Celebrant Services By Susie

Celebrant Services By Susie I am a professional, compassionate funeral celebrant, offering comfort, care & meaningful goodbyes.

Four years ago toay, I went on one of the best first dates of my life. I remember being excited, hopeful, and looking fo...
03/06/2026

Four years ago toay, I went on one of the best first dates of my life. I remember being excited, hopeful, and looking forward to meeting someone new. What I didn't know was that I was about to meet the man who would change my life forever.

Chris came into my life and turned it upside down in the most wonderful way. He was the funniest person I've ever known, incredibly intelligent, full of life, and blessed with the kindest, biggest heart. He made me laugh every day, challenged me to be better, and loved me completely, just as I was.

He wasn't only the love of my life; he was my best friend. The person I wanted to tell everything to. The one whose voice I looked forward to hearing and whose company made every ordinary day feel special.

Never could I have imagined, on that first date, the impact he would have on my life—not only while he was here, but even after he was gone.

Chris changed me. He made me a better person. He taught me lessons that continue to shape the way I live my life today. His love, strength, humour, and outlook on life remain with me every single day. Even now, I still feel his energy around me, encouraging me, guiding me, and reminding me to keep going.

Of course, there is sadness. Deep sadness for all that we've lost and all that we never got the chance to experience together. I truly believe we would have had an amazing life. We would have made more memories, shared more adventures, laughed until we cried, and grown old together. I will always grieve the future that was taken from us.

But more than anything, I feel grateful.
Grateful that out of all the people in this world, our paths crossed. Grateful that I got to experience a love so genuine, so joyful, and so life-changing. Grateful for every moment, every conversation, every lesson, and every memory.

Chris is still my light in the darkness. My bright shining star. The person who inspires me to keep moving forward, even on the hardest days.
I hope he would be proud of the woman I've become and of everything I've achieved. So much of that strength comes from what he gave me and what he continues to give me.

Four years on, I still carry him with me every day.
Thank you, Chris, for loving me, for believing in me, for making me laugh, and for changing my life in ways I could never have imagined.

I miss you more than words can ever say, and I love you still.

Thank you for loving me exactly as I am.
Forever my best friend. Forever my brightest star. ✨️ 🤍

I love watching this tree change with every season. Nature showing us everything changes with time 🤍🤍
18/05/2026

I love watching this tree change with every season. Nature showing us everything changes with time 🤍🤍

This week is Dying Matters Awareness Week (May 4–10), led by Hospice UK — and its message is simple, but powerful: let’s...
05/05/2026

This week is Dying Matters Awareness Week (May 4–10), led by Hospice UK — and its message is simple, but powerful: let’s talk about death and dying.

It’s not always an easy subject. In fact, for many of us, it’s one we gently avoid… until we can’t.
But here’s the truth I see time and time again in my work:

when we do talk — when we share our wishes, our fears, our hopes — it can bring a quiet sense of comfort, clarity, and even connection.

This year’s theme, “Let’s Talk About Death and Dying,” isn’t about being morbid. It’s about being human.

It’s about those everyday conversations that matter more than we realise — the ones that help our loved ones understand what we would want, and give them confidence when the time comes.
Across the UK, there will be events, workshops, and even informal gatherings like Death Cafés, all gently encouraging these conversations to happen in a safe and supportive way.

But it doesn’t have to be a big event.
It could be a simple chat over a cup of tea.
A quiet moment of honesty.
A question asked with care.
Because talking about death doesn’t bring it closer —
it just helps us feel a little more prepared, a little less alone, and a lot more understood.

💬 If this week prompts even one conversation, then it’s doing something important.

As a celebrant, I’m always mindful of how deeply personal our thoughts and feelings around death, loss, and what may lie...
25/04/2026

As a celebrant, I’m always mindful of how deeply personal our thoughts and feelings around death, loss, and what may lie beyond can be — and how important it is to hold space for all beliefs, without judgement.

Lately, I’ve been reading Between Death and Life by Dolores Cannon, and it’s made me stop and quietly reflect on death in a different way.
When you work closely with grief, you come to understand just how deeply personal it is. No two people experience it the same way, and no two people hold exactly the same beliefs about what comes next.

This book has brought up a mixture of feelings for me — at times comforting, at times thought-provoking, and at times something I’m still gently questioning. But even in that, there’s something valuable.

Because sometimes, it’s not about having the answers. It’s about allowing space for the questions, the possibilities, and the conversations we might not otherwise have. Conversations around death don’t always need certainty — sometimes, simply having the space to explore different ideas can be quietly supportive in itself.

If you feel open to sharing — has anything you’ve read, heard, or experienced ever shifted how you think about death or loss, even slightly?

Sharing thoughts and ideas is always valuable… you never know who it might help 🤍🤍

13/04/2026

The Dash is a poem I have loved for a long time, because it captures something so true about life.

That tiny little line between the day we are born and the day we die represents everything — every choice, every memory, every person we loved, every lesson, every loss, every moment of joy.

A whole life, summed up in a dash.

And yet when you think about it, it really isn’t the money, the titles, the status or the power that give that dash meaning. It is the love we shared, the kindness we showed, the people we stood beside, and the small everyday moments that made life what it was.

The people who were there for us.
The people who helped us.
The people who made life softer, warmer and better.

That is what gives our life meaning.

This poem always makes me reflect on my own life too. Am I spending too much time worrying about things that won’t matter in a month or a year? Am I making enough time for the things and people that truly matter? Am I living in a way that, when I reach the end of my journey, I will feel at peace with the life I lived?

It’s a big thought, but an important one.

We only get one dash.

Make it count.

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The Dash by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that they spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved them
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own --
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile,
remembering this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent YOUR dash?

Many people don’t realise that when arranging a funeral, you can choose the celebrant who feels right for you and your f...
07/04/2026

Many people don’t realise that when arranging a funeral, you can choose the celebrant who feels right for you and your family.

Funeral directors will often give you a list of celebrants — and that’s really helpful, especially when you don’t know where to start.

But it doesn’t have to be someone from a list — it can be someone you feel comfortable with, someone you feel understands the kind of service you want for your loved one.
And that’s why I do what I do.

After losing someone very close to me, I saw just how important a funeral service is.
Not just for the person who has died, but for the people who are left behind.

It’s one of the hardest days of your life, and I truly believe the service should feel personal, warm, and a true reflection of the person you love.

That’s what I try to do with every family I work with — I listen, I get to know you, I get to know them, and together we create a service that tells their story properly.

So if you ever find yourself in the position where you need a celebrant, you are always welcome to get in touch with me directly for a chat — no obligation, just a conversation to see if I feel like the right fit for you and your family.

Because every life has a story worth telling, and every family deserves a service that feels right for them.

Susie 🤍

Its not always easy.....but l do try and focus on the latter.Please feel free to share on ways to help you stay positive...
31/03/2026

Its not always easy.....but l do try and focus on the latter.
Please feel free to share on ways to help you stay positive. For me, I journal most mornings and always write down for what I'm grateful for.....my morning cuppa, a dry day to walk the dog, the love of my pets are just some of the things that come to mind.
Have a good week and look after yourself 🤍🤍

A white feather, the wind, and a wee life lesson…A few days ago, I was out walking the dog when I saw a white feather ca...
28/03/2026

A white feather, the wind, and a wee life lesson…

A few days ago, I was out walking the dog when I saw a white feather caught in the grass, blowing around in the wind. I picked it up, said a few quiet words of gratitude, and released it. I watched as it lifted, danced in the wind for a moment… and then dropped back down into the grass again.

So I picked it up, released it again, and watched. Up it went… then down it came… and this went on a few times.

And it got me thinking — that feather is a bit like life.

One minute you can be flying high. Life feels good, everything is flowing, and you couldn’t be happier. Then out of nowhere, life changes and you come crashing back down to earth. Everything feels hard, nothing goes right, and you feel like you’re fighting against everything and everyone.

And then, sometimes just as quickly, the wind changes… and you’re soaring again.

Life is obviously much easier when you’re soaring. But what I’m learning is that life is very rarely always like that. So when I find myself in the crashing moments now, I try to ask myself, “Okay, I’m here… what do I need to learn from this? How do I get through this as best as I can?”

Because it’s easy to become miserable, full of self-pity, and think it’s all so unfair — believe me, I’ve been there more times than I care to admit.

But negativity breeds negativity.
And by the same token, positivity breeds positivity.

And I know which one I’d rather choose — even on the hard days.

So if life feels a bit like you’re stuck in the grass just now, don’t worry… the wind will come again.

Take care🤍🤍

I’m writing this not for sympathy, but in the hope that it might help someone who is having a tough day or week.It’s bee...
22/03/2026

I’m writing this not for sympathy, but in the hope that it might help someone who is having a tough day or week.

It’s been just over 18 months since I lost Chris — my partner, my best friend. And yes, grief is still there. You don’t get over it, you just learn to move forward with it, because grief really is love. But at times, it can still catch you off guard. And rather than deal with it, you push it down, until one day it just bursts out without warning.

That happened to me yesterday and today, down at the beach… thank goodness for sunglasses.

After some time and a bit of reflecting, I realised why. I have a big birthday coming up this week. And while I’m very grateful to celebrate another year — because not everyone gets that chance — I realised I’m also grieving what I thought this birthday would look like. Chris by my side, a big party with friends and family, and some great holiday adventure together. And that’s not going to happen. So I’m grieving the loss of that dream too.

Chris would be the first to say, “Go and celebrate, have fun, have the party. Life is to be lived and enjoyed.” And I do believe that. But when your heart isn’t fully in it, and everyone quite rightly wants to celebrate with you, it can feel overwhelming. I know it all comes from a place of love, but I also know now that it’s okay to do what feels right for me. It is my birthday after all 😊

So I guess what I’m trying to say is this — when you lose someone you love, grief will come and go. Some days you’ll cope better than others. Don’t fight the pain — acknowledge it, sit with it, and do what feels right for you. You’re not here to please everyone else; you’re here to look after yourself and get through as best you can.

Let the tears come. Have a wee conversation with your person, tell them how you feel and how much you miss them, and think about what their reply would be… because deep down, you usually know.

You don’t just grieve the person once. You grieve them on birthdays, anniversaries, ordinary days, and for the life you thought you would have together. There’s no timeline for that — you just take it as it comes, and do the best you can, one day at a time.

So this year, I’ll still celebrate — just on a smaller scale, and in my own way.
Because love doesn’t end — it just changes shape.

Look after yourself 🤍🤍

As tough as some days can be, where anything can trigger you.......l can 110% say I would not trade the love to escape t...
21/03/2026

As tough as some days can be, where anything can trigger you.......l can 110% say I would not trade the love to escape the grief. I say to myself "how lucky was l to have had this wonderful person in my life". 🤍🤍

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