Top Note Ceremonies blog
with Steve Pritchard-Jones
Adoption Welcoming Ceremony
Have you received the joyous news that your adoption has been finalised and are now eager to celebrate and formally welcome your child into your loving home and their new life?
An adoption welcoming ceremony is a special occasion designed to formally celebrate and honour the adoption of a child into a family. It signifies the official integration of the child into the family unit and provides a moment for everyone to come together and recognise the significance of this journey. The ceremony can be an intimate gathering with just you and your children or a larger celebration with family and friends.
You can choose to hold the ceremony at any indoor or outdoor venue that suits your preferences, whether it’s at home, a hotel, a hall, or any favourite location you have in mind. It’s your special day, and you have complete freedom to decide when and where to host this meaningful celebration.
Direct Cremation and a Private Memorial Service
Direct cremation is a process where the body is cremated shortly after death, without a formal service or ceremony at the crematorium. This option is often chosen for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, as it bypasses traditional funeral procedures. The focus is on a respectful and dignified handling of the body, with the cremation taking place privately.
Funeral Photography
Although funerals and celebration of life services unquestionably carry a weight of sadness, they can also be emotional rewarding and uplifting with many heart-warming moments. A specialist funeral photographer will capture these moments, discreetly and from a distance, ensuring the genuine emotions of the day remain unbroken. The photographs will show the love, shared memories and compassion of the mourners present who have assembled to bid a fond and heartfelt farewell to a family member, friend or colleague.
Baby Naming
The birth of a child is a time of happiness and celebration for the parents, and the majority of parents want to share that joy with their family and friends.
In modern times, many parents do not necessarily want a traditional religious
christening, either because they do not hold any religious beliefs or because they may want their child to be able to choose their own beliefs later in life.
A celebrant led baby naming ceremony offers a meaningful and beautiful alternative, giving parents the chance to welcome their child and confirm their commitments and love to their child surrounded by their family and friends.
As a celebrant I’m asked to conduct ceremonies for married couples, unmarried parents, single parents, adoptive parents, parents who are of different religions and cultures, and same sex parents.
Funeral Poems
Many families like to include one or two poems or readings at a funeral service or celebration of life because it helps to provide a beautiful and emotional addition to the service.
You may already know which poem you would like; perhaps the person had a favourite poet or author. But if you need a little inspiration, I have put together a selection of poems that may inspire you.
Scattering or Interment of Ashes
The great thing about the scattering of the ashes ceremony is that it is entirely up to you, a special occasion to remember the life of a loved one. The short ceremony to scatter their ashes, will be memorable, heartfelt, meaningful, and dignified. It is a most fitting and brilliant opportunity to give your loved one the final send-off they would have wished for.
Adoption Welcoming
Have you received the delightful news your adoption is finalised and you’d like to celebrate to officially welcome your child to your loving home and to their new life?
The adoption welcoming ceremony could be a quiet and intimate occasion for just you and the children or maybe, you want to celebrate and involve family and friends.
Your ceremony can be held at an indoor or outdoor venue of your choice and on a day of your choice. Venues can include at home, hotel, hall or at a favourite venue of your choosing. It’s your day and you have total freedom when and where to hold this special celebration.
Special Ritual Options
There are many things associated with traditional weddings that everyone knows about and include without even having to think about it. For example, wedding flowers, wedding dress and veil, top hat and tails, bridesmaid dresses, exchange of vows, kiss the bride etc. Some of these wedding traditions date back centuries but many other elements can be included in a wedding officiated by a celebrant.
Masonic Funerals & The Graveside Address
The Masonic Funeral Service and the Graveside Address are beautiful pieces of literature. It’s simple and straight forward and will touch the hearts of everyone present, Masons and non-Masons.
A Masonic funeral is an option for Freemasons at any of the three levels in a Masonic Lodge – Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft, and Master Mason.
What Not to Say in a Eulogy: Gentle Guidance for a Meaningful Tribute
Writing a eulogy is one of the most personal things you will ever do.
Most advice focuses on what to include — but knowing what not to say in a eulogy can be just as important.
When emotions are high and the room is full of people who are grieving, sensitivity matters. A few careful choices can make the difference between a comforting tribute and an awkward moment.
Writing a Eulogy? Start With These 4 Simple Stages 🤍
Being asked to write a eulogy is an honour — but it can also feel overwhelming. If you’re staring at a blank page wondering where to begin… take a breath. It doesn’t need to be perfect.It doesn’t need to be poetic.It just needs to be sincere. Here’s a simple 4-stage structure that can make writing…
Writing Your Vows for a Renewal of Wedding Vows 💍💛
Renewal vows are different — and that’s the magic ✨
On your wedding day, vows are based on hope.
At a renewal, vows are based on experience.
You’re not promising to stand by each other through difficult times — you already have.
Through the ordinary days.
The extraordinary ones.
The flat-pack furniture arguments. 🛠️😆
The holidays that didn’t quite go to plan. ✈️🙈
And the thousands of little moments that quietly made up your life together.
That’s what makes renewal vows so powerful.
They’re real.
How to write a eulogy without falling apart ✍️💛
A eulogy isn’t meant to be perfect. It’s simply the story of someone you love.
Celebrant or Humanist – What’s the Difference?
When planning a funeral, wedding, renewal of vows or baby naming ceremony, many people wonder about the difference between a celebrant and a humanist. The two roles are often confused, but understanding the distinction can help you choose the right type of ceremony for you or your family. What does a celebrant do? A celebrant…
A Christmas Reflection: Interment of Ashes ✨🎄
Christmas is a time of light, love, and memories. For many families, it’s also a moment when we feel the absence of loved ones a little more deeply.
One gentle way to honour them is through an interment of ashes — creating a peaceful place to visit not just at Christmas, but all year round.
Honouring a Life of Service: Funerals for Members of Public Service Organisations
Across the UK, countless people dedicate their time, skills, and compassion to organisations rooted in service — groups like the Freemasons, Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs, the Women’s Institute, and many more. Membership of these organisations often reflects a deep commitment to community, friendship, and charity.
When someone who has lived by these values dies, their funeral becomes much more than a farewell. It becomes an opportunity to recognise a lifetime of service and to celebrate the impact they’ve made on others.
At Top Note Ceremonies, I work closely with families to create funeral services that honour both the individual and the organisation that meant so much to them.
Embracing Love – An Inclusive LGBTQIA+ Wedding or Commitment Ceremony
Welcome to a celebration of love without boundaries—a space where every union is honoured, cherished, and filled to the brim with joy. As a Shropshire-based celebrant, I’m truly honoured to walk alongside you as we craft a day that will live in your hearts forever. Your ceremony is more than an event… it’s a tapestry…
Choosing a Reading or Poem for a Funeral or Celebration of Life
It doesn’t have to be solemn – it just has to feel right Choosing a reading or poem for a funeral or celebration of life can feel like a daunting task. In the middle of organising the service, supporting family, and navigating your own emotions, selecting the right words can seem like one more overwhelming…
Direct Cremation and Saying Goodbye: You Still Have Options
In recent months, I’ve spoken with many families who chose a direct cremation for their loved one.
For some, it felt like the perfect choice — simple, affordable, and in keeping with what their loved one wanted. But for others, there was something missing. Not regret about the cremation itself, but regret that they never had the chance to gather, to say goodbye, and to mark the moment together.
And that’s the part many families don’t realise: choosing a direct cremation doesn’t mean you lose the opportunity for ceremony. You still can — and perhaps should — create that space to honour a life.