A new approach to gifts for special occasions is a trend towards making the celebration THE gift.

This is especially popular as a gift for older people - think about special birthdays and anniversaries.

Older people often do not want more "things" but they may really appreciate the family or close friends getting together to arrange a special celebration with a ceremony. 

A professional civil celebrant can be your emcee and work with you to create a ceremony that meets your needs and your budget.
 
Like  a well designed stage play, a special event may cost from $600 to $2000 or more. This may seem a lot, but is it really if the price is spread across a lot of people and the event has longer lasting benefits?
 
  A $ 600 ceremony package can be covered by

• 20 participants donating $ 30 per head OR
• 50 participants at $ 12 OR
• 100 participants at $6 per head

A $ 2000 ceremony package can be covered by

• 20 participants donating $ 100 per head OR
• 50 participants at $ 40 OR
• 100 participants at $ 20 per head

The refreshments to accompany the ceremony do not need to be expensive.  They can be covered by guests bringing or purchasing their own eg having a picnic or barbecue, bring a plate lunch, or going to a club or restaurant after the ceremony.

You may be wondering why it costs so much to have a professional for a ceremony that lasts perhaps an hour.  A celebrants spends a lot of time and has expenses when preparing for a special event.  These include things such as:

• material costs for CDs, DVDs, “this is your life” or guest appreciation albums, hire of equipment, etc
• hourly rates for interviewing the Guest/s of Honour
• hourly rates for talking with those who have offered to participate in the event
• hourly rates for event planning and preparation, emailing drafts to confirm information and processes
• hourly rates for travel etc.

Plus of course all the normal costs of running a small busines - phone, fax, internet, advertising, motor vehicle, clothing, training, insurance, registration, copyright licence and so on.  An independent professional civil celebrant does not get support from government, church or other organisations.

A TCN professional civil celebrant can take the responsibility of the ceremony off you and ensure that the group gift is a memorable occasion.