Sue Walder - Humanist Celebrant

26/03/2025

🎉🎉 Keeping it in the family 🎉🎉

All the dates of my wedding ceremonies this year are important but this one is the most special

Why? Well - on 4th October I get to conduct the wedding of Siobhán and Oliver at

So what makes it so special and noteworthy? Well, Siobhán just happens to be my daughter...

Excuse me while I do a happy dance! 💃😍💃

21/03/2025

💃The type of message that never loses it's charm💃

If I've done my job as a wedding celebrant properly, then my first draft ceremony script should be more or less right on the money

My process is relaxed and collaborative and allows me to get a real insight into what makes each couple tick and why they've decided to take this next step in their relationship

I can then craft a unique and memorable wedding ceremony that truly reflects their values, personalities and style

That said - there's no denying that I still hold my breath once I've hit 'send' and I still get a thrill from hearing that I've hit the nail on the head...

Josie & Lucas are in New Zealand and so far we've only met online so I can't wait to finally meet them in person and conduct their wedding

Roll on summer!

14/03/2025

📚 The perfect wedding cake for two literary fiends 📚

Avani and George met at the creative writing course at the University of East Anglia

The wedding ceremony we created was a fabulous fusion of their different cultural backgrounds and included dohl drumming, a Hindu phera, or fire ceremony, and a Portuguese folk song beautifully performed by George's Brazilian mum

Hand-crafted literary details were everywhere - from the table decorations and garlands (made from pages torn from favourite books) to this incredible literary cake featuring their most favourite authors

They made their wedding their very own - a ceremony that truly reflected their backgrounds, values and interests

Definitely one to remember 📚

09/03/2025

💫 Seb's attention to detail paid off 💫

I love this great shot by of Seb and Chloe holding hands after their wedding

Chloe and Seb's ceremony was full of fun, love and surprises, including the clouds parting on cue just as we started a sing along to The Beatles' Here Comes The Sun' ...

I knew they'd already got tattoos on their arms well before (her arm: Yes Sir / his arm: I can boogie) but this little 'off the cuff' detail is brilliant

Extra little details like this can delight and surprise - and make for a great shot in your wedding photo gallery

With a celebrant-led wedding you can craft a ceremony that totally reflects your personalities, values and style

06/03/2025

🛗 That time Krishna & Amish got stuck in a lift 🛗

This lovely photo was taken by and captures the very end of Amish & Krishna's wedding ceremony as they kiss and I gracefully bow out

Almost immediately after I had wished them a happy life full of shared adventures, Krishna & Amish got into a lift to take them down to the ground floor at

The idea was that they'd make an entrance after we'd all used the stairs and had gathered downstairs with drinks in hand

Only, their lift got stuck...

Once they'd been rescued, I told them I didn't expect them to start their adventures immediately! But they took it all in their stride and found the whole thing hilarious 😆

27/02/2025

🐈‍⬛ That time a black cat stole the show 🐈‍⬛

Univited guests can be an issue at some weddings but cat lovers Nikki & Tom didn't object to the resident cat at sauntering through the chairs as cool as you please

And black cats bring good fortune don't they? 😊

managed to capture this brazen uninvited guest beautifully

25/02/2025

💫 That time the best men brought some Hula Hoops! 💫

So glad that caught this moment in Civ and Emma's civil partnership ceremony at the fabulous Chalkney Water Meadows near Cochester

Civ had produced a Hula Hoop to Emma during his proposal - and (incredibly) it happened to fit perfectly

So, when I asked the best men to bring up the rings they surprised Emma and Civ by having a bit of fun with some Hula Hoops before they gave them the real rings

That's one of the brilliant things about having a celebrant-led ceremony - you can craft it to reflect your unique story and values. But you might also need to be prepared for the unexpected! 💫

22/02/2025

💮💮 Love and laughter 💮💮

Happy third anniversary to the lovely and Dan!

The beautiful and historic Old Palace at in Hertfordshire was the incredible backdrop for a wedding which celebrated the union of two individuals, two families, and two cultures

Photographer really captured the fun that these two had in a ceremony that combined cultural traditions with a modern, humanist sensibility

What a pleasure it was to be part of a magical and memorable day 😍

20/02/2025

✨🎉✨ Words to make a celebrant happy! ✨🎉✨

Sending off a draft ceremony script always generates a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation

Will they like it? Will they want to make big changes? Have you captured the right tone for this family? Eek!

So when you receive a reply like this it's guaranteed to make your celebrant both relieved and delighted - she might even break out into a happy dance! 💃(Reader, I did ...)

Can't wait to conduct Logan's naming ceremony at in Wetherby in June. It's going to be fun and emotional, a real celebration of love, family and friendship ✨🎉✨

17/02/2025

🍄🍄 The new Loop Living Coffin 🍄🍄

Huge thanks to Rosie and Lisa at in Todmorden for the opportunity to get up close to this fabulous environmentally friendly coffin

Developed by Dutch company , it's called the Loop Living Coffin and is made entirely from living mycelium (fungi) and upcycled h**p fibres

It's suited to both traditional and natural & woodland burials. Apparently it will break down totally in 45 days, enriching the biodiversity of the surrounding soil

It's a game changer for anyone concerned about nature and the environment and have already started offering these coffins as an option to families

29/01/2025

🐍🎆🐍 Happy Chinese New Year! 🐍🎆🐍

It's the year of the wood snake and according to Chinese beliefs this should bring wisdom and transformation

I think we can all do with some of that!

Wishing everyone a lunar year of peace, kindness and love ❤️

20/01/2025

🏁🚗 A farewell gathering for a rally enthusiast 🚗🏁

D died in December and left instructions for a direct cremation and then a gathering of family and friends

This gave the family time and space to plan a celebration of D's life with memorabilia, music, images and (most of all) lots of stories from a life well-lived

Family man, amateur rally driver and good friend to many, D was a larger-than-life character who even managed to pull some strings and surprise his wife at his own memorial with the inclusion of a special song

It was a privilege to tell D's story and help his family honour and celebrate him. He will be missed ...

15/01/2025

What a lovely family and a total privilege to conduct the naming ceremony for Peggy and Ronnie - love those East End of London pub names!

Laura and Jason, with help from their celebrant Sue, created a fun and meaningful humanist naming ceremony for their two children, Peggy and Ronnie, with music, promises and, of course, cake!

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."

Read more: https://abcnews.visitlink.me/h-V4AM

14/11/2024

🐿️🐦 The perfect setting 🐦🐿️

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