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Celebrant Sue – By your side
reviews (24) - 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
£600
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
£550
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
£250
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: 24
Average Rating: 5
reviews (24)
A pleasure to have at our wedding
We couldn’t have asked for a better wedding celebrant than Sue. From the very beginning, she took the time to truly get to know us, and that made all the difference. Our ceremony felt so personal, heartfelt, and authentic—exactly what we wanted.
Sue has such a warm and calming presence, and she made us feel completely at ease throughout the entire process. She guided us every step of the way and made sure everything ran smoothly on the day. We honestly couldn’t have done it without her.
So many of our guests commented on how beautiful the ceremony was, and that’s all thanks to Sue. We would recommend her to absolutely everyone. She’s incredible!
More Than a Celebrant – A Truly Special Part of Our Story
I’ve started this review so many times – and for someone who usually has no trouble finding the right words, I’ve found it almost impossible to capture just how grateful we are to Sue. Saying “thank you” feels far too small for the huge role she played in our wedding – both in the run-up and on the day.
From the moment we first met Sue, we knew she was the perfect person to be our Celebrant. It was clear from the outset that she cared deeply – not just about the words she’d say, but about crafting a ceremony that was a true reflection of us as a couple. She took the time to understand who we are, what we value, and how we wanted our day to feel – and she brought all of that to life in the most beautiful way.
Sue didn’t just take the time to get to know us – she got to know our family too. Our two children warmed to her instantly, and on the day itself, it genuinely felt like she was part of our team. The moment I knew she had arrived on site, I felt an immediate sense of calm. Just knowing she was there, quietly making sure everyone was okay and gently guiding people to where they needed to be, was so reassuring. And when I had a mild panic about being late (I was… but it’s fine, right?!), she was calm, supportive, and completely unfazed – exactly what I needed.
Our ceremony was everything we hoped it would be and more – full of fun, laughter, love, and pure and utter joy. Sue introduced us to the tradition of handfasting, which we hadn’t experienced before, and helped us to put our own unique spin on it (tie the knot, take a shot!). It was such a hit with our guests. She also wholeheartedly embraced our 5-year-old son’s dream of being James Bond for the day – helping us orchestrate his surprise ring-bearing mission, complete with the Bond theme tune and gel blasters! Nothing was off-limits; she welcomed every idea with open arms and genuine excitement.
Our guests still tell us it was one of the most unique and joyful ceremonies they’ve ever been to – and that’s thanks to Sue. It was completely perfect.
But Sue’s kindness and support didn’t end with the ceremony. When my husband and his best man – who lives abroad – admitted their nerves around speech-giving, Sue stepped in with compassion and creativity. She worked with them to help craft their speeches and ultimately read them on their behalf during the wedding breakfast. What could have been a stressful part of the day became something deeply moving and heartfelt. Any worries about it being “non-traditional” vanished – there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
Although we always knew that Sue’s role in the day would come to a natural close after the ceremony, it still felt surprisingly emotional to see her go; she had been such a warm, reassuring presence throughout the whole journey. Sue is so much more than just our celebrant – she became part of our story, and we’ll always think of her with huge affection. I love seeing her posts about other weddings, knowing exactly how much joy and meaning she’s bringing to other couples’ lives, just like she did for us.
Sue is a true professional with a heart of gold. Her warmth, reassurance, and steady presence before and during our wedding meant more than we can say. We will always be grateful to her for helping make our day not only stress-free, but genuinely magical. From the bottom of our hearts – thank you, Sue.
Wedding
We couldn’t be happier with choosing Sue to be our celebrant at our wedding. She was so full of joy and she made our wedding by telling our stories. Her warmth makes everyone at ease and to us, she felt like an extra guest, not just a celebrant. She goes the extra mile to make your day special and unique to you.
