From Banking to Celebrancy: A Journey of Change, Love, and Resilience
If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd be training as a celebrant, I'd have laughed. For thirty years, retail banking was my world and I thrived in that structured environment of spreadsheets, targets and deadlines. I even joked that if you cut me open, I'd read "HSBC" like a stick of rock.
Then redundancy came knocking. After three decades of routine, I suddenly found myself on gardening leave, staring at the garden I had no intention of actually gardening, wondering: What now?
Love, Loss, and What Really Matters
My personal journey taught me even more about what matters. I found my husband during the pandemic. We started dating over video calls and socially distanced walks and just a year later, we were planning our wedding, full of joy and anticipation.
The day before our wedding, we got devastating news: he was seriously ill. Instead of walking down the aisle and jetting off on honeymoon, we walked into a hospital. There would be no honeymoon, no relaxing holiday. It was just the two of us facing something far bigger than we'd imagined.
Three months later, we visited Gretna Green and had a handfasting blessing.
Again, just the two of us with a ribbon binding our hands. It was a powerful reminder that love endures, even when life takes an unexpected turn. That experience is part of why I fell in love with handfasting ceremonies. They're tactile, visual, and deeply symbolic.
Why Celebrancy?
Those experiences from career change to finding love later in life to facing serious illness combined together to show me what I wanted to do next. I wanted to help families mark life's most meaningful occasions with ceremonies that honour their real stories, not follow a formula.
Training with the Academy of Modern Celebrancy has been a beautiful challenge. I learnt to craft ceremonies that are deeply personal, listen with genuine empathy, and create words that resonate. It's creative, heartfelt work and it feels like me.
In the meantime, life had another twist: I joined a children's charity. After years in corporate banking, the nonprofit world opened my eyes to the impact of kindness and community. Every day reminds me why supporting others can be so powerful.
What will I Bring to Your Ceremony
So here I am: a former retail banker, a charity professional, and now a fully qualified Master Celebrant with the AMC. While my journey hasn’t been linear, it has given me a wealth of experience in understanding people, building connections, and crafting ceremonies that are truly personal and meaningful.
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Attention to detail
from 30 years in finance I make sure nothing gets missed
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Warmth and empathy
from real-life experience with love, loss, and resilience
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Adaptability
from working with all kinds of people across my career
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Authenticity
because I've learned that perfection isn't the goal, connection is
I'm comfortable with everyone from shy and retiring to adventurous and wacky.
What matters most is that your ceremony reflects who you truly are and not what you think it should be, but what feels right for you.
My Values
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People First
Everything starts with you: your story, your relationships, your experiences.
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Individuality
There’s no such thing as a standard ceremony. I don’t use templates or recycled words. Every ceremony is written from scratch to reflect you, honestly and beautifully.
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Deep Listening
I take the time to really listen to not just your words, but your story, so I create a ceremony that feels true, personal, and meaningful, not just well-written.
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Safe, Supportive Space
Whether it’s joy, nerves, laughter or loss, all emotions are welcome. I hold space with warmth, sensitivity and professionalism, so you feel supported at every stage.
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Guidance with a Light Touch
I’ll guide, suggest and reassure when needed, drawing on my training and experience, but never take over. This is your ceremony, your way.
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Authenticity Over Perfection
I believe the most powerful ceremonies are real, not polished for the sake of it. Words that feel natural, moments that feel right, and experiences you’ll truly connect with.
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Meaning That Lasts
More than anything, I care about creating a ceremony that stays with you. A ceremony that truly reflects your life, your love, or your goodbye.
Let's Talk
If my story resonates with you, I'd love to meet. We'll have a chat over a cuppa (cake optional but encouraged) about your ceremony and see if we're the right fit. No pressure, just conversation.
