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Available for
Countries Covered
Areas Covered
I travel Nationally & Internationally
Specialisms
'Spiritual but not religious', Inter-cultural, LGBTQAI+/Queer, Alternative/Creative, Classic Summer Weddings, Outdoors, International,
Affiliations
Fellowship of Professional Celebrants
Languages
English, British Sign Language and limited but decent French
Hi, I'm Jess
Hello Everybody!
Jess May’s Special Days are chilled out engaging ceremonies filled with love and joie de vivre.
Experienced, Alternative, International Celebrant. Fusion, Intercultural, Meadows and Woodlands, Urban Chic, Brummie Locals and International Jet Setters. Spiritual but not religious. Fun and relaxed but never flippant or gimmicky.
What's my ceremony style?
My style is to focus on building a lasting friendship with my couples. It makes it easy to tell your story.
Personality, flair, flowers in my hair. Lots of laughter, lots of tears. Serious sentiments in sentences which sing. Sitting in your gardens, drinking hot chocolate, listening and getting to know your children and pets. Even years later, I find that I still remember their names.. By the time you walk down the aisle most of my work is done. I’m not a Humanist but a Celebrant of the ‘Spiritual but not Religious’ variety. Blending and re-interpreting cultural traditions is a particular passion, Temple Garlands made from pink roses instead of marigolds. A table full of candles instead of a central fire. Promises to sons and daughters. ‘Percy the Whippet’ was a ringbearer of class. I listen and then help to uncover your own personal poetry.
Prices From
£550
highlight
Local Brummie Weddings
£100 discount for Local Weddings £50 discount for recommendations
£500
Why choose Jess?
Don’t tell anyone….but I don’t think your Wedding Day should be The Best Day of your Life! just One of the Best Days of Your Lives.. The Special Day that sets the scene for all the Special Days to come. My celebrations are about beginnings and I like to find out what happens next. Many clients become my friends . I enjoy being a part of that ‘beginning & I like to remain a part of the story, if you’ll have me.
What do I offer?
Weddings
Chilled out engaging ceremonies filled with joie de vivre. Ditch the hymns for the Beatles, the pews for rustic French Bistro chairs under Portuguese skies. Write each other letters instead of vows. Play pass the parcel with the rings inside. Invite your Whippet to be a ring bearer. Ask your Mums to walk you down the aisle, or don’t have an aisle. Have your children tie your hands with ribbons in a Handfasting. Ask your Grandmas to read out the blessings. Plant trees, burn sage. Pass your wedding rings among your friends and family for blessings and wishes. Jump over broomsticks. Stand on a clifftop on a traditional Persian carpet under a arbour of willow. Ask your Best Women to write you a fairytale instead of reading the Bible. Have all the people you love all in one place and celebrate this glorious thing called life.
Vibrant Festival ceremonies, all bunting and colours. Promises carried on the breeze in Whimsical Meadows. Crystals, Candles, singing bowls and incense in Magical mystical Woodlands. Cultural combos all candlelight, saris, garlands of flowers. Time for silence and song. Christian ceremonies on Lavender farms, Secular Ceremonies in urban canal side warehouses. New York elopements as a backdrop to pledges. Ceremonies for every gender and every colour, every size and every age. Vintage, Chic, Classic or crazy. Picnic blanket or Concert Hall. Back gardens or stately homes. Shakespeare’s sonnets or Disney Pixar. Be a pirate or be a Viking, elope or invite the world…but take me with you.
Prices From
£550
Why choose Jess for your wedding?
Choosing a Celebrant is instinctive. If I’m right for you, you’ll know. Trust your intuition.
Naming Ceremonies
I often find myself doing Naming Ceremonies in back gardens, or marquees. I love them. I particularly love it when my wedding couples call me and ask me to Name the Baby. That is very special. I also love creating Adoption Ceremonies. It’s all so rewarding and lovely.
The main thing I offer is absolutely delight and lots of ideas and resources. I’m always genuinely thrilled to be holding a baby announcing their arrival into the world and watching their Grandma’s eyes misting with tears of joy. I often find myself in marquees in gardens with Fairy Godmothers, planting trees and sipping champagne. Some people have residual spiritual beliefs and for those people I have adapted ceremonies using blessings from varied traditions, including anointing with oil and water and honey. Wise sayings, and Winnie the Pooh often feature and abridged parenting philosophies developed into pledges based around your values. I love Naming Ceremonies, I’d love to do more of them.
Why choose Jess for your naming ceremony?
I love celebrating new life. New beginnings and I love a snuggle with a baby.
People often approach me for Namings when there is a sense of a need for ‘healing’ and moving on.
Renewal of Vows
Why choose Jess for your renewal of vows?
Funerals
Celebrating the Lives of those who have died. Telling the stories, saying goodbye.
When I do a funeral, I metaphorically invite that person into my life and ask them to live with me for a week or two. I get to know the person you loved, hear about their favourite colours, quirks and funny ways. Jeannie who was prim and proper but used to take a bite out of a block of cheese and then put it straight back in the fridge with the bite marks still in it. I tell the story of the idiosyncrasies, the paradoxes the multiple lives we live and people we are.
Prices From
£220
Why choose Jess for your funeral?
I’ll be right for you if you are someone who values emotional honesty over formality and an accurate representation of a real multi-dimensional person. You’ll be looking for someone who actually cares about who that person is to you in life and in death. You will want someone who is interested in all the different people that person has been. You will want the freedom to express joy and sadness over conventional traditions. You won’t necessarily be Atheist, you may well be a person of Faith but you’d rather do away with the pomp and circumstance or prefer a Woodland over a Church.
Reviews for Jess May’s Special Days
Total Reviews: 5
Average Rating: 5
reviews (5)
MADE our wedding
Jess seems to have the unique ability to strike this perfect combination of super professional and knowledgeable celebrant and a friend you feel like you’ve know for years.
She picked up our request for a celebrant (which was sent 5 DAYS before our wedding – I know) and swiftly got about getting to know us – we were made to feel very comfortable and it quickly became clear Jess both loves, and is highly talented in, her profession.
The ceremony she put together with us was nothing short of amazing, it was heartfelt, funny, showed our own personalities and quirks as a couple – it was utterly perfect.
Nearly every single guest at our wedding ceremony commented on how impressed they were with Jess. When this is coupled with the fact she planned it in 5 days, well – I think that makes her a bit of a superhero.
Best Celebrant Ever!
Jess led the most outstanding celebration of life ceremony I’ve ever attended. It was a difficult death to process (a suicide) and I was full of anger and disbelief at the start of the ceremony but with her carefully chosen words and sensitivity somehow my position changed to sad exceptance and new understanding. It was an incredible ceremony and she did an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances. As a celebrant myself, I’d chose Jess and In fact I’ve made my intentions known that I chose her. Over time, I’ve got to know Jess too and I can attest to her dedication, creativity and supreme sensitivity and skill she has in creating ceremonies with soul. I have NO hesitation in recommending her.
The most wonderful celebrant!
Jess absolutely made our ceremony. From the first time we met we knew she would be perfect for our wedding. She took time to get to know us and helped us write our vows – nothing was too much hassle and she became such a fab part of the planning of our big day.
On the day she made us feel so relaxed and really nailed the personal touches – we had so many guests tell us how brilliant the ceremony was, and how much fun! Which was exactly what we wanted.
We would recommend Jess time and time again – she was amazing.
