O'Malley Photography of Edmund making Neil laugh with his unique vows
That's the beauty of a celebrant-led wedding. You have the freedom to write your own personal vows (if you want to) and they can be romantic, funny, serious - or (often) a fabulous blend of all three
What a couple, what a wedding ceremony - truly original and authentic, full of love and music
Congratulations! 🌈🥂 🌈
18/10/2024
Outdoor weddings in October? Yes! Especially for those couples who are willing to have a Plan B if it hammers down with rain...
And venues like The Willow Tree, Bourn in Cambridgeshire make it possible. There's a gorgeous weeping willow tree to keep the showers at bay and sheepskin seat covers to keep you warm.
This was the scene that greeted guests at Emma & Richard's wedding last weekend
The ceremony included a fun Mr & Mrs quiz, a communal pledge from the assembled guests and Emma & Richard's lovely daughter Charlotte brought up the rings. A really informal but touching family affair
In case you're wondering, Plan B was to retreat into the teepee but thankfully the rain held off just long enough
Great to work again with Shaina at The Willow Tree and to meet Jane Morgan Photography and musicbybethanyjane.com
26/09/2024
🌟 The kindest words ...🌟
I had the pleasure of conducting Julie's funeral ceremony earlier this year and worked closely with her daughter Ashley in planning a unique send off at Etham Crematorium.
There was a floral tribute in the shape of a large rubber duck (Julie was an obsessive collector) and the music chosen reflected her love of dancing
Family members shared specially written and heartfelt poems and memories and we left the chapel to the strains of the cheeky tune Me Julie by Ali G and Shaggy
It was a real celebration of a life fully lived. She would have loved it💃
06/09/2024
💐🌹🌺🏵️ Gorgeous wedding florals 🏵️🌺🌹💐
Get a load of these stunning wedding florals crafted by to frame the doors from which Lucie & Tomas emerged for confetti and cheers
is a fab venue for an intimate wedding and the staff were fab
Definitely recommend 👍
27/08/2024
🌹💮 Fusion Wedding 💮🌹
One of the brilliant things about having a celebrant conduct your wedding is that you can truly celebrate not just your love and commitment but also your cultural backgrounds
Respectful versions of cultural traditions can be included before, during and after the ceremony and the result can be amazing
Today I'm remembering Avani and George's blended wedding - which celebrated Avani's Indian heritage as well as George's British & Brazilian background
Highlights included George being carried to the venue with cheering and dohl drummers; the exchange of paper garlands made from the pages of their favourite books; a fire ceremony (phera); and George's mum singing a song in Portuguese
Happy anniversary! 💃❤️🕺
25/08/2024
21/08/2024
🍂 The Luddenden Shroud 🍂
Thanks to Rosie Grant at Natural Endings in Todmorden and to Margaret at for hosting a fascinating and moving talk by artist and shroud-maker Rachel Hawthorn last night
Rachel has hand-crafted a beautiful shroud for her friend Janet which, as well as being practical is also a deeply personal work of art, using natural materials gathered in Janet's beloved Luddenden valley in West Yorkshire.
The cradle is woven from bramble and ivy branches and the shroud itself was made from local wool which Rachel carded and felted
The film show last night about the making of the shroud was truly inspiring. If you get a chance to see it - do!
19/08/2024
🌹🌹 Ashes Interment 🌹🌹
101-year-old Nellie was given a touching, personal and family-led send off at Woodcock Hill Cemetery in Hertfordshire
We celebrated her long, happy and full life before the family placed her ahses in the grave alongside her beloved husband George - reunited at last
There were laughs, tears and red roses (her favourite)
And we ended the ceremony by listening to Ella Fitzgerald as the sun burst through the clouds 🌹🌹
13/08/2024
To all the out there on , I salute you 🤌
Being a lefty in a predominantly right-handed world isn't always easy. My old dad was frequently rapped over the knuckles by teachers for 'insisting' on writing with his left hand. Thankfully, times have changed
But when it comes to weddings, in the Western world the left hand gets all the attention. The fourth finger of the left hand is called the 'ring finger' and is the one used to wear engagement and wedding rings
Fun piece of trivia: The Romans believed the fourth finger on the left hand had a vein (vena amoris - vein of love) which ran directly to the heart. Hence the tradition of placing rings on that finger to symbolise the union of two hearts 💕
Modern science tells us the vena amoris doesn't exist but the cultural tradition persists
In all the I've conducted, only one couple hasn't exchanged rings - they had a fabulous hand fasting instead
Did you exchange rings? 💍💍
07/08/2024
🎉🥂 One year on ... 🥂🎉
Exactly a year to the day that .cara and Rob got showered with confetti at in Sussex
Such a huge pleasure to have conducted their wedding and to get to know them over the course of two years - including conducting the naming ceremony for their beautiful boy, Henry
Stay well and happy!
01/08/2024
Owdo. It's 💮 (Closest emoji to a white rose 😉)
To celebrate my recent move to God's Own Country, here's a view to breathe in. Absolutely nowt wrong with that 😊
I'm settling in and can't wait to start conducting ceremonies here in beautiful Calderdale and beyond
Si'the for now!
30/07/2024
🥀 Kind words 🥀
Kindness is an often overlooked and underrated quality and is something we definitely need more of
Being tolerant, empathetic and kind comes with the territory of being a celebrant. But it always amazes and touches me how often bereaved and grieving families take the time to offer kind words of thanks following a funeral ceremony
What a privilege to help families say a fitting goodbye
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Contact The Business
Send a message to Sue Walder - Humanist Celebrant:
If you’re reading this you are probably planning a wedding or a naming ceremony and have landed on my page. Welcome!
I am a humanist celebrant and I’m proud to be one of the 400+ celebrants trained and accredited by Humanists UK.
Humanist ceremonies help people mark major life events in a way that is personal, sincere, and honest but without the need for prayers or hymns.
My job is to work with couples and families to create meaningful and memorable weddings, vow renewals, and naming and welcoming ceremonies. You can read a bit more about me and the ceremonies I perform on my webpage here.
It’s a pretty wonderful job and I love meeting and working with so many lovely people. It’s both a pleasure and a privilege to be so closely involved in such intimate family moments.
You can read some testimonials about my work here.
It’s important that you find the right celebrant to work with so I recommend we have a no-obligation chat first to see if I’d be a good fit for the ceremony you’re planning. If I’m not right for you, I’m always happy to recommend other celebrants in the Humanist UK network.
