Top Note Ceremonies blog
with Steve Pritchard-Jones
Military Funeral
Veterans funerals honour people who have served their country but have since left the Armed Forces. Funerals for those men and women serving in the armed forces take many forms and are a way of paying respect to those who have died in active service.
The United Kingdom doesn’t have an official burial ground for members who served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces but funeral services can be held in a place of worship or at another appropriate venue.
What is a commitment ceremony?
A commitment ceremony allows a couple to make a commitment to one another without legal rights or responsibilities. You can exchange vows, exchange rings and kiss each other to express your love for one another. How you choose to express your commitment to your partner is a personal choice and for some couples in modern times, a legal wedding might not be right for them. As a couple, you may not want to enter a legal civil partnership and a commitment ceremony could be for you if you’d like to express your commitment to your partner.
Helping children deal with grief
In my previous role as a head teacher for 13 successful years at a school for children aged 11-16 with social and emotional issues I know far too well that over the last couple of years, the mental health of children has been underestimated. The Covid-19 pandemic caused the world to become even more augmented through the medium of social media & TV at a time of significant levels of social disconnection and emotional misperception.
Grief is the acute pain that accompanies loss.
How do I include children or fiancé’s children in a Celebrant led wedding?
One of the main questions I get asked is for ideas regarding how to involve your children or your fiancé’s children in your wedding ceremony. In these modern times, many couples have children, either from a previous relationship or their current relationship.
Why book a Wedding Pianist
There are so many types of music that can be translated for piano even if they were originally composed for a completely different instrument or ensemble. How many people would have the main theme from films such as Star Wars or Mission Impossible played on the piano as the bride or groom, walks down the aisle? Believe me, it’s been done!
If you are looking to book a wedding pianist for your wedding day, Steve has over 30 years’ experience performing for weddings and civic functions and will play the music you love for your wedding ceremony, drinks reception or wedding breakfast.
TOP TIPS FOR AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS WEDDING
TOP TIPS FOR AN AMAZING CHRISTMAS WEDDING.
Planning
Music
Wedding photographer
Christmas Tree
Christmas music
Christmas drinks
Holly green, Santa red, silver, gold and white are beautiful and romantic Christmas colours. If you integrate them into the room decorations, flowers, tree and wedding cake the room will look stunning.
What is a Naming Ceremony?
Naming ceremonies are generally non-religious but religious elements can be included. The ceremony allows parents and individuals the opportunity to gather with family and friends to welcome a new family member or to celebrate a change of lifestyle or name change.
As there’s no legal aspect to this type of ceremony, the ceremony can be held wherever you like, as long you have the necessary permission.
Ceremonies can be combined with beautiful symbolic rituals that have meaning to the family, these include tree planting, scattering of flower seeds, the sand ceremony, unity candle lighting, plus many more. See my ‘Rituals’ blog to find out more. A Naming ceremony is based on the idea of a welcome. Its purpose is to celebrate new life or in the context of a family, to welcome a new relationship with the person it concerns, or to celebrate a new addition to the family. A ceremony is constructed and officiated to ‘name’ or ‘welcome’ the new life and for the family to share their aspirations for the child’s future.
There is also no reason why a naming ceremony cannot be conducted for a newborn/young child or for a child being welcomed into the family through adoption for example. It is a wonderful opportunity to share the love for the change in family circumstances with family and friends
Direct Cremation
Direct cremation will provide a family with a simple, straightforward, affordable alternative to a traditional, full-service funeral.
It’s a cremation without any ceremony and is unattended without mourners.
In the future, many families choose to organise a separate celebration of life ceremony, interment or scattering of ashes memorial service, to commemorate the life of their loved ones.
Interment of Ashes
Interment of ashes refers to the process where ashes are placed in a permanent resting place in the ground. These range from dedicated family plots and cemeteries to home gardens and woodland spaces.
Much like a celebrant led funeral or memorial service, there’s no right or wrong way. You may hold a formal service led by a celebrant with friends and family, or just a quiet small informal get-together. This service doesn’t normally take place at the same time as the funeral, and it’s sometimes appropriate to have a separate interment ceremony months or years later. It’s the family’s personal choice.
An interment of ashes ceremony is a beautiful ceremony and can provide families and friends with the opportunity to say final goodbyes and condolences to their loved ones. It’s also somewhere the family can visit
Scattering of Ashes Ceremony
The scattering of the ashes ceremony is a special occasion to commemorate the life of a loved one. The occasion is meaningful, memorable, heartfelt and dignified but the best thing about this ceremony is that that it is entirely up to you how you do it.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to give your loved one the send-off they would have wished for.
Ashes are traditionally scattered in a place of significance, interned in the ground, or taken home in an urn.