Creative Heart Ceremonies

Heart-centred ceremonies for extraordinary people

Hello and welcome to my website. I'm Celine, an independent wedding, funeral and naming celebrant based in East Sussex.

Are you looking for a professional celebrant to provide a personalised, authentic and memorable ceremony for an important life event? I officiate all types of ceremony including weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, vow renewals, handfasting ceremonies, funerals and celebrations of life, naming and adoption ceremonies, special anniversaries and basically any cause for celebration!

Would you like your ceremony to be:

  • Personal, meaningful, authentic and memorable
  • Tailored around your unique story
  • A combination of gentle humour, sincerity and tenderness
  • Full of special elements and unique moments
  • A day to remember for years to come
If your answer is a resounding YES, then let's get talking!

Celebrating love and life with compassion

The wonderful thing about having a personalised celebrant-led ceremony is that you can be as original, traditional or as off-the-wall as you want (within reason, of course!) With an independent celebrant, you have the right and the freedom to choose any style of ceremony you want, at a place and time of your choosing. It can integrate any spiritual or symbolic rituals that you may want to include. I will do everything I can to make sure that your day is the best that it can be.

An independent celebrant isn't just for weddings and funerals; a celebrant can add pizzazz to all sorts of special occasions and rites of passage. A big birthday, the launch of a new business, a wedding anniversary, engagement, retirement - you name it!

So if you're looking for an independent celebrant who is professional, compassionate and 100% dedicated, then drop me a text or email.

It's my absolute honour, privilege and delight to work with people at a pivotal moment in their lives. Feel free to read my reviews and find out what others have to say about me!

Email: celinethecelebrant@gmail.com
Mobile: 07877 956721
Find me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celinethecelebrant
Say hello on Instagram: www.instagram.com/celine_the_celebrant

Unforgettable ceremonies for life's precious moments

Weddings

Weddings

Loved up and getting married? Congratulations!!! Would you like your wedding ceremony to be filled with love, laughter and tears of joy?

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Naming Ceremonies

Naming Ceremonies

Celebrate and welcome a baby or child into your life with a special naming ceremony.

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Vow Renewals

Vow Renewals

Renew your love and commitment to each other with a beautiful vow renewal ceremony.

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Funerals

Funerals

Everyone deserves a send off that truly captures the essence of a person and the life they lived.

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Andy
Civil Partnership client

From the moment that we asked Celine to be our Celebrant for our Civil Partnership we felt that we were in excellent hands. She helped us to choose the words in the ceremony, advised us on several different aspects of the day and then finally, presided over our ceremony with a professional and friendly air. Celine's input throughout the whole event added considerably to making this day a complete success. Thank you Celine!

     

Jenny
Funeral service client

Celine was the celebrant at my 91 year old Mum's funeral. She spent a lot of time beforehand talking to me and preparing, getting the details just right and creating a Eulogy which was perfect in length, tone and detail. She liaised clearly and promptly with the funeral organisers so that everything was ready. She led the service calmly, respectfully and professionally, with just the right degree of solemnity and a little, appropriate, humour. Everybody said it was a beautiful service and that Mum would have really loved it. I would definitely recommend Celine to lead any ceremony.

     

George & Sonia
Naming & adoption ceremony client

Having adopted a child, we wanted to give him a special ceremony to welcome him to our family and what better way to do it than a naming & adoption day in the middle of the woods. Celine was absolutely incredible & creative with her ideas for the ceremony and popped over to meet our new family beforehand so she got a feel for us all, especially our boy. The day itself was utterly magical & a day we'll never ever forget thanks to Celine. Couldn't recommend her enough. Thank you!

     

Caroline
Funeral service client

Thank you for your care with our mum and nan on her final journey. You have made this difficult time more bearable.

     

Jan
Civil partnership client

Celine could not have been more thoughtful, creative, receptive or understanding for our special day. She gave us ideas, some of which we acted on and we were so pleased with how it all came together ❤ So many people commented on what a beautiful ceremony it was...thank you Celine ❤

     

Phillip
Funeral service client

Celine was the celebrant for my mother's funeral. A truly professional and compassionate lady who gave our family the utmost respect and support during a very sad and difficult time. Celine spent time with us to get a true reflection of my Mother's life and how much she would be missed by us all. The tribute Celine put together and then read at the service was heart warming and moving, detailing all the memories we wanted to share. I would recommend Celine to anyone looking for a Celebrant whatever the occasion sad or happy. Thank you Celine you are an amazing person and my family will always be eternally grateful to you.

     

Carmen
Wedding guest

I recently attended a wedding for which Celine was the wedding celebrant. It was a joyful occasion led by Celine who created this atmosphere with her gentle relaxed manner, her humour and her clarity of expression. She was able to make all the wedding guests feel involved and there were some fun rituals included! All in all Celine headed up a very special day creating lifelong memories for us all.

     

Louise
Wedding ceremony client

We are so grateful that we asked Celine to be our wedding celebrant. She was professional, fun, warm and full of positivity and made sure that our wedding day was truly unforgettable. She took the time to get to know us and created a beautiful, thoughtful and memorable ceremony. If you're looking for a wedding celebrant for your special day, we couldn't recommend Celine highly enough!

     

David & Priscilla
Vow Renewal clients

Thank you so much Celine for leading us through a wonderful renewal of our vows. It really was a very special day and you made it very personal and fitting for us as a couple and for our family and friends.

     

Vicky
Funeral service client

Right from the start we knew that we had made the right choice of funeral celebrant with Celine. The care, compassion and empathy shown by Celine was wonderful. She really took time and trouble to understand Margaret and all that she meant to her family and friends. Nothing was too much trouble and her communication and support was excellent. We would have no hesitation in recommending Celine as a funeral celebrant.

     

Lucy & Tracy
Funeral service client

I recently cremated a very dear friend friend of mine and Celine was the independent Celebrant that delivered the service. I cannot recommend her highly enough, Celine was kind, compassionate and took her time to get to know us as a family. Celine made sure we felt at ease and took away all the stress that comes with arranging a funeral. She was very knowledgeable and dealt with us with empathy. Thank you Celine we would highly recommend you to family and friends.

     

PRC
Wedding ceremony client

Thank you so much again for making our day extra special. Celine could not have been more thoughtful and understanding! Even our family and friends all said how great you were and the ceremony was exactly how we'd imagined it so thank you Celine

     

Sylvia & Karen
Funeral service client

Celine Gucher is an excellent celebrant. She was extremely helpful & understanding at all times & very patient. She conducted the service in a professional & caring manner & everybody said what a beautiful service it was. Thank you Celine for making a very difficult day a sentimental & memorable one.

     

Steven
Celebration of life client

Celine helped us through the complete process of organising a Celebration of Life for our Son who recently passed away. On the night she was extremely professional and done us proud. I highly recommend her to anyone who needs an independent Celebrant.

     

Charlotte & Jamie
Wedding ceremony clients

Celine was absolutely wonderful. The ceremony was beautiful and so personal to us. It really was a lovely change from the usual ceremonies we’ve all been to! From the start Celine made us feel confident that she understood what we wanted and she created the most memorable moments for us. We would highly recommend her 💜 We had the most amazing day, thank you!!

     

Ben
Funeral service client

Celine is an empathic, understanding and kind celebrant. She took great care to understand and deliver our wishes and I would highly recommend her.

     

Steve and Mary
Funeral service client

This is just a quick email to say a big thank you for doing such a wonderful job in making sure that dad’s funeral went so smoothly. You made all the difference making a hard, emotional and daunting job so much easier. Thank you so much!

     

Amanda
Celebration of life client

Celine was absolutely amazing with preparing and delivering a beautiful perfect celebration of life for brother Connor! Would definitely recommend her to everyone xx Amanda and family

     

Katherine
Wedding client

Celine did a wonderful job of our ceremony, it felt so natural and personal - like she’d known us for years 😊 Thank you Celine 💕💕💕

     

Sami
Funeral service client

Celine made the whole process very easy. With help and advice she helped us to put together a wonderful service. Forever grateful and would highly recommend her to anyone.

     

Cathy
Funeral service client

I found Celine to be an extremely competent, calm and professional celebrant as well as being a very warm and compassionate person whom I instantly felt at home with. She recently conducted a family funeral beautifully and everyone found the service very moving. I do not hesitate to recommend her.

     

Laura
Naming ceremony client

Celine conducted my son's naming ceremony. She provided a beautiful and very friendly service. Tailored perfectly for our family. Would 100% recommend!

     

Marisa
Funeral service client

Absolutely perfect would highly recommend

     

Jane
Civil partnership

I attended my friends civil partnership ceremony in East Dean. Celine was the Celebrant. She did the most wonderful ceremony. Celine managed the whole occasion beautifully. She was extremely professional and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone.

     

Jo
Funeral service client

I would wholeheartedly recommend Celine’s services as a celebrant. Celine conducted my Fathers funeral ceremony and ensured she spent time, care and effort beforehand, meeting with us to discuss the fine details and to ensure the ceremony went as we wished. The service was exactly as we wanted and many guests commented afterwards about how beautifully Celine spoke and some people even thought Celine knew Dad because the words were so heartfelt and perfectly conjured up images of my Dad and his personality. The whole day went as well as we could have hoped and I am secure in the knowledge that Dad had the funeral he deserved. We cannot thank Celene enough for making a very sad occasion more bearable and a fitting tribute to a lovely man.

     

Debbie

Our celebrant Celine lead us through the process of putting together the funeral service for our mum. She was sensitive to our needs and turned our ramblings about our mum into a lovely eulogy. Thank you!

     

Tara
Funeral supplier

I work for a funeral directors in Eastbourne and have had the pleasure to meet the wonderful Celine. She offers a beautiful personal celebrant service for funerals. She spends time with the family prior to the funeral service & gets to know them and their loved one on a personal level that way delivering a warm and friendly feel, bringing the family comfort in a difficult time. Each family and circumstance is different but Celine can certainly tailor to each families needs. Genuinely lovely lady.

     

David
Funeral service client

I was very satisfied with your celebrant services. I was most impressed by the time and attention that you gave to all aspects of the preparation for my mother's funeral. This I think led to a ceremony that was a fitting tribute to my mother.

     

Your burning questions answered!

Many people are still unclear about what a celebrant does. When I told my friends and family that I wanted to be a celebrant, some of them asked "a what"?

A celebrant is a person who officiates at a ceremony or rite, such as a wedding, funeral or naming ceremony. Think of a celebrant as a 'master of ceremonies' - the person who holds the space, conducts the ceremony and keeps everything going. A celebrant can officiate a bespoke, personalised ceremony and include religious or spiritual content if desired.

Celebrants are usually self-employed and work independently of any religious or statutory organisation.

At the moment, celebrants cannot legally marry couples in England. Registrars can process and approve a couples marriage licence and conduct a legally binding ceremony at licenced venues only.
  • The freedom to create a personalised, bespoke and meaningful celebration that is completely unique
  • You can tailor your celebration around your own ideas and preferences. If you want to renew your vows on a beach, get married in the ruins of a castle or hold a woodland funeral ceremony, the choice is yours!
  • Your celebration can be held almost anywhere and you aren't confined to licenced only venues
  • Your celebrant takes time to get to know you so that your celebration isn't a one-size-fits-all affair
  • A celebrant-led ceremony allows you to include rituals, symbolism, readings and family members in a creative and fun way
Every celebrant has their own unique style, personality and way of working. Much like people in general, they each have their own strengths, qualities and approach to working. No two celebrants will ever create the same script or conduct a ceremony in the same way, which makes every ceremony so special.

You may want a celebrant who loves to integrate nature into their ceremonies or a quirky celebrant who loves dressing up and creating themed ceremonies. If you are a humanist you may prefer a humanist celebrant.

The best advice I can give is to talk to a few celebrants near you and get a feel for who they are as people and how they work. Google local celebrants in your area or visit celebrant directories.

Follow your gut and trust your instinct!
A funeral celebrant (also known as a funeral officiant) officiates funeral ceremonies. Funeral celebrants work independently and are usually from a non-clergy background.

A funeral celebrant supports the bereaved family throughout the process and works with them to plan and deliver a memorable and personalised service for the person who has died. Funeral celebrants help to organise and conduct funerals; leading the ceremony and welcoming other people as they offer their tributes during the service. They work closely with loved ones to provide a thoughtful and fitting send off for the person who has passed away.

Funeral celebrants are the main host of funerals or celebration of life ceremonies. Religious or non-religious content can be included as part of the service.

If you would like to include religious or spiritual content, such as words or rituals, then we can certainly include them as part of your ceremony. 
This is a very good question because many people aren't sure about what the difference is!

A registrar can legally marry couples whereas a celebrant can only hold bespoke ceremonies. Many couples choose to do the 'legal bit' first at their local registry office with two witnesses and then hold their wedding or civil partnership with an independent celebrant afterwards.

While you can absolutely get married with a registrar, a celebrant-led ceremony offers versality, choice, personalised words, rituals and symbolism.

The beauty of having a celebrant is that they will get to know you pretty well before the ceremony whereas with a registrar, you will get whoever is on the rota on the day.
The short answer is no. Independent wedding celebrants can deliver a loving and meaningful wedding ceremony but the legal bit is not yet possible.

In England, independent celebrants cannot legally marry couples. The legal part of marriage must be done at the registry office and usually costs around £50. Most couples choose to do the legal aspect at the registry office and have the ceremony a few days or a week after. It is entirely up to you.

Once you have done the statutory part of your marriage you are free to hold your own awesome wedding celebration with rings, vows, readings and any other rituals that you would like to include such as handfasting or a wine box ceremony.
Funeral Director's take care of all elements of the funeral, such as whether you are choosing a burial or cremation, a full funeral service or a direct cremation, etc. They take care of the deceased and deal with the funeral arrangements.

A funeral celebrant focusses on the service itself, including the eulogy, readings, music and the order of service. They work with families to create an intimate and personal tribute to the person who has died and lead the funeral ceremony.



Let me take care of your special day, so you don't have to.

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This article explores the significance of incorporating symbolic rituals into weddings, civil partnerships, vow renewals and commitment ceremonies by shedding light on how these time-honoured customs from various cultures can enrich and enhance a couple's special day. Discover how these symbolic wedding rituals go beyond the surface, adding depth and meaning to your celebration, and creating memorable moments that resonate with love, unity, and commitment!

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16 Naming Ceremony Promises Ideas

Writing promises to your child for their naming ceremony can be a daunting task. Here are 16 parental promises ideas to get you started!

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Why do couples renew their vows?

Why do couples choose to renew their vows and what does a renewal of vows ceremony include?

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So what's the big deal about having a celebrant?

7 great reasons why a celebrant-led ceremony is the way to go!

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Inclusion imageInclusion imageInclusion image
Celebrating Diversity & Difference

As an independent celebrant, I strive to ensure that I treat all clients, including their wider circle of friends and family, with respect and kindness.

Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are values that I hold close to my heart. l believe that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

I embrace diversity and inclusion and have a strong belief in valuing each person equally regardless of ethnicity, religion, sex, language, sexual orientation, physical ability, or any other status.

I strive to be aware of unconscious bias and embrace all types of ceremony, for all types of people.

I value each person as an individual and believe that diversity is something to be celebrated. No two people are the same and our individuality is what makes us truly remarkable.

The world would be a very dull place if we were all the same! 
  • Eastbourne, England, United Kingdom
  • BN211QN