Maria Thorne Wedding and Naming Ceremonies - non-religious celebrant.

04/12/2024

Heidi and Darrell, after forty years together, finally had the ceremony they had always dreamed of to celebrate their Ruby Wedding anniversary. Despite the looming threat of rain, their outdoor ceremony wrapped up perfectly before the skies could dampen the day. Surrounded by family and friends, both old and new, we celebrated their story and they exchanged heartfelt vows they'd penned themselves - an emotional testament to their enduring love. It was truly an honour to be their celebrant on such a momentous occasion!

Thanks so much to them for sharing these gorgeous photos from the day, taken by the talented and unflappable Peter Diment! Do check out his website: https://www.pldphotography.co.uk/ or page: PLD Photography

And thanks also to Huntstile Organic Farm, who are always such fabulous, helpful hosts.

Humanist Ceremonies

13/11/2024

This week is Trans Awareness Week. November 13 – 19.

As humanists, we cherish empathy and care about the rights of all!

Our celebrants take the time to get to know you and will work with you to ensure your ceremony is authentic to who you are.🏳️‍⚧️❤

11/10/2024

A special Ruby Wedding vow renewal ceremony in Bridgwater gave this couple the chance to have the wedding they really wanted, 40 years later 🥰

Caption reads: "I can't even begin to describe to you how happy we were with how you performed our wonderful vow renewal ceremony. First of all you perfectly described our story and this was very poignant for those friends that have come into our lives later, they said it was very moving to hear our story and some struggled to hold back the tears. It was a very emotional experience... but we wouldn't have missed the opportunity for all the world."

06/10/2024

Loving cup...quaich...sharing a first drink together. Whatever you want to call this mini ritual, it's a wonderful way to toast your marriage towards the end of a ceremony. Find a cup or bowl that means something to you - this is a Cornish granite goblet to honour the groom's heritage; and fill it with a drink you love - this is wine from the couple's holiday in Tuscany. Hold the cup between you and feed one another a sip. I'll say some beautiful words about your hopes for the future. Life will be all the sweeter because you share it.

29/09/2024

🎉 What a way to end the wedding season! My last wedding of the year was for the absolutely gorgeous Amy and Davy. Their humanist wedding ceremony was the joyful opener for an epic wedding festival at Holsome Park near Totnes. Their kids laid ribbons for their handfasting, using colours that meant something to them. They wrote the most perfect vows in the form of a conversation. We incorporated Amy's love of fashion, Davy's love of Celtic, their two fab doggos, their S Devon love story, and the tale of Davy's surprise proposal at The Harbour Hotel in Salcombe. All topped off with confetti canons in a former Quarry with the most beautiful views.

Wishing you both so much happiness!!

Humanist Ceremonies Savage Scaffolding Ltd

01/09/2024

✏️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Newlywed couples and naming parents! (As well as their friends, family, or innocent by-standers...!)
If I've performed a ceremony for you recently and you were happy with how I did things(!) I'd really appreciate a kind review. You can either leave it here on Facebook, or head on over to Google to rate me! I still have some availability this winter and into next year, and reviews really help me to attract lovely, new clients. THANKS SO MUCH! https://g.page/r/CVVFCO571_NXEAE/review

28/08/2024

Jay and Billie met when they were both auditioning for panto at uni (Oh no they didn't... Oh yes they did!)
As well as being very creative themselves - with Jay making every single guest (and me!) a crochet buttonhole - they have loads of super talented friends who took part in the ceremony by performing songs and skits. Musical theatre is a big part of their lives, so they were keen to include songs from their favourite musicals and films. They also chose a tree planting ritual, repotting a sapling that all their guests could nourish with a bit of compost and which they'll take when they next move house. Such a kind couple and sooo much love in the room. What an absolutely joyful day 🥰


Humanist Ceremonies

02/08/2024

We've been thinking and, for our wedding, we'd like ...
✅️ Simone to arrive by flower-bedecked row boat and be sung ashore by shantymen.
✅️To get married in the heart of our community, under a tree by a creek.
✅️To be bound with beautiful, fabric ribbons and have 10 of our other friends lay those ribbons across our hands.
✅️To tell the story of our many adventures together.
✅️To include surprise "reasons I love you" sections and vows.

This is why I love my work as a celebrant, because Jack and Simone's Cornish humanist wedding was wholly representative of their values, their sense of community and a true celebration of their lives in Mylor Bridge.
They kindly chose me to be their celebrant having been at a wedding I'd performed for their friends. The sun shone, the shantymen sang and it really was something very special.

Humanist Ceremonies

23/07/2024

The wonderful thing about holding a naming ceremony for an older child like E is that they can enjoy being part of the planning, helping to choose symbolic acts, readings and their favourite music. (She chose "Butterfly Fly Away" by Miley Cyrus to play at the start of the ceremony). I also absolutely loved hearing all about what she enjoys doing with her 5 older siblings, from playing football to dancing, baking to Roblox. I asked her at the start how she felt about the day she said she was "happy, nervous and excited!" She took centre stage, right next to me and we were able to chat and interact loads during the ceremony, which made it all extra special 🥰

These are the lyrics from her favourite song, which I read as part of the ceremony since they seemed so perfect for this butterfly child:

You tucked me in, turned out the lights
Kept me safe and sound at night
Little girls depend on things like that
Brushed my teeth and combed my hair, had to drive me everywhere
You were always there when
I looked back
You had to do it all alone, make a livin', make a home
Must have been as hard as it could be
And when I couldn't sleep at night
Scared things wouldn't turn out right
You would hold my hand and sing to me
Caterpillar in the tree
How you wonder who you'll be
Can't go far but you can always dream
Wish you may and wish you might
Don't you worry, hold on tight
I promise you, there will come a day
Butterfly, fly away
Flap your wings, now you can't stay
Take those dreams and make them all come true


Humanist Ceremonies

15/07/2024

Huge smiles all round! Gaby and Willie had their humanist wedding at home on the farm in Devon. Their love story began at their local pub, the Keepers Cottage. I didn't get a photo of Oscar the labrador, their very well-behaved doggy ring-bearer, sadly.
Each of them referred to the other as a "GOAT" in their surprise vows ... meaning "greatest of all time", of course!! 🥰 Oodles of happy days ahead for this wonderful couple!

Humanist Ceremonies

Image shows a beautiful, smiling bride in a wedding gown with lace sleeves, holding a pink and burgundy bouquet; a groom in a blue suit with burgundy tie and Maria the celebrant in a purple dress with cream jacket. The three are standing with their arms around each other, in front of a farm gate with bushes behind. They all smile broadly at the camera.

09/07/2024

Ever so grateful for my latest 5⭐️ Google review. I often feel, when chatting to a couple about their wedding, as if I've somehow always known them! It's rare that there isn't a quick sense of connection and I think this is what enables me to help every couple to tell their unique story.

https://goo.gl/maps/YL1nd5bPaU651VZSA?g_st=ac










Humanist Ceremonies

06/07/2024

A tropical wedding paradise at Anrán near Newton Abbot. We included a milni (flower garland) ritual, with parents, bride and groom exchanging marigold garlands, reflecting the bride's heritage and symbolising the bringing together of their two families. Guests were welcomed in by flute and tabla performers, then the chief bridesmaid played and sang the couple down the aisle with a surprise song on piano. Just so joyful!

Humanist Ceremonies Humanists UK

Image descriptions: 1 A garland of yellow marigolds hangs from the back of a wooden fold-out chair. 2 Maria, a woman with long brown hair, wears a purple dress and turquoise linen jacket and stands holding a black folder and sming beneath an arch of tropical plants and flowers 3 an archway of tropical flowers with a background of green plants and palms 4 a view of a whole plant house with koi pond in the foreground and guests in formal Indian dress in the background 5 two male musicians are seated under a wooden covered porch way, one playing a flute and one playing tabla drums

02/07/2024

Last year, every single one of my wedding ceremonies was taken outside!! Have to say we were lucky with the weather in most cases but the beauty of working in the south west... at least when it rains it's fairly warm rain!!

21/06/2024

I don't often write a post specifically about a venue, but I can't help but judge a wedding location by the way they treat "the celebrant". I really can't fault Rockbeare Manor, near Exeter, where I received a warm and very helpful welcome. Some venues barely acknowledge me on arrival! But quickly developing a working relationship - albeit for less than an hour or so - can go a long way to ensuring a smooth wedding. It's an absolutely stunning venue, beautifully presented and their wedding team are super professional. Hope to return again soon.

21/06/2024

A and G were SO super organised that they booked me 4 years ago! Their love story was chock-full of laughs and tales of friendship. Oh, and spider catching and a George Foreman grill, naturally. 🕷
Their gorgeous little girl was ring bearer and they said "we do" in a room packed to the chandeliers at Rockbeare Manor, near Exeter.

Humanist Ceremonies

21/06/2024

❤️

🎉Happy !