Wedding and Funeral Celebrant in Kent

My name is Ian, and I’m a Wedding and Funeral Celebrant based in the north-west of Kent – in a village that sits between Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, and Maidstone. I live with my husband, Philip, and our gorgeous fox-red Labrador, Ripley, who keeps us both very much on our toes!

I grew up on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and moved to Kent in my early thirties. For the last fifteen years or so I’ve worked in Education, becoming a Drama Teacher in 2010. I had a great time over the years I taught, working with so many talented and inspiring young people and although I was sad to leave the profession, I was glad to begin training as a celebrant and use my skills in a different way.

Outside of Celebrancy, I’m a very creative person – particularly in the areas of music and theatre. I have written, directed, and performed in several plays that have been taken to the Edinburgh Fringe and am a regular director and actor at The Oast Theatre in Tonbridge. If you look on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music you might come across music I’ve composed!

My interest in becoming a celebrant began when I became frustrated by a particularly robotic celebrant at a family wedding. I remember sitting through that ceremony and wanting to provide something more human, more personal, and certainly more creative. In stark contrast, I also remember the kind support and guidance a wonderful celebrant gave our family after the loss of my mother. His words, his attentiveness, and his patience helped us to say goodbye to Mum in a way that was both meaningful and appropriate, and he became a role model for the Celebrant I aim to be.

My goal as your Celebrant is to create and lead ceremonies that reflect and celebrate you and your loved ones, meaningfully, uniquely, and personably. It is to listen to and reflect your life stories, and help you to mark the important moments in your life in a way that is both appropriate and significant to you.

If you would like spiritual content in your ceremony then this is something I am able to offer. In my younger days I became a lay preacher for the Methodist Church and considered becoming ordained. Although this was not the path for me, the experience I gained creating and leading a variety of services in that context is a skill I now draw on in my role as a Celebrant.

As a writer and dramatist, I can really help you create a sense of theatre in your wedding or naming ceremony! I can help you write unique vows that truly say what you want to say, and I can work with you to create bespoke elements that will make for a truly memorable and original occasion.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community I am proud to officiate in same-sex weddings and family occasions.

All of my life experiences and activities shaped the Celebrant I aim to be – compassionate, creative, and human. A Celebrant that is focused on you, on your family, and on your loved ones. A Celebrant who creates and leads ceremonies that are as unique as you and your family. A Celebrant who enables you to mark the significant moments in the life of your family creatively, compassionately, and meaningfully.

Sometimes in joy, sometimes in sorrow, but always together. And always focused on you.