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Shelley Bell Independent Celebrant

reviews (28) - leave a review

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Available for

Countries Covered

I travel Nationally & Internationally

Specialisms

Boho Weddings (Handfasting, broom jumping, ring warming) and Eco funerals

Affiliations

Fully trained and validated member of the United Kingdom Society of Celebrants.

Languages

English

Hi, I'm Shelley

I have been a Celebrant for years now and have been lucky to work in some amazing locations with some fabulous people.

For me a family celebration should be exactly that – a celebration!! Be it a Wedding, Vow Renewal, Mamma Blessing or Naming Ceremony it is created with the wishes of those we are celebrating in mind, with a little bit of help from me.

I will work with anyone, anywhere and the creative freedom in my work means I get to offer a unique ceremony and personalised service that my clients have relished.

My professionalism and attention to detail has meant that I have become a trusted member of the family to many of my clients and venues recognise me as a preferred supplier because they know I will take care of their clients in the way that befits their brand.

I want you, as my client, to have a day as near to perfect as we can make it.

What's my ceremony style?

I specialise in outdoor venues such as woodlands, vineyards and barns though have been known to pop up at the odd country house.

Naming ceremonies and vow renewals have been in people’s backyards and zoo’s.

I don’t mind if we are celebrating a dawn wedding at solstice or a midnight wedding with gothic grandeur, if we can make it work we will, because its not about me as the celebrant, it’s about you and your dreams and wishes.

I love to make my ceremonies unusual and bring in other elements, that could be Aunty Marjorie doing a heartfelt reading or your whole congregation participating in a ring warming or handfasting. I love a challenge and challenge myself to make no two of my ceremonies the same, to the extent where if I have used a reading in one ceremony I’ll not include it ever again for anyone else (unless its really meaningful to them).

Prices From

Weddings from £800, Namings from £450, Funerals from £250

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Why choose Shelley?

People choose me because I am in their corner from the moment we meet. The wants of my clients are my mission and their satisfaction is my motivation. Your excitement is my excitement.

I will spend time getting to know my clients, from how they met to how they would like their ceremony to be remembered. I will match styles and colour schemes and am totally flexible in location and timings as I only book one ceremony a day, that way if Uncle Fred is late getting down from Aberdeen to Essex, then with the co-operation of the venue, we wait for Uncle Fred, so he can walk you down the aisle as you wish.

What do I offer?

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Weddings

I love to work with people with a sense of fun and a creative spark. If you’re not sure you have a creative spark, give me five minutes and I’ll help you find it, it’s usually parked right next to your imagination!
I love being outdoors or somewhere unusual, a laid back, festival style with a handfasting and smoke bomb photos are where I see myself.

I’ve been lucky enough to work in some amazing locations with some fabulous people.
I will work with anyone, anywhere and the creative freedom in my work means I get to offer a unique ceremony and personalised service that my clients have relished.
My professionalism and attention to detail has meant that I have become a trusted member of the family to many of my clients and venues recognise me as a preferred supplier because they know I will take care of their clients in the way that befits their brand.
I want you, as my client, to have a day as near to perfect as we can make it.

Prices From

£800

Why choose Shelley for your wedding?

People choose me because I am in their corner from the moment we meet. The wants of my clients are my mission and their satisfaction is my motivation. Your excitement is my excitement.
I will spend time getting to know my clients, from how they met to how they would like their ceremony to be remembered. I will match styles and colour schemes and am totally flexible in location and timings as I only book one ceremony a day, that way if Uncle Fred is late getting down from Aberdeen to Essex, then with the co-operation of the venue, we wait for Uncle Fred, so he can walk you down the aisle as you wish.

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Roman HIll Naming

Naming Ceremonies

I want to help families celebrate the birth of a new born.
I want to help blended families recognise their unity and new family unit.
I want to help people rename themselves after a transition.
I want to help celebrate adoptions.

My job is to create a celebration of this new beginning, involving loved ones, promises and pledges and helping people lay a foundation that they can move on from.

I will do a home visit to meet the family or individual and talk about their hopes and dreams for this new beginning, the story that brought them to this moment and what their aspirations for the future might be.
I will explore the option of using symbolic elements to enrich the ceremony, from unity ceremonies to tree planting to creating a library.
I will create a ceremony full of love and celebration.

Prices From

£450

Why choose Shelley for your naming ceremony?

I love to have fun and there is no greater way to do this than to celebrate a new beginning – how exciting is it to welcome someone to the world? To unify a family as one? To recognise and acknowledge someone for the person they have always been destined to be?
This positive energy is at the essence of my ceremonies, wrapped in love, with a sprinkle of fabulousness.

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Renewal of Vows

Whether you are having a home based celebration after a wedding overseas or are marking a significant milestone, a renewal of vows is a great way to reaffirm your love and commitment to your partner.
I’ve held many ceremonies in all sorts of venues – from back gardens to restaurants to stately homes and all of the ceremonies had love and celebration at the heart of them.

A renewal of vows ceremony takes as much time and effort to create as a standard wedding and so my fee reflects this.
This is not a blessing, it’s not down to me to bless anyone.
This is a telling of a love story with an exchange of promises, perhaps rings and above all else the commitment, in front of all those you know and love, that you will dedicate your lives to each other, forever.

Prices From

£550

Why choose Shelley for your renewal of vows?

I offer no judgement as to why you are choosing to renew your vows, I’m here to celebrate the fact that you have chosen to do so. I will listen to why your marriage was important before and why it continues to be so now, I will capture what your hopes and dreams for the future is and what you are proud of in your journey so far.
Your guests will celebrate with you like this is your first day together whilst wrapping you in a love that has stood the test of time.

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Funerals

It is the greatest privilege to tell people’s life stories. I try not to just recount a timeline, I would rather recognise people’s words, deeds and character and tell stories that make the memory of that loved one dance in their mind.
I am a great planner and organiser with a sympathetic ear, who enjoys creating professional, heartfelt and sometimes funny Celebrations of Life.
I also help people to prepare their future funerals if they have a life limiting illness and guide them through the difficult conversations about preparing for the end of their lives with family and friends if required.

I will visit a family in their home setting and reminisce with them over cups of tea and photos, so I get a real sense of who it is I am talking about. I then work my way through a checklist that ensures I have captured all that pertinent information before turning this all into a story of their loved one’s life, not just a timeline.
I have conducted ceremonies in football colours or team hats, had live performers as tributes instead of eulogies and conducted ceremonies for everyone from stay at home parents to champion sports personalities.
Just as every person is different, every ceremony is different and I aim to recognise the individual’s strengths, values and achievements – after all, we all mean something to someone.
Natural burials, municipal crematoriums, thanks givings in bingo halls – I’ll explore the best send off options with you.

Prices From

£250

Why choose Shelley for your funeral?

I work with people at the end of their lives and have conversations with them about what their biggest life lessons have been.
I ask what it means to them to be someone’s sibling or grandparent and if they are proud of their family, friends and personal achievements. I then weave all of that into a story of their life in preparedness for their future funeral.

My compassionate listening skills and willingness to ask some difficult questions helps me to create the best ceremony I can, whilst recognising that it is a difficult time for everyone involved, whether we are planning a ceremony before death or after.
I aim to bring comfort to the families I work with and what to help them be proud of their loved one.
If someone asks me how I knew the departed after the funeral, I’ve done a great job.

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Reviews for Shelley Bell Independent Celebrant

Total Reviews: 28

Average Rating: 5

reviews (28)

CELEBRANT-DIRECTORY-ARCH-NO-DIAMOND-35

Impeccable.

5 Stars
The Cowler Family

Funeral | 03/11/2024 | Southend Crematorium

Thank you so much for all you did for us, and all your patience with us – we felt like you went above and beyond.
The service you delivered for our mum was impeccable , you made it so very personal , everyone said how lovely it all was. Mum would have been very pleased with the send off you gave her.
Thank you so very much.

CELEBRANT-DIRECTORY-ARCH-NO-DIAMOND-35

Thank You for your care.

5 Stars
The Gibbons Family

Funeral | 01/18/2024 | Three Counties Crematorium

Superb!
The ceremony was perfect and I wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me and my family during such a difficult time, you really are brilliant.

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Beautiful Words.

5 Stars
Mark and Harry

Wedding | 10/23/2023 | Trinity Buoy Wharf, London

Thank you so much for conducting our ceremony and your beautiful words. It was amazing to have you be part of our day and a moment we will never forget – you have made it so special.

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