More Information
As an independent Community Celebrant, I can guarantee a ceremony created uniquely for you, reflecting your personality, beliefs and aspirations. You will receive guidance about the choices available to you, including any relevant legal issues, and suggestions to help ensure your ceremony is exactly as you want it to be. You want to be confident your ceremony will go smoothly, has deep and real meaning for you and those you love, and remains a positive and lasting memory.
General FAQs
Weddings
Is a celebrant wedding legally recognised?
Can we include religious content in our ceremony? Such as a prayer
Yes of course
Are there any restrictions upon where we can have our ceremony?
We’re hoping to have something a bit different. Can you help?
Namings
What happens in a baby naming ceremony?
Do you do namings for other occasions?
Funerals
We don’t want a religious funeral but we do want to include hymns or prayers. Is that allowed?
Of course. I am happy to include hymns and/or prayers in my ceremonies.
I would like to read a tribute at the funeral but I am worried I will be too upset on the day
I will work with you to have a contingency plan. If you don’t feel able to read or say what you have prepared on the day I can read it on your behalf
I haven’t been to many funerals and I’m not sure how to choose the right sort of music, readings etc.
I will be able to help you with suggestions for music and readings
I imagine on the day it will be hard to take in all that is said. Will we get a copy of the final ceremony?
I give all my families a keepsake copy of the ceremony.
We want the funeral to have a unique and personal feel. Is that possible?
I create a unique ceremony for each occasion (rather than, for example, using a template script), so that I can ensure a personal feel suited to your loved one and the family. I will work with you to gather information about the person and to understand your/their wishes, then reflect this in the ceremony.
How do we go about getting in touch with you?
If you are working with a Funeral Director then can contact me or you are welcome to contact me direct.
How to Book
Once you are happy that I am the right celebrant for you, which might include a telephone or email conversation, or meeting via video or in person, I will ask for a deposit paid by bank transfer, which secures your booking.
If you are booking via a funeral director, they will pay me directly.
Fees & Terms
When organising a special event or commissioning a service, it is important you are able to budget and manage costs effectively. My policy is to give you clear information about my fees prior to engagement. This figure will cover all elements of my service.
Service | Price |
Weddings and Handfastings | From £425 |
Vow Renewals | From £350 |
Naming Ceremonies and other Family Celebrations | From £275 |
Funerals & Memorials | From £215* |
Pet Funerals | From £120 |
Advance Funeral Wishes | From £120 |
For weddings and handfastings, a non-returnable deposit of £100 is payable to confirm the booking. For other ceremonies a deposit of £75 is required
*If booking via a funeral director they will make payment arrangements and recharge to your account with them. I do not charge a fee for baby and child funerals.
Call me on 07917 222161 or 01453 757128 or contact me by email.
Terms
When organising a special event or commissioning a service, it is important you are able to budget and manage costs effectively.
Funerals & Memorials
If my services are arranged via a Funeral Director, he/she will arrange to pay my fee and recharge you as part of their overall costs. If booking directly, my fee is due prior to or on the day of the ceremony. If my services are cancelled you will be liable for costs relating to any work carried out and possibly the full fee if cancellation is at short notice.
Weddings & Other Celebrations
Payment: A non-returnable deposit is payable at the point of booking. Payment of any balance is due 4 weeks before your ceremony
Photographs / Video: Our contract serves as release for any photographic likeness taken by Christina Snell Community Celebrant to be used in print or electronically for promotional purposes only and guarantees they will not be intentionally exploited in any way.
Legal Status: For weddings and handfastings, you are aware the ceremony will not be legally recognised in England and Wales. To formalise the legal requirements you must attend a Registry office or licensed premises (if you desire legal recognition).
Cancellation: Other than as set out below, if you cancel the booking prior to the date of your ceremony you will be liable to pay for any work already undertaken. If cancellation is within a 28 days of the ceremony, you may be liable for the full costs.
Your Rights: It is my responsibility to supply you with goods and services that meet your consumer rights. If you have any concerns that I have not met my legal obligations please contact me. If you are unclear about your rights or require advice, you can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0845 404 0506 or www.adviceguide.org.uk
You have a right to cancel this contract without giving any reason within 14 days of entering into this contract with me. In order to exercise your right to cancel, you must inform me of your decision by a clear statement (i.e. a telephone call, letter sent by post or email). You are advised to obtain proof that you have informed me.
To meet the cancellation deadline, you should let me know that you wish to cancel before the cancellation period has expired. If you cancel this contract within this period, I will make the reimbursement without undue delay and not later than 14 days after the cancellation notice has been received. I will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise. In any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of the reimbursement.
Partner Organisations
I work with a range of different venues and partners across Gloucestershire and beyond. Key partners include;
Venues
Manor by the Lake, Cheltenham
Funeral Directors
WJ Wright, Bourton-on-the-Water
Norman Trotman Hughes, Northleach
Michael Gamble, Stroud and Stonehouse
Philip Ford, Stroud
Co-op Funeral Care, Stonehouse,
Collier and Brain, Drybrook
Selim Smith, Gloucester and Cheltenham
Ernest Heal, Broadwell
Ian Watts, Yorkley
Grimes and Goscombe, Wotton-under-Edge
Clutterbucks, Cam
The Legal Position of Civil Celebrant Led Wedding Ceremonies
In England and Wales, as the law currently stands, the only places where a marriage has legal status is in church, a registry office or a licensed building. The latter requires a venue to successfully apply for a licence to enable marriages taking place there to have legal recognition. In both registry offices and licensed buildings, a registrar must be present and in overall control. No religious content is allowed in either of these two venues.
So couples choosing to celebrate their love though a legally recognised marriage ceremony are faced with limited choice in terms of where they can marry and the content of their ceremonies
In an increasingly secular society, with a wide range of spiritual beliefs and customs, including humanist and atheist, it is not surprising an increasing proportion of people are seeking alternative ways to mark their love and mutual commitment. Ancient and sacred sites, gardens, beaches, caves, and cliff-tops are just a few of the different backdrops against which increasing more and more couples are choosing to make their vows to each other.
To overcome the current frustrating legal situation, couples have 2 separate ceremonies – one that covers the legal requirements, and one that enables them to experience the perfect and unique ceremony chosen by them. This may be achieved by having the 2 events on the same day or different days, perhaps an intimate occasion at the registry office followed by a beautiful wedding or blessing ceremony shared with family and friends.
There is strong hope the law will eventually change to allow for more choice as to where and when a wedding ceremony will be legally recognised.
Why Choose a Community Celebrant for your Wedding Ceremony?
For years, most couples choosing to get married in England and Wales have been faced with a choice between a religious wedding within a particular tradition, or a civil ceremony at a registry office. For many, perhaps because they do not follow a particular religion, have atheist or humanist beliefs or do not want to follow a traditional format, a ‘church’ wedding is inappropriate.
Yet, whilst fine for some, many couples find that a registrar-led ceremony is limiting and lacking in spiritual content. A ceremony led by a Community Celebrant offers the opportunity for a unique and personalised experience, truly capturing the spirit of you as a couple and the commitment you are making to each other. It can include religious content or be entirely non-religious.
Although currently only marriages conducted in a church or other licensed building are legally recognised, increasingly couples are choosing to separate the legal process from the marriage ceremony.
This means that;
♥ You can hold your wedding or handfasting at a venue of your choosing – a hotel, a beautiful garden, a clifftop, a beach. Even a stadium!
♥ You can include religious, spiritual or cultural content that would not be allowed in a registry office
♥ Your ceremony will be unique, created especially for you and reflecting your love, personalities and beliefs
Blog/News
Advance Funeral Wishes
I have had a number of enquiries recently from people interested in recording their Advance Funeral Wishes and planning their own funeral. Contemplating your own death can raise all sorts of emotions and is therefore something many of us avoid or defer. There are some really good reasons why it is worth considering however. Here […]
Legal Status of Wedding Celebrants
What is the legal status of wedding ceremonies conducted by an Independent Civil Wedding Celebrant such as myself? In England and Wales, as the law currently stands, the only places where a marriage has legal status is in church, a registry office or a licensed building. The latter requires a venue to successfully apply for a […]
History of Handfasting
The history of handfasting as a ceremony of the union of a couple in the UK dates back over many thousands of years. Whilst the detail of its origins are a little hazy, it is believed early handfasting ceremonies and weddings formed part of pagan worship, particularly amongst Celts that migrated to Britain from Europe around […]
The Cycle of Grief
Grief is a very personal experience, affecting individuals differently and expressed in many ways. There are 5 main stages identified in what is often called the ‘cycle of grief’. It is important to note, however, not everyone will experience all elements, and not necessarily in the order described. Whilst often not rational, these stages are […]
History of Civil Celebrancy Movement
The civil celebrancy movement and profession began in Australia in 1973 under an initiative by Attorney-General Lionel Murphy. It was driven by a recognition that the existing system was not providing dignity, choice or a spiritual experience for many citizens. At that time the options were essentially either a religious or a civil ceremony, the latter being designed […]
Independent Or Humanist?
Most people are aware they can have an alternative to a religious ceremony, whether in respect of marriage, baby namings, funerals or other special occasions: fewer are able to identify whether they should request an independent or humanist ceremony however. Humanist does not simply mean ‘not religious’; it describes a particular set of beliefs, the two primary ones […]
Rites of Passage
A ‘rite’ is defined as a formal act, often part of a ceremony. Rites of passage are ceremonies or events marking an important stage in someone’s life, especially birth, the transition from childhood to adulthood, marriage, and death. Of course, rites of passage differ over time and across cultures, but all have sociological significance. They provide social recognition, […]
Outdoor Ceremonies
Outdoor ceremonies provide the opportunity to mark life’s special moments in beautiful and natural surroundings. For many, being closer to nature at such times adds an additional spiritual dimension and a closeness to positive forces of nature. As well as these benefits, outdoor ceremonies offer other advantages; They offer a much wider choice of places to […]
10 Tips For A Green Wedding
Many couples nowadays are keen to ensure their special day does not adversely impact on the environment. Here are 10 tips for a green wedding; 1. Choose a venue with good ‘green’ credentials Check out the venue to see how green they are. Do the recycle? How will they ensure waste is kept to a […]
Jumping The Broomstick
The ritual of jumping the broomstick as part of a wedding ceremony has formed part of a number of cultural traditions over time, and is once again gaining in popularity. Many people have heard of the expression jumping the broomstick, although fewer know its origins or meaning. It is generally agreed that jumping the broomstick originated in the Britain […]