Humanists look upon marriage as an equal partnership and a serious commitment involving mutual love, support and respect. Each Humanist Wedding Ceremony or Civil Partnership celebration I write and present is unique, dignified and very personal.
No two ceremonies are alike and yours will be written especially for you, as traditional or ununsual as you like. You will be free to make all the important choices about words, readings and music. You may wish to write your own vows or aspirations, exchange rings, light candles, include friends and family members reading prose or poems or singing and include a blessing of the hands. You may already have lots of ideas, or you may not yet know what you want. I can advise you on what has worked well in the past and make suggestions to suit your personality.
Your ceremony can be held at almost any location you wish. I have presented wedding ceremonies in hotels, stately homes, in marquees, in gardens, on campsites and in fields.
At present in England and Wales a Humanist Wedding Ceremony or Civil Partnership does not form a legal marriage or civil partnership contract. Most couples, therefore, visit a Registry Office a day or two before the Humanist Ceremony to obtain the certificate and deal with the legal formalities.
A funeral ceremony is an important time when family and friends say a formal goodbye to someone important in their lives who has died. It should help them to express their sadness but also celebrate the life which was lived.
I hope my ceremonies help people feel uplifted and able to move on with their own lives.
I will spend time visiting family members and close friends to discuss the deceased, their work, achievements, pastimes, and personality. Sometimes families know what they want included in the ceremony, other times a family needs guidance.
As well as this I am happy to meet with people wishing to discuss plans for their own funerals before their death or to write their own script with them.
I can offer suggestions of music, readings and poems. My ceremonies do not involve hymns or prayers, but there is time for quiet reflection when people with religious beliefs can say a silent prayer. There is the opportunity for family and friends to contribute with tributes or by reading poems if they wish.
A Humanist funeral can be a burial or cremation and in the case of a cremation a ceremony to inter the ashes can be conducted at a later date if desired. I have carried out funeral ceremonies at cremotoria, woodland burial sites, gravesides, and memorial ceremonies in village halls, theatres and many other venues.
A Humanist ceremony is a dignified celebration of life and a positive event for the family and friends left behind.
A baby naming or welcome ceremony is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of your baby or child into your family, circle of friends and the community.
Every naming ceremony is unique. There is no set pattern or script, so a celebration is created to meet your needs and wishes. I can make suggestions on words, music, poems and prose, as well as parent and supporting adult (the equivalent to a God parent) promises.
Many people like to involve other members of the family in the ceremony by asking them to read a poem or say something and if there are older children in the family I usually encourage them to join in by reading something they have written, presenting a picture they have drawn, sing a song or releasing balloons. Some parents mark the occasion with a book in which guests can write a special message; some plant a tree or sponsor a child in a developing country, adopt an endangered species, or give their child a special gift as a symbolic act.
All Humanist ceremonies are non-religious and 'mentors', 'supporting adults', or 'guide parents' are often appointed to provide support and encouragement to a child as a 'God parent' might. A typical ceremony lasts about twenty minutes and I have presented them in homes, gardens, hotels, village halls, fields - in fact anwhere that suits the family. After the ceremony I give you a presentation copy of the script as a memento.
avictoriadenning_aol.com
0121 4490350
www.humanism.org.uk
www.birminghamhumanists.org
British Humanist Association - http://www.humanism.org.uk
For more information about the work the British Humanist Association does and how it promotes support for people who seek to live good lives without religious or supersticious beliefs.
Birmingham Humanists Group - http://www.birminghamhumanists.org.uk
The local Birmingham Humanist group web site with calendar of events.
Westall Park - http://westallpark.homestead.com
Westhall Park is a privately run cemetary where the ethos is to let nature thrive and to give people more choice on where their own or their loved ones final resting place may be.
People - http://www.thepeopleshop.co.uk/
The People Shop sell an eclectic mix of handmade clothing including wedding dresses, gorgeous gifts and amazing accessories, all lovingly designed and made in store.
Steve Woods Photographer - http://www.stephenrwoods.com or http://www.stevewoodsphotography.com
Steve Woods is a freelance photographer living in Birmingham. He has undertaken a range of commissions and editorial work, but also works on personal projects.
All Fired Arts - http://www.allfiredarts.co.uk
All Fired Arts regularly take on commissions for weddings, births, anniversaries and other special occasions. They offer hand and footprint casting in both clay and plaster for new additions to your family and much more.
