Sue Walder - Humanist Celebrant

31/10/2025

🥳 To celebrant, or not to celebrant ... 🥳

Love how Melanie & Alexander use 'celebrant' as a verb in this lovely testimonial

Verbs are doing words and 'celebranting' is certainly what I do - in collaboration with couples and families, venues, and other weddings suppliers, of course

For Mel & Alexander, we crafted a relaxed and personal wedding ceremony at the fabulous woodland venue at Glamping in the Yorkshire Dales

What a couple - so open and generous with their time and stories which helped shape a truly meaningful ceremony that reflected their personalities, cultures and families

Wishing you both every happiness and heaps more adventures together 🥰

29/10/2025

💐💐A family affair 💐💐

Love how captured the relaxed, family vibe of Helen & Adam's July wedding at Gibson Mill near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire

It was beautiful sunny (and hot!) day at Hardcastle Crags and the room was filled with soft light

It was also filled with the love and good cheer of a great bunch of family and friends

Helen and Adam's little son Albie did a great job as ring-bearer and his cousins Chloe-Anne and Ella were brilliant flower girls

As I told their story there was plenty of laughter and when Adam & Helen made their vows to each other a few happy tears were shed. Then it was outside in the bright sunshine for confetti and fizz ...

Great to work with Agatha at the venue and with Fiona the photographer 😊😊

25/10/2025

😸 Pets at weddings 😸

Meet Freddie (on the left) and Pebble ...

It's lovely when you can include your pet/s at your wedding - they're important family members after all

But sometimes it's just not possible. What to do?

Well, three weeks ago I surprised my daughter Siobhán and her fiancé Ollie by smuggling in these two cut-out heads on sticks and placing them (face side down) under every chair in the gorgeous Churchill Room at

I then got all the guests to whip them out and wave them as they made their communal pledge of support and love for Ollie and Siobhán. And Pebble and Freddie later made a lively appearance on the dancefloor ...

Can't wait to see the photos by

20/10/2025

🍂🍁A woodland scattering of ashes 🍁🍂

Gerry was the beloved sister of a good friend of mine and I was honoured recently to conduct an ashes scattering ceremony in a place she liked to walk when she visited the Calder Valley

Her death two years ago has affected her family deeply and saying goodbye has been a long process. She may not be physically present any more but her story and the memories she made with the people she loved are certainly very much alive

After her cremation, a memorial bench was placed in a park in her hometown. A QR code on the bench has so far sent more than 1,000 curious people to a webpage which explains who Gerry was and what she meant to her friends and family

As I had forgotten my walking boots, my friend loaned me a pair of boots she had found in her house that had belonged to Gerry. So I literally walked in Gerry's shoes to the magical little glade chosen for the scattering ... an honour indeed

And as Gerry's ashes were scattered I read out a long list of memories they had compiled - a mix of funny, sad and mad

Now her memory is forever linked to a beautiful West Yorkshire woodland which my friend will visit often

Rest in peace, Gerry 🧡

13/10/2025

❤️Mother of the bride *and* wedding celebrant❤️

A couple of weekends ago I had the unique privilege of conducting the wedding ceremony for my daughter Siobhán's and my son-in-law Ollie - and I'm still processing the experience!

Such a special day in every respect. What a fabulous venue - (👋 Charlotte & team). What incredible florals ( ). What a brilliant photographer - (can't wait to see the official pics). And what a fun and supportive bunch of friends and family who totally understood the assignment!

But the best bit for me was getting to hold space for these two wonderful human beings and be part of their special day. It will forever be a personal and career highlight. What a magical, memorable day

Thanks for placing your love and trust in me .linda.wynter and . Wishing you both love, happiness and adventure, always ❤️🫶❤️

25/09/2025

🌹Having the final word🌹

What a privilege to meet Pam in the last few weeks of her life at the Sue Ryder Hospice in Oxenhope and to help her create a celebration of life ceremony

We talked about the important people and events in her life and I was able to include many direct quotes from our chats

It was important to Pam that she had her life story told her way and using her own words as much as possible

Planning her own funeral ceremony was her extraordinary final gift to her family and partner, saving them extra anxiety as they process her loss

She is sorely missed but she has left a lasting legacy of great memories which her family and friends will cherish

07/09/2025

Love this ...♥️

03/09/2025

✨🎉 Reasons to be cheerful 🎉✨

Lucy and Tom's wedding plans were restricted by COVID and although they managed to get married, they never had the party they had originally envisaged

Fast forward five years, add in two gorgeous sons and the time felt right for some sort of family celebration

The ceremony we crafted combined a renewal of vows by Tom and Lucy with a naming ceremony for Quinn and Laurence

And, most importantly, this was all witnessed and celebrated by their tribe of special friends and family who whole-heartedly joined in the celebrations

Ceremonies such as these are truly life-affirming and such a joy to be part of ✨🎉✨

01/09/2025

🍃🍂🍁 Autumn Weddings 🍁🍂🍃

Who else loves an autumn wedding? I know I do. The light can be wonderful and the golden autumn leaves add an extra dimension to your wedding photos

I have a very special autumn wedding coming up in early October at in London. I'll be conducting a wedding there for my daughter - eek! 💃✨💃

And I'm delighted to have just been booked to conduct a fusion wedding next September for Preena & Rob at in West Yorkshire, which will include a version of a Hindu phera ritual 🔥🪷🔥

The autumn equinox is a time of transition, encouraging a state of reflection and gratitude - fitting themes for a wedding ceremony 🍃✨🍃

26/08/2025

✨ Positive affirmation ✨

What a joy it was to conduct Helen and Adam's wedding ceremony at Gibson Mill at Hardcastle Craggs () just outside Hebden Bridge

Their little boy Albie did a great job of being ringbearer and the room was filled with light, love and laughter

And outside for confetti, fizz and fun. Who knew that you might need sunscreen in West Yorkshire?

Can't wait to see the photos ...

18/08/2025

15/08/2025

🧡 A final gift 🧡

This week I've had the privilege of spending time with a remarkable woman who is in a hospice and facing the end of her life

She wanted to choose and meet the celebrant who would ultimately conduct her celebration of life

I feel honoured that she chose me

She had started writing out her life story and I was able to help her with that

There was nothing morbid about this process whatsoever. For Pam, it felt absolutely the right thing to do

And what a wonderful last gift this will be to her partner and family. They won't have to deal with the extra anxiety of wondering what sort of funeral (if any) that she wanted

You don't have to be at the end of your life to start thinking about what you want to happen when you die. It's a conversation that can begin at any time with your family and friends

Leaving a written plan about what you want will save your family valuable time and worry just at the point when they'll need all their emotional strength to deal with your loss

Photo: Paolo Nicollelo - Unsplash