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Celebrant Sue – By your side
reviews (4) - leave a review
Available for
Countries Covered
Specialisms
Neurodiversity
Hi, I'm Susan
I’m Sue Denham and, as a Celebrant, it is my privilege to help couples and families create meaningful ceremonies during your important moments of love, life and loss.
I have:
•a firm commitment to inclusivity, acceptance, individuality and the universality of love;
•extensive experience in sensitively supporting people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and beliefs;
•expertise in creativity and public speaking;
•a reputation for being both an empathic Celebrant and a skilled storyteller, who has supported many people through rites of passage, and the trials and triumphs of life.
Being a celebrant brings all my skills and experiences together, with a beautifully colourful and fresh approach.
Whatever you’re celebrating, or facing, you can be reassured that I will be truly ‘byyourside’.
What's my ceremony style?
LOVE, LIFE & LOSS
Rainbows are a wonderful reflection of life’s sunny moments and the inevitable sad times too.
There is always beauty to be found and celebrated, and I’m here to help you do just that. Having personally experienced many of life’s ups and downs (including children, divorce, bereavement and cancer), I’ll help you to consider creative ideas, or honour important traditions and rituals, so that the day is everything you feel it should be. I am highly inclusive and understanding of neurodiversity, including autism; a champion of diversity!
Prices From
£200
Highlight
Why choose Susan?
My aim is to support you with the creation of highly bespoke & beautifully heartfelt ceremonies honouring love, life and loss. Having been a teacher and then headteacher for over 35 years, I’m an experienced storyteller. My career also led me to become a thoughtful and sensitive ‘listener’, with a huge heart.
I’m a vibrant, smiley, people-person, naturally creative, resilient and always with a positive outlook on life. In 2022, these skills and attributes began to blend beautifully in my new role as a celebrant.
Beyond my qualifications, I’m told it is my personality that makes me a reassuring person to have ‘by your side’.
What do I offer?
Weddings
The wedding party should start with the ceremony not after it! I love ceremonies full of love, joy and laughter. Ceremonies that involve rituals and other family members are beautiful and ensure all the guests feel included.
I am happy to be by any couple’s side but I enjoy working with families especially if they are joining together as one blended family and any families with neurodiverse needs.
I will create a ceremony that reflects your love for each other. It can be as simple or as involved as you desire:
– the venue can be anywhere
– no matter what, your own beliefs (or none at all) can be celebrated;
– all diversity is welcomed;
– weddings can be themed;
– there can be as much family and friends’ participation (and pets!) as you like;
– the wedding group can sit, stand, form a circle – anything;
– anyone can speak with poems, songs, readings; every word spoken will be meaningful;
– any music can play, at any time, during the service;
– photographers, children, dogs and doves – the more the merrier;
– traditions and rituals of unity candles, sand-pouring, hand-fasting, ring-warming are welcomed;
-most importantly – you get to say the vows that are meaningful to you both.
Prices From
£575
Why choose Susan for your wedding?
You get to have the ceremony of your dreams, have your love story told and you say the vows that are mean the world to you both. Your love story will be told and shared with family and friends, in your own way, anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
No one else with have a ceremony like yours. It will be about you and your love for each other.
Naming Ceremonies
A naming ceremony is not necessarily unique to a baby/child. Any person can enjoy a celebration for a re-naming or adoption etc. You may be an adult looking to mark a fresh start with a renaming ceremony, to acknowledge a personal change in circumstances, perhaps relating to gender, marriage or divorce.
The naming of a baby should be celebrated and one to share with friends and family as your child begins their own life. It is a platform where parents can promise to care and commit, explain their hopes for their child for the future, give their thanks, name new guardians and top it all off with a party.
For some parents a religious christening or baptism is not what they are looking for as they may be non-religious and wish to let their child decide his, or her own beliefs. Most often, parents then chose to celebrate at home and within the family group.
I can advise you and lead you through these precious ceremonies. I will find out all about the reason for the naming ceremony and with your help I will write a beautiful script. I can suggest readings and offer expert advice, and then will lead and conduct the ceremony itself. It will be a lovely, joyous and happy occasion full of love and laughter.
Prices From
£450
Why choose Susan for your naming ceremony?
There is always beauty to be found and celebrated, and I’m here to help you do just that. Having personally experienced many of life’s ups and downs (including children, divorce, bereavement and cancer), I’ll help you to consider creative ideas, or honour important traditions and rituals, so that the day is everything you feel it should be. I am highly inclusive and understanding of neurodiversity, including autism; a champion of diversity!
Renewal of Vows
Why choose Susan for your renewal of vows?
Funerals
If you are reading this, then I send you a virtual hug at this heart-breaking time.
At the end of someone’s life, those left behind have work to do – at the very point when they themselves need support. Having to make decisions when heads are numb with grief and troubled with sad thoughts, is difficult.
It is my job as a professional celebrant to listen to, and support, the grieving family, by creating and leading a ceremony that reflects the life of the loved one who has died.
Let me tell the story in a ceremony of love, that reflects everything you want and everything that is important to you.
Thoughtful and caring content for the tears and smiles that will come – maybe even a few chuckles – but a script full of respect and comfort and a wonderful reflection of your loved one.
I will help organise and conduct the funeral service, whilst also offering support to your bereaved family. I aim for the funeral service to be a ‘celebration of life’ that honours the memory of your loved one. I will advise you and gently lead you through this difficult time. I will meet with you and find out all about the deceased and their life lived and then with your help I will write and deliver the service. I can suggest readings, poems, prayers and music.
I want you to be able to walk away from the funeral knowing that you have said farewell with dignity and grace. I want you to say your loved one, and everything about them was was recognised and celebrated.
Prices From
£220
Why choose Susan for your funeral?
There is always beauty to be found and celebrated, and I’m here to help you do just that. Having personally experienced many of life’s ups and downs (including children, divorce, bereavement and cancer), I’ll help you to consider creative ideas, or honour important traditions and rituals, so that the day is everything you feel it should be. I am highly inclusive and understanding of neurodiversity, including autism; a champion of diversity!
Reviews for Celebrant Sue – By your side
Total Reviews: 4
Average Rating: 5
reviews (4)
5 Stars
We feel very blessed to have had Sue as our celebrant for my Dad’s funeral, she was both compassionate and professional. People who attended Dad’s service thought she knew Dad personally which is testament to Sue’s skills as a celebrant.
Memorial Celebration
Sue Denham was the celebrant at our daughter’s life celebration. Sue answered our enquiry quickly and spent a lot of time getting to know us and finding out about our daughter. We warmed to her straight away. Sue did a lot of research into our daughters passions and we felt that she really conveyed the spirit and essence of our daughter who lost her life to cancer whilst in the prime of her life. Sue communicated well with the young people who took part in the service and was encouraging and compassionate towards them. Sue was helpful both before and after the service, arriving early to make sure everything was organised and staying on to share afternoon tea with our daughter’s friends. Sue told the story of our daughter’s life beautifully and made what was a difficult day easier for us. Thankyou Sue.
Happy Wedding Celebration
We chose Susan to be our wedding celebrant and she guided us through each stage of the ceremony planning. We met informally to discuss initial ideas and then again through Zoom. Susan gave us the confidence to make our ceremony very personal and was very open to any changes we made right up to the night before! On our special day Susan arrived early at the venue to meet our guests and we walked in to a sea of familiar smiling faces. Susan led our ceremony confidently and acknowledged even the smallest guests . We would love to recommend Susan to anyone looking forward to a celebrant wedding. She is personable, smiley, confident and calm all in one!
