As Christmas day is fast approaching, my thoughts turn to the many people who have lost a loved one. Christmas takes on a whole different meaning when there is that someone special who is missing - someone who in recent years has been sitting at the table with us, eating, drinking and enjoying family time. It is my heartfelt hope that each and everyone of you who is grieving the loss of a loved one takes the time to be at one with your grief, yet at the same time, spend time with those closest to you - the ones who understand you and walk beside you in your grief. Remember that you are not alone. From my family to yours, I wish you all a safe Christmas and New Year whatever your plans may be

Marriage proposals over the Christmas period are very popular. Most people are on holidays, or having a few days off work at least, so in a relaxed, fun state of mind. This is also a time when family and friends get together to celebrate, everyone being in a party mood. So what a perfect time to propose! If you are recently engaged, or become engaged over the christmas period, and looking for a celebrant who will work with you every single step of the way to ensure you have exactly what you want for your special day, then I would be delighted to catch up with you for a chat. I can be contacted through my website www.lifescelebrationsbysamantha.com via email - lifecels@gmail.com or mobile 043

Christmas can be a difficult time when you have lost a loved one or friend. In past years you have all celebrated together and made many memories throughout the years - memories that should be held on to and cherished. Yet at this time, when you are generally happy and celebrating with others, there is something missing, and that something leaves an aching emptiness in your heart and in your life. There are a few things that you may like to consider - things that may help you to cope just that little bit easier through the festive season. * Seek the support of family and friends - your collective sorrow and grief can become a collective strength * Take a walk outside in the fresh air - take

Grief is unfortunately something that we all go through at some stage in our lives. We can experience grief when losing a loved one or friend, losing a job or the breakup of a relationship. There are many situations that we, as humans, face and grieve on our lifetime. One important rule though when walking alongside someone in their grief is that you never "compare" grief. Even if you are accompanying a friend on their grief journey after losing a parent, and you too have lost a parent, you cannot compare. Relationships are different and WE are different. Our grief is different. Yes it is true that we ourselves DO know what grief feels like but it is OUR grief. The best thing that you can do

Sounds pretty straight forward right? Of course your ceremony is already unique as you are two unique individuals! It is true that each wedding ceremony has to contain legal components, so naturally have to be included on every ceremony to make the union legal. If you were to include only the legal requirements to be married, there is about 130 words that must be said, along with three documents that need to be witnessed and signed on the day by the couple along with their two witnesses who must be over the age of 18. In my experience, no-one wants to just have the legals. It is nice to be able to say more about the couple and include these in the ceremony. Going that one step further thou

This is a question that is frequently asked by couples when planning their marriage ceremony. Choosing the time of your ceremony can be made quite difficult for a number of reasons. There may be people who have to travel, the need for extra time for photos to be taken at another location, the venue may have time restrictions and also the time of year can be a major factor in deciding what time to have your ceremony. I would suggest you speak with your photographer. If they haven't already been to your chosen venue, they check it out for locations and spots around the grounds to do their shoot, they keep up to date with the weather and the sun rise and sun set times and most of all they are

Congratulations on your engagement! Now to plan an engagement party and set a date for the big day. But where to start? There are so many things to consider: * The venue * Who will be in your bridal party * Celebrant/Officiant * Photographer/Videographer * Cars * Florist * Cake * Wedding stylist * Bomboniere ideas * Rings * Dresses * Suits * Honeymoon destinations Wow - the list goes on! Many people will recommend suppliers to you from their experiences. This blog is going to give you a few ideas on what should you look for when choosing your celebrant. Most importantly, you need to feel comfortable with the person that will perform your ceremony. They play a pivotal role in the ceremony and

For the past 11 years I have worked in the funeral industry. Each service is different, honouring the person who has passed away and can consist of readings/poems, music, photos, candle lighting and other things that families choose to include. In a lot of chapels, the service can also be recorded and given to the family who may or may not choose to look at it at a later date. There are also people who specialise in this field. One of the businesses that I have worked with is The Funeral Videographer - Michelle Bova is awesome and is very unobtrusive and respectful, which of course is imperative at a time such as this. Some people agree this is a great idea, as often a funeral service is a b