Anything beyond that is simply not our business to judge.

Supporting Marriage Equality

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Sand Ceremony - a symbolic blending of different-coloured sands into a single vessel.

Candles – A candle is lit to symbolize two lives becoming one.

Wine - The bride and groom each take a carafe of wine and pour it into a single glass, which they both drink from.

Hand Blessing Ceremony – where the couple hold each other’s hands and are blessed.

Handfasting - This ceremony dates back to the medieval and renaissance period  in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, but is gaining popularity amongst couples all around the world today. It involves the tying of hands together to symbolize the coming together.

Tree planting - Plant a tree together to symbolize the growing of a family together, putting down roots, longevity, and strength within the marriage.

• affirm or encourage people at special events  e.g. Olympic Games, Presentation nights, graduations
• celebrate milestones in our individual life journey e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, retirement 
• acknowledge significant life-changing occasions e.g. namings/ christenings, engagements, marriages, funerals
• honour individuals or celebrate community values, e.g. memorials, Australia Day, Citizenship Day, Harmony Day

The pros and cons of a private ceremony

TCN celebrants have noticed a recent trend towards couples choosing to elope and having a small ceremony with just the celebrant and witnesses.  

On the plus side, these ceremonies can be romantic, fun, stress free and far less expensive than the traditional family occasion.  They are ideally suited to some couples.

The down side may be that family are genuinely hurt by being excluded from this important occasion. 

This can be difficult to understand, especially for couples who are already living together and who decide they just want to "make it legal" with minimum fuss.  

Sharing is Caring

However, if the couple think more deeply about the significance of the marriage ceremony they may see the value in a larger ceremony that involves family and friends.

The marriage ceremony results in changes of legal status and relationships.  The marriage partners become legally responsible for each other and any children of their relationship.  They also acquire new relationships with their in-laws - a new extended family and friendship group.  For the parents of "first time marrieds"  the marriage ceremony symbolically marks a "graduation" at which their work in raising a baby to adulthood formally ends. 

So in many ways a marriage is not just a relationship between two individuals. It is a formal and social relationship between two networks of family and friends.  Being part of the ceremony means a lot to those who love the couple.

"But big family weddings are too expensive - eloping cuts the cost!"

This can certainly be true.  So how can we have a big celebration for a small cost? 

This TCN article about having a big celebration on a low budget could assist your planning.

Share your ideas on how to involve family and friends in celebrations that are meaningful for everyone present … 

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Listening is when we not only hear what the other person is saying, but we also store and analyse that information.  

It is easy to think you are listening when really you are just letting the other person talk while you are busy thinking of the next thing that you want to say - this is not really listening!

If you are always talking, or thinking about the next thing you want to say, you are only ever listening to the things that you already know, but if you listen to somebody else, there's a good chance that you might learn something new.

Active listening means paying attention, showing that you are paying attention by your body language, giving feedback to check and show understanding, delaying judgement and responding appropriately. 

 The client can explain their requirements, concerns and preferences and the celebrant can advise on ways to meet those needs and give guidance on any ideas that might cause logistical or other difficulties.  

TCN Celebrates its Day of Love -  1 September 2016.

Why have we spent all day shouting about love all over our Social Media?

Because, as Celebrants, all of our work is about love.

When we marry a couple, they are deeply in love, and the wedding service more often than not reminds the couples attending about their love story.

When we name a child everyone there is full of love for the child.

When we officiate at significant birthdays and other events, there is always lots of love woven into the ceremony.

As Celebrants, we make can your ceremony of LOVE the most memorable time of your life.

So, what are you waiting for?

Check out our amazing group of Celebrant.

You won’t be disappointed.

The pace of change is enormous. Once upon a time, our men were the sole bread winners with careers in the one field and often spanning 40 years.

Our men were engaged in volunteer work in their communities with sporting clubs, service clubs, churches and the like.

So when and where do we give them that special acknowledgement they need?

To have a “Party with a Purpose” by engaging a TCN celebrant to create a special thank you to one or more “fathers” in our lives.

This can be a relaxed and fun occasion commenced by a well organised tribute to those who have fathered, or do fathering as step-parents, uncles and mentors.

Let’s do more than "put a shrimp on the barbie" and give a bottle of after-shave - if not for this year, then for 2017.

With our youngsters, this could be way of allowing them to learn the benefits of giving by allowing them to nominate a birthday or perhaps simply organise a party where the aim is to fund-raise. The skills learned and the sense of achievement are wonderful gifts for our children and grandchildren - gifts for life. Rather than some toys that are soon forgotten.

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So, you are sitting there with your budget wondering why anyone could charge that much money for less than an hour’s work? 

Without the celebrant, your wedding is just a great party. The celebrant ensures that your party is actually a wedding. 

SO, how do you budget for your celebrant? First, you need to select your celebrant, and do that based on which one feels right for you, not based on their cost. And make sure that you book the date with them, and pay your deposit. 

Then, you can work out the best way to budget for the celebrant, in the same way you would budget for your cake, your reception, the photographer, the hairdresser. 

Some celebrants will happily work with you to organise a “lay by” scheme, whilst others have a scheduled three payment option. Talk with your celebrant about the best options for both of you. 

Having your perfect celebrant perform your perfect wedding ceremony is something that you will remember for the rest of your life.

With your perfect celebrant you can create magic on your wedding day and you can find your perfect celebrant in the TCN directory by clicking here.

READ MORE about Civil Celebrants by clicking here. 

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?? We would love it if you would let us know what you think ?.  

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*  The creation of our brand new and improved website - more user friendly and easier to navigate, while still housing all the resources, articles, directories and forums that you could ever need.

* Our wonderful two day conference at the Novotel in Darling Harbour Sydney where our members met with old and new friends, heard some fabulous inspiring speakers and completed their annual professional development obligations.  

TCN is a national organisation that primarily communicates online, so it is possible for everyone to join in and participate in discussions and projects no matter where you are in Australia.  We are also continuing to build up a strong presence on social media with pages on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram

Our TCN Committee is a group of volunteers committed to supporting our members as well as strengthening the professionalism and expertise of all civil celebrants through our active involvement in the peak body, CoCA.

TCN members elect a new committee each year at the AGM in March, and we are very happy to welcome our new Committee for 2016-2017.

We very much look forward to a year of community, harmony, OPD days and special projects throughout the year. 

All celebrants and non-celebrant Affiliates are welcome to join TCN - Visit our webpage and see the fabulous resources and benefits we offer our Members.

Every year on the 8th March women all over the world are celebrated.

So there is still much more work to be done!

 We, at TCN are all about the celebrations in life; and we are all for equality and human rights for everybody.

Celebrating Women

Here are some ways you can celebrate the women you know this month (and every month - why stop there?)

Note:  These tips are not just for men - women should be celebrating other women as well.

1. Tell your mother how precious she is to you and let her know you are thankful for everything she has done in her life

2. Show your sister that she is a very important person in your life

3. Encourage your daughter to be anything that she wants to be and let her know that her gender should never be a barrier

4. Visit your Grand Mother and use the annual Mothers Day to engage a celebrant for a special ceremony for all the mothers in your family

These are all very simple and easy things to do, so if you want to stretch yourself further a field......

6. Volunteer at or donate to a women's refuge

7. Donate money or your time to women's charities

8. Be the voice in your company or organisation who stands up for those women not being paid or treated fairly

Why not add a ceremony to the celebration of the women in your life? 

Contact a TCN celebrant to find out how

Read more about all the ways celebrants can assist you in celebrating life

How are you going to celebrate your new baby and welcome her or him into your family and community?  For some couples the answer is easy - baby will be welcomed into their Church family, probably with the same ceremony that was used for the parents years before, and there will often be a family party to celebrate the occasion.

There is an alternative available for couples who prefer not to have a religious ceremony - a Naming or Name-giving ceremony conducted by a Civil Celebrant.  This personalised ceremony can be held in any location the parents choose - a park or garden, in a home, at a hall or restaurant - wherever suits your plans.  Baby can be welcomed in to the family or the wider friendship group in a beautiful ceremony that reflects the beliefs and wishes of the parents.  If you want to you can include some religious content such as a prayer or blessing.  Older siblings can participate in various ways, the parents might choose friends or family members to be mentors/guardians/guide parents/godparents to the baby. Music and poetry or stories will probably be included. 

There are more ideas here

Celebrants from the The Celebrants Network can help you by creating and delivering a beautiful and memorable ceremony to welcome your baby into the world.

From Rebecca Skinner
Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia Celebrant Member
www.celebratinglifeschapters.com

Animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support and unconditional love.

They become part of our family, a much loved friend, and a large part of our lives. So when they’re no longer with us, it’s quite normal to feel an intense sorrow and the pain of loss and separation.

A memorial service embraces the grieving process, acknowledges a special relationship with a pet and offers comfort to those that have loved and lost. It is also a chance to celebrate their life and to remember all the happy times together. Anatole France, a French poet, journalist, and novelist famously remarked: “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.”

Have you ever thought of giving a loved one a ceremony as a gift?  Perhaps this sounds a bit strange but think about it a bit more.  How many people recognise this scenario:

Your sister from interstate rings - "It's Mum's 80th birthday in 3 months time - what are we going to do about it?"  You talk a little more and decide that it would be a good time to get the family together and have a bit of a party to celebrate.  So the message goes out - the family are all primed to be at Mum's favourite restaurant where you have booked a private room for lunch on the big day.  A few of Mum's close friends are let in on the secret and invited and the plan is underway.

The next phone call is almost inevitable - "what shall we get Nan for a present? - it should be something special for her 80th"  So you talk to a friend who happens to be a Celebrant.  And this is what you come up with:

Let the celebration be the gift

Suggest to all attending that the very best gift for Mum will be the company and love of her family and friends. Agree that each will make a contribution to that gift by being a participant in the day.  Engage a Civil Celebrant to coordinate the arrangements and conduct a short ceremony before the lunch.  Decide to share the cost of the meal and Celebrant in whatever way is fair for your family and circumstances.  

Your Celebrant will put a lot of work into the day as Coordinator and Presenter.  She will work with you to design your ideal ceremony.  Her suggestions might include - Let the children and grandchildren nominate a role they will take on the day - to sing, play, read a poem, make a DVD from Mum's photos, compile a CD of songs from different eras of your Mum's life, present flowers, make a speech, bake a cake, escort Nan to the venue and so on.  Your celebrant will weave these contributions into a ceremony.  She may invite everyone who is attending to write a letter or card that shares some special memory they have of your Mum and compile these into a gift book.  She will probably record the highlights of Mum's life There are many possibilities and you will be able to discuss these and decide what suits your needs.

By the time the big day arrives you and your family will have created a unique gift for a special person.

To find a The Celebrants Network Celebrant to help you plan or to get more information and ideas for a special celebration have a look at our website

ASKACELEBRANT BLOG: Christmas in Australia by TCNA Celebrant Member Eunice Phipps

Christmas in Australia is always so darn hot;
If we could build a snowman, he would melt right on the spot.
Christmas in Australia is never white with snow;
Its boiling in the coolest shade, no matter where we go.
Christmas in Australia means there is no fireplace;
For Santa to step out of, with soot upon his face.

Christmas in Australia means we can’t ride down hills on sleds;
We’d have to use a billy cart and brave the roads instead.
Christmas in Australia means we cannot skate on ice;
Unless we go to skating rinks, and pay a hefty price.

Christmas in Australia, not a snow plough to be seen;
We do have trucks that sweep the street, to keep our cities clean.
Christmas in Australia and not a single reindeer in sight;
Here Santa uses Kangaroos, to pull him through the night.

Christmas in Australia, Santa’s suit is way too hot;
But still we see him struggle on, he must really sweat a lot.
Christmas in Australia and it’s way too hot to cook;
Our Christmas lunch is shared with flies, who want our cold cooked chook.

Christmas in Australia means there is no snow ball fight;
I guess we could throw ping pong balls…. at least they would be white.
Christmas in Australia no chestnuts to roast upon the fire;
But we can buy boiled peanuts; if that is our desire.

Christmas in Australia no real fir trees to decorate;
We all use the store bought ones, and some look really great.
Christmas in Australia is as hot as hot can be;
But my Christmas in Australia, is the only place for me.
Because it’s shared with you my friend,
And my precious family.

Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, New Year!

by Eunice Phipps

How do you and your partner celebrate your anniversaries? And what is it that you celebrate - the anniversary of first meeting, first moving in together or more traditionally, your wedding anniversary?

First thing of course is to remember the date!  This can be tricky as many of us know but it is usually greatly appreciated so well worth doing! 

Perhaps you are looking for a different and special way to celebrate this year.  Maybe it is a significant anniversary for you for some reason. It may be the number - 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th and 50th wedding anniversaries are often deemed more special,  But it may also be something else that is special this year - overcoming difficulties together, starting your family, having the last child leave home - the reasons are as individual as the couples who are celebrating.

Why not think about engaging a celebrant from the The Celebrants Network (TCN) to design and conduct a ceremony that meets your individual needs?  You can find a celebrant near you on our website .  You can also find lots of information about different ceremonies for anniversaries.  

Our TCN founder Rona Goold and her husband Steve had their 21st Wedding Anniversary last year and they asked TCN Celebrant Robyn Lenahan to conduct a ceremony for them.  

Rona made a YouTube video using pictures from their wedding to use as part of the ceremony, an example of an original idea that had significance for the guests at their celebration.  You can watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua6Qv2Yn5_o&feature=youtu.be and enjoy the original song "I Wish For You" performed by the Two Macs which was first performed at Rona and Steve's wedding.

Tell us about your ideas for celebrating anniversaries by commenting below.

What do you do if your wife of nearly 25 years is taken from you due to liver cancer; and you are left with six children; five of them under sixteen years of age? This was the very sad future that faced Bill (not his real name) several years ago. He was serving in Afghanistan when he was informed his wife was seriously ill. Unfortunately; he was unable to leave for several days because of a concerted rocket attack. He was concerned his children might lose both parents. Less than a year after arriving home; his darling lost her battle.  His life began to unravel. One of his daughters; in her early teens, took on the mature role of keeping the family strong. Time passed; and as if dreams do come true; he met a lady who helped him smile again. He fell in love with her. Time passed some more; and she loved his children; and they, in time loved her.  On the 18th of April, 2013; I was their Marriage Celebrant. They were married in the garden, with many of his service comrades as witnesses. His five daughters and first grandaughter were there beside him to celebrate this special moment with him; this second chance at love.

For some; love does come again; sweetly, to fulfill dreams; even if they be the dreams of children.

Our new TCN mobile website has loads of information on celebrants, ceremonies and celebrations for everyone  

http://www.celebrations.org.au/everyone. Topics such as - Fast find an Australian celebrant; Weddings and love ceremonies; Celebrating every stage of life; Ceremonies for loss and grief; Celebrations supplier directory; Win with a gold rose celebrant; About civil celebrants; About civil ceremonies.

Subscribe to this free Ask A Celebrant - TCN Blog now on : http://www.celebrations.org.au/everyone

ASKACELEBRANT BLOG:

A Message from the National Chairperson of our Australian celebrant peak body for marriage celebrants - The Coalition of Celebrant Associations.

Dear Colleagues

It is with saddened hearts the Coalition of Celebrants Association (CoCA) Inc wishes to inform all our colleagues in the celebrancy world that Robyn Caine our CoCA Chairperson until 2 days ago and  founding member of CoCA passed away this afternoon. Robyn will always be a treasured part of our lives and her work will live on in the fabric of our celebrancy world and beyond.

May Robyn’s family, friends and colleagues have peace of mind and heart in saying farewell to such a courageous and gracious lady, find  support needed in the times ahead when Robyn’s presence will be missed and give thanks for having the privilege of sharing Robyn’s love and  journey through life.

Tributes for Robyn may be placed on a special webpage CoCA has set up here on the CoCA website.

Kindest regards

Dorothy Harrison
CoCA Chairperson & MCA Delegate

ASK A CELEBRANT BLOG: (www.celebrants.org.au) Customer Satisfaction rankings - Australia’s leading business review website womo.com.au (word of mouth online) has released new research revealing civil celebrants in the nation’s top 10 best  performers for customer satisfaction.

This week featured celebrant is Sonia Collins from Batemans Bay NSW.

My name is Sonia Collins and I am a Civil Celebrant in Batemans Bay, New South Wales.   This is a very popular area for weddings, with couples coming from Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, and country towns across NSW and Vic, as well as our local area. The area has great venues for weddings and for receptions and with the natural beauty of the coast and the bush it is not surprising that Batemans Bay is a first choice for many couples especially those with happy memories of time spent here on holidays.I have enjoyed a satisfying career in Human Resource Management and my interest in people led me to undertake the training to become a Marriage Celebrant.

Civil Funerals . . .

QUOTE: From Sydney Morning Herald.

THE popularity of I Did It My Way as a funeral song shows a ''vulgar egotism'' exists in society, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, says.

In his last presidential speech before retirement, Dr Jensen said society's shift towards ''deadly individualism'' had been driven by material wealth and technological mastery.

The cost of individualism, and the shift to self-love, had consequences for the quality of our community, family life and how we treat death. That was evident in the choice of ''our swan song of this generation'', Frank Sinatra's classic I Did It My Way, Dr Jensen said in his speech, titled ''Last Words''.

Reference: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/gods-way-smarter-than-sinatras-says-jensen-20121008-279nb.html

Yes I would agree with many people, that the challenge for us all is to balance our needs as an individual with the needs of our community.

I find Jensen's comments confusing. I understood that Christianity was one of the major promoters of the need to respect each individual - for the need to support and promote human rights. Otherwise, where a community feels threatened by a few or even by the one, as in the recent shooting of the 14 year old Pakistani school-girl, Malala Yousafzai, not just one but large section of humanity are devalued.

This morning I watched with great pride as one of my colleagues, Kevin Clune, commemorated the 10th Anniversary of the Bali Bombings, in Kings Park, Perth. The sensitivity and empathy that was shown by Kevin was outstanding. 

The ceremony acknowledged the loss and the ongoing pain that those that were there still experience, not forgetting those who lost family members/friends, as well as inspiring hope for the future. 

Cutting the broadcast short to enable the Victorian service to be shown was so disappointing.  Melbourne's service was solemn with little connection to those who still bear the scars.  It is interesting that different faiths were invited to participate - but where was the civil celebrant who represents people with little or no faith?  There was, what I believe an inappropriate reading from Ecclesiastes 'A time to be born, a time to die'.  While this may be appropriate for someone who has led a long and fulfilled life, how does that relate to someone whose life was taken in an act of terrorism? 

For that matter, how many of those who were affected were regular church goers?

I should make note here that with the coverage ABC24 hours had, I have not seen the complete service anywhere.  What was easy to pick up though was the tone.  Victoria - Amazing Grace. WA - Wishing you were here (Pink Floyd). 

They were young people who lost their lives, which was the most appropriate? 

A civil celebrant creates, writes and presents a ceremony - they have no doctrine to follow, nor any constraints, other than common decency, and yet when are they invited to be involved in such services? 

Ministers from many faiths are invited as not to offend anyone. 

I am a full time civil funeral celebrant, if faith was so important to the majority of people, why are 60% of funerals now conducted by civil celebrants like myself? 

I'm not saying we should not have church involvement, I'm just asking why those 60% of people who chose a celebrant are not represented by a Civil Celebrant? 

There are many civil celebrants who do good work for the community!  Kevin didn't get paid and yet spent countless hours making sure that it was a ceremony that would touch the hearts and minds of those who attended. 

Myself and a group of colleagues put on a memorial service for Father's Day, Mother's Day and Christmas - of our own free will, raising our own funds in order to do something for the community. 

Many of us volunteer and conduct ceremonies for Relay for Life (Cancer Victoria) and many other community functions. 

A civil celebrant understands ceremony - it is what we do! 

Why then, do the powers that be, completely overlook us? 

The community needs to understand that we are more than willing to help our society in any way we can, but often we don't even know about it until it is too late.

So if you have a community occasion coming up - ask a celebrant to help, someone who understands the power of ceremony. 

A Meditation for Those Left behind . . . .

Author: Robyn O'Connell

We must not, and should not, forget that for some the hurt will never go away.

It’s here again,
where did that time go!
There’s a hole in my heart,
though no one would know

Strangers see me walking
and talking like normal folk do
But they can’t see what is inside,
a heart that is still broken in two

Yes I go on with life
and I try to hide my pain
Even if I told others of it
what good would it gain?

Sometimes I tire of the pity
or the ‘oh sorry’ they say
Their life too
could change in just one day

Don’t think I have forgotten
Even though it’s been so long
You come to mind so easily
Even listening to a song

And so few will know the pain on days like this
or the ache that always stays
Because sometimes it is not just this time of year
but so many of my days.

Robyn O'Connell CMC, Dip MC, FC, Cert IV in Training & Assessment
Celebrant, Author, Funeral Celebrant Trainer & Workplace Trainer
Silver Celebrants
P O Box 5116, Ringwood, Vic, 3134 Tel:  (03) 9005 7175  Mob:  0425 726 246
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Find our more about Robyn on www.silvercelebrants.com.au  

Member: Celebrants & Celebrants Network Australia
Member: The Celebrants Network Incorporated

"And can it be, that in a world so full and busy, the loss of one creature, makes a void so wide and deep that nothing but the width and depth of eternity can fill it up!"  Charles Dickens

A celebrant friend  did a talk on Rituals in Modern Society for a local club.

As the session progressed, it became apparent that the group had little idea of the role of a civil celebrant.

"And how do you go about planning the reception?" was one question, indicating a confusion with wedding planners.

My friend's response "Would you ask that question of a minister or priest?"

TCNA is celebrating our Ruby Anniversary of the first Civil Marriage Celebrant in Australia - so I've written a little review via my personal life but this is reflected in over 70,000 marriages each year in Australia.

Truly an Australian success story :-)
http://www.celebrants.org.au/ask-a-TCNa-celebrant/stories/celebrating-civil-celebrants-ruby-anniversary/

And one we take for granted every week  around our amazing country.

Let's celebrate

Rona Goold

Celebrants & Celebrations Network Australia
Coordinator.

What is Important!! How do you summarise a life in a few minutes?  What symbols would you use for a loved one to represent their life?

I recently conducted a ceremony in celebration of a Mum, Grandma, Great Grandma, and lovely Lady and the family used the following to give a visual interpretation of her life.

Symbols of importance were placed on her coffin before we commenced the service and during the service I explained their significance.   

• The White Teddy Bear was given to her years ago when she had a stroke and went to hospital; she took with her when she left her home to live with her son and daughter in law and it accompanied her to the Nursing Home and hospital
• ‘A girl has to look her best at all times!’ so she has her manicure set and make up with her for that quick touch-up
• She was renowned as a wonderful cook and the family told me that you never entered her kitchen without being offered a cuppa, as the billy was always on the boil and fresh homemade cake or slices available. She also made many Celebration cakes for family and friends.  The cakes and recipe book symbolise her love of cooking, catering and her love of making Celebration cakes.
• She could sew – she made many wedding, bridesmaids, debutant gowns, and every day and special outfits for family and friends – the Sewing items are to symbolise this ability to turn a piece of material into something special.
• Knitting needles, wool and pattern – whether it is a cardigan or jumper knitted in cable, birdsf oot, or lace stitch, or preparing for that new child in the family with a matinee jacket or layette, she could be relied upon to produce a wonderful knitted article. “How can knitting be wasting time? I never just knit; I knit and think, knit and listen, knit and watch.  You aren't wasting time if you get a useful or beautiful object at the end of it.” Stephanie Pearl-McPhee said these words and I am sure that your loved one would agree.
• Bottle of Water “Water Please”- this is from the time that she was not allowed any water while in hospital when all she wanted was “water please.”
• The Birthday candle – given to her by daughter on her last birthday – ‘One day this light from this candle will disperse the darkness that we presently perceive around us.’

Wonderful symbolism used by the family to acknowledge their loved one.  This theme was also reinforced by her son when speaking of his Mum and by the photos shown of her life. 

A wonderful Mum, Grandma, and Great Grandma who was loved greatly and will be remembered fondly by her family and friends.

Being a  Civil Celebrant means that we are creating Ceremonies of love for  people within the community.  Ceremonies that Recognise and Celebrate the milestones in a person’s life. 

It does not matter whether it is a Marriage ,  Naming,  Commitment, Anniversary, Birthday, Rite of Passage, a Funeral or Memorial, a  Ceremony attached to any  Celebration adds meaning and enables the love to be shared by all who attend.

We Celebrants love what we do;  We love being able to create meaningful and memorable ceremonies for  people;  and in the words of Leo Buscalia, “We don’t love to be loved, we love to love!”  

On the 9^th and 10^th June in Melbourne at the Amora Hotel in Richmond, there will  be the opportunity for Celebrants to join together  to share experiences, to learn, to get to know each other and to celebrate and to share the love. 

It would be wonderful to see lots of Celebrants at the conference.  To find out more about this go to:

http://www.celebrations.org.au/blog/entry/general/invitation-celebrant-conference-not-to-miss

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Relationships Australia

It is difficult to say goodbye to those we love but options of how we do this are increasing.  Have you thought of an Honouring Ceremony? In our modern society the options of where and how we say goodbye are ever changing.  I recently officiated at a ceremony honouring a much loved mother and grandmother - it was beautiful. 

The Honouring Ceremony was held in a beautiful open chapel within the Cemetery – what a beautiful location with the wind gently caressing the cheeks of her family (it felt like her spirit passing by) and the birds singing in the surrounding trees.  The family decorated the area with symbols in a beautiful tribute to their mother and grandma. 

The Ceremony started with a Candle Lighting in her memory and in memory of all others who had passed away due to cancer as this was very important to the family.  All her grandchildren participated in the Honouring Ceremony doing what they felt comfortable with – their love for the Grandma was obvious.

Before the Committal a verse ‘The Rainbow Bridge’ as recited, it was so appropriate and read beautifully by her Granddaughter.  After the Committal the family and friends covered the coffin with beautiful colourful rose petals – she was in her rainbow.

It was an intimate yet dignified honouring and goodbye to a beloved lady in the manner that she wished and in a manner that they found comfort with.  

There are many things to consider when choosing a Celebrant for your special celebration ...

Some people go on first impressions or “gut feelings”. Others choose on price – the least or most expensive. Yet others look for value for money.

Each of these on its own is rather limited when you consider the celebration can never be repeated!  So, what should you look for ?