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Vale Ceremonies
reviews (5) - leave a review
Available for
Countries Covered
I travel Nationally & Internationally
Specialisms
Funerals [cremations, burials, natural burials, interment/scattering of ashes, memorials]. Weddings [handfasting, second-time-around, elopements, woodland weddings, garden weddings, renewal of vows], naming ceremonies
Affiliations
College of Professional Celebrants, Toastmasters International
Languages
English, and I am learning Italian [un po']
Hi, I'm Jacqui
I’ve been a qualified Civil Celebrant for a number of years, and I still never tire of writing a ceremony. Each and every one is different, and I love to hear people’s stories – a love story, the journey to parenthood, finding your true identity, celebrating a life together or the story of a life well lived. And there are so many ways to include people and rituals in honouring all of these life events, and I love nothing more than finding a unique and memorable way to ensure each ceremony is the very best it can be.
Whether you’re looking for a celebrant for a wedding, a renewal of vows, a naming ceremony or a funeral, we can work together to create something awesome and magical.
What's my ceremony style?
Of course, I can provide lots of ideas and suggestions for any type of ceremony, but what is important it what YOU want.
There are no rights or wrongs, just what feels best for you as a couple or as a family.
I guess my strengths are my writing skills, my sense of humour and my presentation skills. But everything that I say or do within any ceremony, is intended to keep the focus in the right place – on the couple getting married or renewing their vows, on the person whose life is being honoured, or on the recipient of a name [child or adult].
If you want a ceremony written in rhyming couplets, you’ve come to the right place [it’s been done before – very successfully!]. However outrageous or unusual your ideas – I’m with you and we’ll create it together.
Prices From
£195
Highlight
A Funeral Eulogy in Rhyme. Now everybody's talking about Bertie!
Funerals are sad occasions, but one family wanted a huge celebration of the life of a colourful, larger than life character. They wanted his service to be special and memorable – so I created his eulogy in rhyming couplets. Read ‘The Ballad of Bertie Crowe’ on my website. [with kind permission from his family].
Why choose Jacqui?
I find self-promotion quite difficult, so I asked my closest friend what she thought. She very kindly said this, “Jacqui is a ray of sunshine in any situation. A blend of optimism, kindness and humour with the creativity and drive of a monster truck.” [I’m not sure about the truck bit!]
She continued, “She is a constant support, like a security blanket, who will keep going until everything is perfect. I can’t imagine there ever being a better person to be entrusted with any kind of ceremony or service. Now you owe me a fiver.” [I’m not paying her!]
What do I offer?
Weddings
Prices From
£695
Why choose Jacqui for your wedding?
Naming Ceremonies
Prices From
£325
Why choose Jacqui for your naming ceremony?
Renewal of Vows
Prices From
£495
Why choose Jacqui for your renewal of vows?
Funerals
I take bookings from Funeral Directors and also directly from bereaved families. I’m happy to lead funeral services across the country, but they are mostly with a 20-mile radius of my home in Derby. Many of my bookings are as a result of a personal request or recommendation, for which I’m always very grateful.
A standard booking is for a single slot at a crematorium for one person, or a burial preceded by a service either at the graveside or elsewhere, again, for one person. Prices for a standard booking are from £195.
Interment of Ashes/Scattering of Ashes within a 20-mile radius of Derby from £75 but free of charge if I previously conducted the funeral service.
A double slot [extended length] service or a double funeral [for two people] will generally be charged at 1.5 times the standard fee.
Funeral services for babies and children up to age 16 are provided free of charge.
Prices From
From £220
Why choose Jacqui for your funeral?
I have worked with of families over the last five years to provide an individually crafted, bespoke farewell for their loved one. I am known for my warmth and empathy, and so often mourners will approach me after the service , convinced that I was a personal friend.
I also try to bring some appropriate humour into the service, recounting amusing anecdotes during the eulogy. I undertake lots of preparation, so I don’t stand at the front reading a script – I speak to the congregation, making eye contact and ensuring they feel included.
It might sound odd, but conducting funerals in the most rewarding part of my job.
Reviews for Vale Ceremonies
Total Reviews: 5
Average Rating: 5
reviews (5)
Such a Personal Tribute by a True Professional
Our family can’t thank Jacqui enough. We first met Jacqui in 2021 when she took my mum’s funeral. The service was a non-religious, very personal service which brought the whole family tremendous comfort by the way that Jacqui delivered the service in such a loving and caring manner. The way in which Jacqui listened to us when we were telling her all about my mum’s life, I’ll never forget and she was very thoughtful and caring.
I lost my partner in December 2023 and we requested that Jacqui took that funeral which she did, again delivering a beautiful service which everyone commented on for days afterwards.
We lost our dad recently and again we requested Jacqui’s services. She delivered once again. What really was beautiful was the way in which she took parts of my mum’s service relating to how my parents had met over 70 years ago and brought that story into my dad’s service. Once again, people have commented how beautiful the service was and how professional but personable Jacqui was.
Thank you so much Jacqui.
The only person who could do justice to my brother’s life story
My family and I first met Jacqui 5 years ago, when she conducted a none religious service after the passng of our brother. When we lost another brother in March, there was no one else we wanted to conduct his service but Jacqui. We contacted her, and were so happy she was able to accommodate us.
Jacqui is an amazing celebrante, who makes a really difficult circumstance, that little bit easier. Her method of gaining insight into your loved ones life is, respectful, thoughtful an through listening to our families stories about our loved ones, she was able to put together the most fitting tributes to their lives, in the most perfect way, capturing the real essence of who our brother’s were. She relayed their life stories to the congregations, with thoughtfulness, care and the perfect amount of humour.
As family, we could never thank Jacqui enough, for her approach and her exacution of both services, and we could not recommend her highly enough.
If you want a service, that perfectly descibes your loved one, to the extent you could almost believe she knew them as well as you did, you need to contact this lady.
From my family Jacqui, we cannot thank you enough.
Perfect Funeral
Oh Jacquie, the funeral that you conducted yesterday for father was absolutely perfect – we all dread funerals but you made it so easy and the Eulogy was absolutely fantastic – you really hit the nail on the head and you were so empathetic – I really cannot thank you enough – love from Maria Fallows and Family
