Lemonade Ceremonies

29/01/2025

WHEN ANOTHER SUPPLIER RECOMMENDS ME ♥️♥️♥️

Photographers see a lot of weddings…FACT! So when they recommend me as a celebrant, I’m truly flattered ♥️.

I first met Chloe at the beautiful wedding of Grace and Emily. It was an international affair with family and friends who had travelled from around the world to celebrate their union.

snapped all the magical moments and the photo I’ve shared here proves it 💛. Just look at that light 💛.

Chloe has written a new blog talking about wedding suppliers…and I’m delighted to be a recommended Celebrant! Here’s the link to read more about her recommendations…

https://www.chloejessupphotography.com/post/vendor-vibes-the-ultimate-dream-team-for-your-wedding-day

There are lots more great blogs and photos on her website to check out too 💛.

25/01/2025

KIND WORDS AFTER A FUNERAL SERVICE

I'm not sure if people realise how much words like this mean to us as Celebrants. I arrived home to this after a funeral yesterday and was so touched that someone in the midst of grief would take the time to write.

My task was to create an uplifting ceremony for a woman that was taken from her family much too soon. There is no way to make a funeral easy for a family, but seeing smiling faces looking at back at you as you share great stories is a special kind of reward.

13/01/2025

SOMETHING NEW FOR 2025

My 2024 weddings were filled with beautiful and unique handfasting ceremonies that were fun, romantic, and often surprising 💛

For 2025 I’m offering an option for a handfasting ceremony for couples, friends, or families that aren’t having a full wedding ceremony but want to incorporate it into their celebration 💛

This will include a handfasting with the ribbons or cords you provide (I can help!) as well as a mini love story to share with you and your guests 💛

This does not replace a wedding ceremony that incorporates vows, rings, I Dos, and all the other great elements 💛

It does offer something a bit shorter, very sweet, and a lot of fun and romance! 💛

If you want to TIE THE KNOT (with or without guests), send me a message and I’ll happily share more details 💛

24/12/2024

A MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄…

🎅🏼 To the lovebirds sharing their first Christmas as a married couple
🧑‍🎄 To the excited couples getting engaged this week
🌲 To the couples getting married in 2025 (see you soon!)
👼🏻 To the lucky ones with a new addition to the family
🎄To the families having to get through the holidays after a bereavement
🌟 To friends and family, old and new

21/12/2024

ANYONE UP FOR AN 80s WEDDING? Apparently it’s vintage now 😮!!

19/12/2024

A PERFECT ENDING TO 2024 WEDDINGS

Thanks to S&C, I truly had the most magical final wedding of 2024. They know how much I adore them and I think we’d both love to do it all over again! It even snowed and gave most of us Southerners the only white wedding of the year 🤍. The order of the day was FUN and their directive was to make it UNIQUE and MEMORABLE and they really allowed me to do that with their ceremony.

🤍 They wanted the ceremony to be a surprise, so they had no draft or preview of the script.
🤍 Their fabulous best man hid the rings under a random guest chair and we had a surprise ring bearer.
🤍 We made it as interactive as possible with guests welcome to get involved, cheer, answer questions, laugh in all the right places, and celebrate when their name was mentioned.
🤍 There was a guest vote on who should read their vows first…sorry C!
🤍 But don’t worry, there was also love and romance in abundance, tears of happiness, perfect I DO’S, and more than one BIG KISS 💋💋💋.

Thank you S&C!!!
And thanks to for this stunning photo.

Other amazing suppliers 🤍
for the stunning snow-covered venue
for glorious design and winter flowers

10/12/2024

Just sitting here at the computer working away on a ceremony when this wonderful email came through via . As a Celebrant, I don't have an annual review or any of the traditional workplace evaluations, so words like this mean everything ❤️. Thank you C&M xoxo

Beautiful photo of this New Forest wedding by Becky takes Photos

22/11/2024

NATIONAL FUNERAL CELEBRANTS DAY

Thank YOU for all the support ♥️

So we go from World Celebrant Week to National Funeral Celebrants Day…that’s a whole lotta bragging! But hey, that’s because we really LOVE what we do ♥️.

On National Funeral Celebrants Day I’m thinking about all the people I want to thank for helping me be here ♥️

⭐️ The families who have chosen me as their Celebrant
⭐️ The friends who have recommended me
⭐️ The funeral directors who work hand-in-hand to make services perfect (funeral directors care more than you can imagine)
⭐️ Venues who encourage Celebrants for memorials and wakes
⭐️ The crematorium staff who are committed to perfection
⭐️ Celebrant Colleagues who are always available to answer questions and give support
⭐️ My family and loved ones who back me all the way…and especially my mum who suggested I enter this weird and wonderful business in the first place ♥️

20/11/2024

PERSONALISING A CELEBRATION OF LIFE 💛🌼💛

Did you know that a funeral, memorial, or celebration of life is full of choices? You are not limited to what is expected, what is the “norm”, or just what a funeral director suggests.

Starting with a Celebrant - the choice is always yours! Many people believe that they have to use a recommended supplier that may be linked to a funeral director, but that’s not the case. You can you choose anyone that is right for you 💛.

You can also create personal orders of service, display photos and reminders of your loved one, and do anything that makes your goodbye exactly what you want 💛.

Today’s family not only designed and printed booklets as the order of service, they also shared their tributes alongside my words, and brought thank you cards with bags of daffodil bulbs for guests to take home and plant as a reminder of their mother 🌼. I will be planting my bulbs tomorrow and think of this very special woman every spring 💛.

16/11/2024

Being part of a Gift of a Wedding was such a highlight of my year ♥️. A beautiful charity making dreams come true ♥️.

CELEBRATING OUR CELEBRANTS!

There are no words to express the gratitude we feel for the 100's of celebrants who have supported Gift of a Wedding over the years. Their heartfelt and poignant ceremonies are what make our days special.

In honour of World Celebrants Week 2024 which takes place from Friday, November 15th 2024 to Thursday 21st November 2024, we want to recognise the work they do all around the UK and let them know how much we appreciate them.

WHAT IS A CELEBRANT?
They are people who perform or officiate ceremonies such as weddings, vow renewals, baby namings, funerals, interments and memorials.

Thanks again celebrants all over the UK, we could not fulfil wedding dreams and create wonderful memories without you!

Team gift of a Wedding 💜

15/11/2024

WORLD CELEBRANTS WEEK - DAY 4

WHAT IS MY CELEBRANT SUPERPOWER?

It’s hard to answer this without sounding totally arrogant! But I’ve been having a think about it and I remembered a recent review that referred to me as UNFLAPPABLE. I love this description and as a Celebrant it’s really important that I can cope with anything on the day and I like to think I can.

I’ve been tested with a missing bride, a tipsy groom, broken glass in the aisle, crying children, phones ringing, ring doorbells making announcements, an owl landing on my arm, and all sorts of moments that add memories to a ceremony. They’ve all ended with a calm Celebrant, a successful ceremony, a happy couple, and a smiling group of guests.

So amongst all the usual superpowers that every Celebrant needs, I would say my USP is my UNFLAPPABILITY ⭐️🤩💛.

Try saying that 10 times in a row!!

This photo has absolutely NOTHING to do with me being a Celebrant, but you’ve seen plenty of those so I decided to share this one of a local cabaret evening with - a performer fuelled by superpowers ⚡️.

And what a great excuse to select this theme tune as the music ⚡️⭐️🚀

13/11/2024

WORLD CELEBRANTS WEEK - DAY 3
MY FAVOURITE BIT

In short: THE STORY

A bit longer: Today’s post brings me to Funerals because those are the ceremonies keeping me busy at the moment. At the heart of all ceremony is a story. More importantly, a carefully crafted story written and shared with love, kindness and a little bit of humour.

Meeting with families to plan a loving funeral ceremony is always a privilege, sometimes a challenge, and never a bore. Everyone has a great story and as a celebrant I have the honour of making sure it is heard 💛.

Thank you to families and to funeral directors entrusting me with this rewarding task 🧡.

Photo by me of my view at Worthing Crematorium.

12/11/2024

WORLD CELEBRANTS WEEK - DAY 2

THREE REASONS TO CHOOSE A CELEBRANT ⭐️⭐️⭐️

1 - You’ll be smiling as big as the two lovebirds in this photo ♥️.

2 - You can include awesome things like handfasting and literally tie the knot on your wedding day 🧡.

3 - Your friends and family won’t have to listen to another boring and generic wedding ceremony. Yours will surprise them, make them laugh and keep them talking for months to come 💛.

Thank you for the joyous photo and to Emma & Josh for being as kind, loving, happy and generous as two people could be with one another. ♥️🧡💛

11/11/2024

WORLD CELEBRANTS WEEK

I seemed to have lost my social media mojo after a busy summer of ceremonies and socialising, so this seems like a great week to get posting again 💛.

Thanks to for the nudge and to for this loving photo of Charlotte & Matthew from their summer wedding in the New Forest ⭐️.

I’m Melanie and I’ve been lucky enough to call myself an Independent Celebrant for almost five years. Leaving a job that I didn’t enjoy and training to do something completely different was a risky proposition, but one I’ve never regretted 🤩.

I started with weddings, but soon expanded into funerals. Sometimes I get asked which I prefer, but there is no easy answer to that. I love stories, people and ceremonies! Whether it’s a love story or a life story, I believe that everyone has a great one and crafting that story into a memorable tale to share is my passion.

I’ve written and shared stories at weddings, vow renewals, baby namings, commitments, funerals, memorials and life celebrations 💛. I’ve been asked to create some different ceremonies next year and can’t wait to share new ideas with you! Ceremony has no boundaries 💛.

Thank you to those who have trusted me with their stories xoxo

08/11/2024

PERSONAL, UPLIFTING AND MUSICAL FAREWELLS

Today we celebrated a man who loved music, specifically prog rock, and even more specifically Pink Floyd. Opening with the lyrics to The Great Gig In The Sky and closing with the lyrics to Eclipse felt like the perfect personal tribute to a man who loved playing these songs on his guitar. 🎸

The wonderful Funeral Director even brought along her Bluetooth speaker so we could listen to Shine On You Crazy Diamond during a moment of reflection and lowering of the coffin. I think it may have been the most excitement the cemetery has seen in a while. 🎸

Funerals are about doing what is right for your loved one, your family, and yourself. Traditions are great if that’s what you want, but it’s also alright if you want to mix it up, play rock music, have a toast at the service, and dare I say, laugh a little. 🎸

💛 www.farewellsbymelanie.co.uk 💛

05/11/2024

A beautiful location for a celebrant-led weddings and other ceremonies 💛

14/10/2024

AUTUMN WEDDING SEASON 🍃🍁🍂

The days are shorter, the temperatures are lower, and the rain is more reliable…but there are also many reasons to love this time of year. I love the changing leaves, getting cosy under a soft blanket, lighting pumpkin candles, and most of all…preparing gorgeous ceremonies for couples that love the changing seasons 🍁.

From Halloween themes to November nuptials and even to the winter solstice, there are some really wonderful ways to celebrate 🧡.

To those of you getting ready for your autumn weddings…get cosy, make a hot toddy, and relax in the knowledge that you won’t have to worry about the weather (you will be indoors), that your guests won’t be on their summer holidays or double booked for other weddings, and that everyone (guests and suppliers) will be grateful for a cheery event as winter draws nearer 🍁.

Happy planning and I’ll see you soon 🧡🍁🍂

PHOTOS: Two years ago I took a solo bucket list trip of America, visiting all the places I’d never been despite living there for almost 30 years. Top of the list was New England to see the changing leaves in the “Fall”. It did not disappoint!! 🍁🍁🍁

14/10/2024

A great morning of networking with the Corporate Ladies Club hosted by Sage House by Dementia Support and held at the beautiful The Goodwood Hotel. Thank you all for the time and inspiration 🧡. We have a truly wonderful network of corporate women in our city 💛.

And no, the photo has nothing to do with the meeting, but it seemed strange to post without a shameless promotional photo 🤩!