Erika Biddlecombe
Ceremonies

Independent Celebrant for Weddings, Naming, Family Ceremonies, Funerals and Memorials
Freedom to collaboratively and inclusively create unique and everlasting memories

… As Featured on the BBC …
Winner of The Wedding Industry Awards Celebrant of the Year,
South Central Region, 2024

Gallery

“A picture paints a thousand words!”


About Me

Freedom to collaboratively and inclusively create unique and everlasting memories’

A tailor made ceremony

This is your first step in creating a tailor-made ceremony crafted especially for you that truly reflects your personality, outlook and style.
Within your ceremony you decide on readings, poems, songs, vows – or none at all. Being an Independent Celebrant means we have few restrictions placed on us. If you wish to have religious references then these can be incorporated and from various faiths too, in line with and showing a respectful cultural appreciation.
With a celebrant it is entirely possible to have your ceremony where you want it. It may be a specific wedding venue or in a garden or on a beach – your dreams can come true.

“The essence of this ceremony is that we write the script together – our imaginations can run free!”
- Erika Biddlecombe, Celebrant
(Erika uses the pronouns she/her)


Beginning of life / Joining of life / End of Life

Wedding ceremonies
Your love story is unique to the two of you. We will work together to write your love story and vows. You may also want to include a handfasting, rose or sand ceremony. This is your day, your way.

Elopement & micro ceremonies
An intimate ceremony and incredibly personal. After all, it is about the two of you!

Naming ceremonies
Celebrate the arrival of your child and welcome them into your family with a naming ceremony incorporating guide parents and ceremonies to symbolise new life. Ideal for re-namings and adoptions.

Funerals, living funerals, memorials & scattering of ashes
Creating unique funerals which can be religious, semi religious or non religious however celebrating their time, telling their story and honouring their life.

Vow renewals – We still do!
Celebrate your marriage all over again by renewing your wedding vows and reaffirming your love for each other. A truly moving occasion.

SO, WHO AM I AND WHAT CAN I OFFER YOU?

My name is Erika Biddlecombe and I trained with the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants to achieve my Certificate in Wedding, Family and Funeral Celebrancy as well as having previously worked in education, PR, events management, freelance writer, TV presenter, public speaker – all the qualities needed to organise a bespoke ceremony for you.
Known for my organisational skills, attention to fine detail, creativity and high standards you can be assured that your ceremony is in the safest of hands.
Core values of mine are inclusivity & diversity. Every culture, nationality and person has different knowledge, perspectives and points of view. When all of these are shared together, miracles can happen. To be involved with your special occasion I will regard as a privilege. Together we can create an event to cherish and remember forever.
‘I am fully trained in many aspects of neurodiversity; dementia & B.S.L experienced. Our brains work in unique and individual ways with everyone respected.’
‘Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.’

Video
Video
Video

We are members of this!

Whether you are searching for a celebrant to conduct a Naming, Wedding, Commitment Ceremony, Renewal of Vows, Funeral or Memorial Ceremony, we’re here to help.

‘Love is love – let’s spread it together.’

TWIA 2023, Highly Commended Wedding Celebrant, South Central Region.
Regional Finalist Certificate
Highly Commended Certificate

Please note your wedding ceremony is not legally binding.

For this you do need to visit the registry office at any time or even not at all.
(However Erika is keeping a close eye on the Wedding Reform Law UK.)

What people are saying about Erika

‘Polished, professional, caring, involved, uplifting, reassuring, happiness, hope.’

A and T
Testimonials - Wedding
A huge thank you, Erika, for putting together such a beautiful wedding ceremony. You spent a lot of time beforehand getting to know what we wanted from the ceremony, and also us as a couple. The occasion really was so wonderfully warm, funny, emotional and completely...

A and J
Testimonials - Wedding
‘Erika was our Celebrant for our wedding and the entire ceremony was perfect. We’d met up for a coffee once before the wedding and had emailed quite a few times, but Erika managed to capture our story perfectly on the day. We received so many compliments from our...

B and M
Testimonials - Wedding
Wow! Just wow! Erika is amazing, she was our wedding celebrant and I cannot fault her. A wonderful person and we’re so glad we went with her! Erika took the time to get to know us as a couple to ensure our ceremony was perfect for us and had all the personal touches...

Contact Me

Telephone: 07947 833 401
Call me for more information
Email: [email protected]

Gallery

Testimonials

‘Polished, professional, caring, involved, uplifting, reassuring, happiness, hope.’

Weddings

J and B
‘We are so very grateful for the way in which you conducted E and E’s wedding ceremony – you made it so perfect and had put a great deal of thought into it. Many of our guests told us how much they had loved it because it was so warm and personal. You made it so caring and were not at all phased by teething baby -your professionalism does you credit !
After you made the start of the proceedings so perfect everyone had a great time and a lot of people said it was the nicest wedding they had ever been to.’

F and L
‘We cannot recommend Erika highly enough. In advance of the ceremony, Erika walked us through everything related to the ceremony and asked questions about things we hadn’t even thought about. She has a very keen eye for the details which really took the stress away from the big day, as we knew exactly how things were going to run. Erika also gave us some great ideas for when we wrote our vows. Not only was she excellent at helping us prepare but she is a fabulous woman that is so easy to get along with and clearly takes great pride in her career. On the big day, Erika led our ceremony with the perfect balance of emotion and humour whilst conveying the importance of the occasion.
It wasn’t just us that were impressed, as all our guests were full of compliments about Erika as well. Thank you, Erika!’

B and K
‘We’ve been reflecting on what a wonderful day we had …. a week ago!
We certainly had,to us the most perfect day & again many thanks to you for making the ceremony so unique and personal.
Our guests all commented on the way , you told “Our Story “ & made it a true celebration of our love, instead of the more traditional formal ceremony.
We always felt that you really understood us & that shone through, from our very first meeting.
We’re so pleased it was as special for you too.’

A and P
‘The ceremony you put together was simply perfect. So many guests commented on how thoughtful and well put together it was (and also that they’d never seen so many people crying during a wedding!) You made a perfect day even better.
Also, a personal thank you from me for being such a calming presence just before the ceremony!’

G and H
‘We wanted to drop you a quick email to thank you for stepping up at the last minute and helping us out on our special day, it couldn’t have gone any better for us and you were amazing, we have had so, so much lovely feedback on your service, I am a great believer that everything happens for a reason, and us forgetting a registrar gave us you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
We have an appointment tomorrow to give notice and a date of 1st Sept to do the paperwork!!!!
I say paperwork as in our eyes you married us on Saturday’

C and J
‘Erika was brilliant. She helped us prep and pulled together the perfect ceremony for us. It was relaxed, yet special and many a happy tear was shed.
Erika has a lovely way about her which makes you feel comfortable and happy. We had many complements on the service and how good she was! My deaf mother even managed to hear and enjoy the ceremony.
Thank you, Erika’

L and M
‘Erika was excellent.
So warm and friendly, when our wedding was not allowed to happen, for the 3rd time on July 18th 2021, we did not have much time to sort wedding date 4 on 19th July 2021.
Erika stepped in and was flexible in allowing us to pay, once it was more certain that wedding date 4 would definitely be allowed.
Our personilised ceremony was perfect, and Erika delivered it so well. Our day was even better than expected and we couldn’t ask for more.
Highly recommend.
Thank you for being part of our special day’

Wedding supplier
‘Erika, it was a pleasure meeting you and working with you on this event. Your warmth came through right away and you know how to put people at ease instantly. It was a privilege watching you officing for us in such a calm , composed and friendly manner. I Do recommend your services to anyone looking for a celebrant. You are a genuine kind hearted person and it’s the first thing that I noticed about you.’

A and T
A huge thank you, Erika, for putting together such a beautiful wedding ceremony. You spent a lot of time beforehand getting to know what we wanted from the ceremony, and also us as a couple. The occasion really was so wonderfully warm, funny, emotional and completely ‘us’ – despite the weather!! When we met you a couple of weeks beforehand to discuss exactly how things would run you were so reassuring and that gave us all such confidence. Thank you so much for making everything so special.

A and J
‘Erika was our Celebrant for our wedding and the entire ceremony was perfect. We’d met up for a coffee once before the wedding and had emailed quite a few times, but Erika managed to capture our story perfectly on the day. We received so many compliments from our guests about how personal our ceremony was. Erika you are a beautiful person inside and out and we both thank you so much for playing such a big part in the start of the rest of our lives.’

B and M
Wow! Just wow! Erika is amazing, she was our wedding celebrant and I cannot fault her. A wonderful person and we’re so glad we went with her! Erika took the time to get to know us as a couple to ensure our ceremony was perfect for us and had all the personal touches we were hoping for! She made it fun and heartwarming. Our guests were so impressed and everyone really enjoyed the ceremony! We opted to write our own vows and Erika helped coach us through this to ensure they were spot on. Thank you Erika, you made our day perfect and truly unforgettable!’

S and C
‘Erika was the best thing about our wedding on 5th June 2022. All our guests raved about how amazing and personal the ceremony was and it was genuinely the best wedding ceremony they had ever been to. Erika was so helpful in the lead up to the wedding, meeting us at the venue, going through personal vows and readings with us. And so helpful on the morning of the wedding with the flapping groomsmen. I could not have asked for a more perfect celebrant. My brother and his fiancée loved her ceremony so much, they are cancelling their registrar and asking her to conduct their ceremony next year instead.’

R and B
‘A huge thanks to Erika for performing as the celebrant at our 30th Wedding anniversary vow renewal. From our first consultation with Erika, it was obvious her only real concern was to make sure that the ceremony was perfect for us. Erika listened intently to what we wanted for our ceremony, offering pertinent advice and guidance on potential improvements to it. Despite her having a very busy schedule, she committed a lot of time to visit our venue to ensure the setup of the room was appropriate for our needs. The vow renewal had a great balance between formality and fun. Our friends and family have expressed to us how enjoyable the ceremony was and this was enhanced by Erika’s professionalism. Not only was Erika an excellent celebrant, we now consider her a close family friend. Thank you !’

S and R
‘Erika provided an amazing service for our ceremony and celebration. She worked with us collaboratively to design a bespoke ceremony which was dear to us both. Extremely professional and a wonderful person. All of our guests were very complimentary of the whole ceremony and service. Would absolutely recommend Erika.’

P and K
‘Erika, a massive thank you for being part of our special day, we’ve had a lot of feedback from people saying how lovely the service was and how relaxed everything was. We had a lovely day and everything went like clockwork, once again a big thank you from my wife and I.’

Funerals

J
Dear Erika
Thank you so much for a beautiful service for my mum; everything went so well and even better than we could have hoped. You injected so much warmth and compassion, that it was as if you knew Mum, but that really does come down to your skill and expertise; you are a safe pair of hands, as they say! It was so lovely to meet you in person, finally, but again, I felt as if I knew you already, having discussed such intimate and emotional matters with you over the past weeks.
Love & Best wishes
J

D
Thank you so much for making such a sad day into a wonderful tribute to our mum. It was a beautiful service.

R
Dear Erika
Thank you so much for conducting R’s Cremation Service. I really believe you were born to be a Celebrant, you have so much poise, sympathy and warmth when you speak, and so eloquently too. You really made the service special for us.

A
Hello Erika
I just wanted to say a big thank you for today’s service. Everybody has given lovely feedback on the content and delivery, and you made me feel like I was being helped by an old friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye for my father.
Fond regards
A

C
Hi Erika
Thank you for the marvellous service you conducted for J, I could not have asked more, you managed to capture the very essence of my wife and so eloquently conveyed to all attending.
My very best
C

J and Family
Hi Erika
Just wanted, on behalf of the whole family really, to say a huge thank you for T’s beautiful service yesterday. It was perfect for him and just what we wanted. So many people asked if you actually knew him as you made it so personal. Everyone in the front row really felt your support during the service and V in Spain had also said how moving she found it and how included she felt. We could not have asked more from you and we are all so very grateful.
Thank you and very best wishes,
J and family

L
Dear Erika
Just wanted to tell you that my family were very pleased with Mum’s service yesterday. They all thought you presented it lovingly for us with such warmth, respect and care for her!
Many thanks to you, I know Mum would have been happy with things, just as we all were.
Sincere thanks Erika.
Kind regards – L

N
Hi Erika. Just wanted to say that the family and A in particular were glowing in praise of the service today. Pitched just right and in my opinion, enough to start the healing process.
Thank you
N

J
Dear Erika
I wanted to write and thank you for being the celebrant at Mum’s service. You immediately understood what we required, and I thank you for being so sensitive, kind and compassionate. Your help and support was wonderful, and I knew we were in good hands at the service.
Thank you again, J

T and S
Hi Erika
We would both just like to thank you for leading the service this afternoon your kind words meant a lot to us and you really captured the essence of the man we knew.
These things are always difficult but you made it easy to say goodbye
Thank you so much
T & S

M
Dear Erika,
On behalf of my sisters and I, I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ for taking our mother’s service yesterday. I have received such lovely warm comments about how intimate the service was and how you spoke so beautifully about Mum. Thank you so much for giving her such a wonderful send off.
Kindest regards, M

Cookie Policy

At Erika Celebrant, we believe in being clear and open about how we collect and use data related to you. In the spirit of transparency, this policy provides detailed information about how and when we use cookies.
Does Erika Celebrant use cookies?
Yes, we use cookies and other technologies to ensure everyone who uses Erika Celebrant has the best possible experience. By continuing to visit or use our services, you are agreeing to the use of cookies and similar technologies for the purposes we describe in this policy.
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small file placed onto your device that enables Erika Celebrant features and functionality. For example, cookies enable us to identify your device, secure your access to Erika Celebrant and our sites generally. Cookies also enable you to easily share content on Erika Celebrant and help us serve relevant ads to you.
When does Erika Celebrant place cookies?
We use cookies on our site, any browser visiting these sites will receive cookies from us.
What types of cookies does Erika Celebrant use?
None.
What are cookies used for?
Cookies can be used to recognise you when you visit Erika Celebrant. Cookies also make your interactions with Erika Celebrant faster and more secure.
What is Do Not Track (DNT)?
DNT is a concept that has been promoted by regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for the Internet industry to develop and implement a mechanism for allowing Internet users to control the tracking of their online activities across websites by using browser settings. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has been working with industry groups, Internet browsers, technology companies, and regulators to develop a DNT technology standard. While some progress has been made, it has been slow. No standard has been adopted to this date. As such, Erika Celebrant does not generally respond to “do not track” signals.
How are cookies used for advertising purposes?
Cookies and other ad technology such as beacons, pixels, and tags help us serve relevant ads to you more effectively. They also help us provide aggregated auditing, research, and reporting for advertisers, understand and improve our service, and know when content has been shown to you. Note: Because your web browser may request advertisements and beacons directly from third party ad network servers, these networks can view, edit, or set third party cookies, just as if you had requested a web page from their site.
What third-party cookies does Erika Celebrant use?
None
Controlling cookies
Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. However, if you limit the ability of websites to set cookies, you may worsen your overall user experience, since it will no longer be personalised to you.
What to do if you don’t want cookies to be set or want them to be removed?
If you do not want to receive cookies, you can change your browser settings on your computer or other device you’re using to access our services. If you use Erika Celebrant without changing your browser settings, we’ll assume that you’re happy to receive all cookies on the Erika Celebrant website. Most browsers also provide functionality that lets you review and erase cookies, including Erika Celebrant cookies. Please note that the Erika Celebrant site will not work properly without cookies.

To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit wikipedia.org, www.allaboutcookies.org, or www.aboutcookies.org.

Privacy Policy

Who we are
Our website address is: http://erikabcelebrant.test.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Cookies
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select "Remember Me", your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Who we share your data with
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

Terms and Conditions

All parts of this document form part of our contractual agreement to each other.

Availability: Following our initial meeting I will hold the date for you for 7 days pending receipt of your booking fee.

Booking and payment: The fee is broken down into two staged payments as follows:

Booking Fee: Payable on signature of the booking form to reserve your date. This payment saves your date. I guarantee not to take another booking for the same day.
Balance of Payment: This is due 8 weeks prior to your event.
Cancellation and Postponement: In the event of postponement, only those fees already incurred shall be deemed due. I will endeavour to make myself available for your new date, or will seek to find a trusted replacement celebrant who will work to the script we have developed together. However this cannot be guaranteed.
Photography: Erika Biddlecombe Celebrant reserves the right to request and receive complimentary digital copies of all official photographs and official video taken during the ceremony which feature Erika or her colleague celebrant. Erika Biddlecombe reserves the right to use such photos in print or electronically for promotional purposes, unless permission is expressly denied on signature of the booking form.
Legal status: This ceremony will not be legally recognised in England and Wales. To formalise the legal requirements you must attend a Registry office
Ceremony: All correspondence, documentation including draft and final scripts remain copyright of Erika Biddlecombe Celebrant and must be shared only with the express written consent of Erika Biddlecombe.
Unavailability: If on the day of the event I am not able, for whatever reason, to provide the service you have paid for I will use my best endeavours to find a substitute celebrant to provide the service in my place. Only if no substitute celebrant can found will you be entitled to a full refund of the balance of payment.
How I hold and use your data: The personal information that you provide (names/address/tel no’s /email addresses etc) until the end of the year after your particular ceremony.
I will retain a printed copy of my client details together with your booking form for HMRC purposes only.
All other printed information is shredded and disposed of.
The only computer records I will keep beyond the end of the year of your ceremony is the script that I have produced.
I do not pass your details on to any third parties without your express permission.
If you’d like me to delete your data sooner, just let me know and I will comply.
I cannot be held responsible for any storage retention methods.
If you don’t want your details stored electronically by me please advise me at the time of signing the booking form.

OUR AGREEMENT
The signatory confirms they are authorised to sign and they agree to the terms and conditions provided.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How often will we usually be in touch?
I’m here to make your ceremony just what you need it to be, and I’ll be available to take your calls, emails and texts between now and the day of your ceremony. As a guide, however, this is the usual plan:
An initial call or email chat to get in touch and find out more.
A first ‘big picture’ meeting to learn all about you, and your hopes and vision for the big day.
A signed agreement that we’re going to work together.
A questionnaire for you to complete and send back to me.
A second meeting where I read you the first draft of your ceremony and we drill down on the details. This usually takes place around 3 months before your ceremony.
Agreement on the final format of your ceremony, and provision of the final details for you to incorporate into your Order of Service, if you are having one.
A rehearsal/walk through at the venue, if you would like one.
Leading your ceremony on the day.
A certificate and a presentation copy of your script.
What if we need to change the date or cancel?
In the event that you should want to cancel my services the following will need to be considered: The booking fee is non-refundable. If the cancellation is made no later than 56 days before the ceremony is to take place then the balance of payment will not become due. Cancellations by you later than this will mean forfeiture of the balance of payment.
In the case of postponement, the booking fee and script drafting fee will be retained, and final payment will be due 8 weeks before the new date. Please note I cannot guarantee availability for the new date, and the same course of action will follow as detailed below in the case of unavailability.
What if our celebrant is unavailable on the day?
In the event that I have to cancel due to circumstances outside of my control (these circumstances would have to be extreme) I will, in the first instance, attempt to secure another trusted celebrant to conduct the ceremony as we have written it, and make payment to that celebrant without any additional costs being incurred by you. In the event that I am unable to secure another celebrant, I will refund the balance of payment to you and you will be able to ask another celebrant or friend to conduct the ceremony I have written for you.
What time will you arrive?
I will usually expect to be present at your venue at least 60 minutes before the start of your ceremony. Please discuss with me if you would like to suggest an alternative arrangement.

Sustainability Policy

Work in progress however please read my Environmentally Sustainable Blog on this website.

Blog

An environmentally sustainable budget wedding!

Yes, it can be achieved and beautifully too.

If you’ve started to plan your wedding you have no doubt already shuddered at the costs and gasped ‘How much?!’ And understandably so. However, it doesn’t need to be that way. You can still have your perfect day on a budget and helping the environment.

Believe it or not, I had as much of a sustainable wedding as possible in 1985 (yes, I was a child bride!)

Read on for ideas that may tickle your fancy in the 21st century!

I soon discovered that friends and family were delighted to be asked to take a special role in our wedding so I began to think about the talents they possessed – and discovered they were a rather creative bunch of guests!

Photos
One guest was an avid photographer so BINGO! Their role was sorted and the photos taken were amazing!

Oher guests were asked to snap away (I wouldn’t put our friendly ‘official’ photographer into this category for fear of offence as they did model themselves more on the David Baileys of this world)

All the photos taken were so natural, happy, candid, entertaining and special.

Saved a fortune straight away.

Wedding cake
Do you need one? Well, we decided yes and one of our guests was an expert cake maker so they made the cake, decorated it and delivered it– plus it was their wedding present too. Money saved all round.

Invites
Home made and hand made with confetti inside to throw at us on the day. Sadly, the confetti was the paper type (we are talking many years ago) however bio-degradable flower petals are easily bought or made today! Most invites were hand delivered too – saved a fortune on printing and postage.

Transport to the ceremony
There was a shortage of parking so lift sharing was encouraged.

And the for ‘main players,’ as I like to call them?

We asked friends with reliable cars to drive us! My old 2CV would probably have broken down so reliability was the name of the day! The friend who drove me brought me to tears as they insisted on collecting me 30 minutes early, all was to be revealed when he drove me on a trip down memory lane – past the hospital I was born in, past my schools, past my favourite boozer and onto the ceremony. They had also put together a cassette tape (1985 don’t forget) of all my favourite music to play on the journey. I wouldn’t have received those personal touches with a private hire car!

The ceremony
Yes, the most expensive part – however the most important part too. I can give you lots of tips as to how to keep your 21st century ceremony to a respectful, meaningful and memorable budget.

The party
We chose to have our ceremony at 5.15pm and afterwards went straight into a celebratory party. No need for day guests and evening guests – just one big shindig! Saved on catering and bar costs too.

The drink
We set up the bar – saved lots! Or ask guests to bring a bottle!

The catering
Tricky one, I opted for a group of youth offenders who were on a government run catering course. I did receive a few shocked looks prior to the ceremony however I had met with them and their tutors on many occasions and trusted them. Did they let me down as some feared? NO! They took such pride in every aspect of the job from budget to taste to presentation. Just wonderful. And as they were training, the fee was reduced too.

A thought for present days – ask your guests to bring a hamper picnic, the crockery and cutlery and even a picnic table and chairs! It does work, shows their individuality and they can even become a little competitive with each other as to who has created the best-looking table – friendly competition of course, no profiteroles at dawn! You could also ask each guest to bring a piece of cheese for the roving cheese board – let the battle of the cheese board begin!

Music
Easy one – ask everyone for their favourite song and play during the festivities, Spotify nowadays. Not so easy in the 1980’s but we managed!

The dress
Oh boy, this proved a tad of a nightmare but all was OK on the day! I knew the style I wished for but the budget did not cover it nor would I have spent so much on a dress. So, bought a low-cost dress with a view to alterations, additions and amendments! Found a dressmaker, what could possibly go wrong! Dress handed over to lovely dressmaker. This poor person then fell off her moped and her partner broke off their relationship! Perfectly good reasons why she was not returning my landline calls as she was not at home! Luckily her mum came to the rescue! With two weeks to the wedding the unaltered dress was given back to me! The hunt for a new dressmaker who could create my dream dress began! Bear in mind this was an August wedding, dressmakers are either full or on holiday! As luck would have it, I found one, an amazing lady who made my dream come true within a week to go to the big day – Cinderella really did make it to the ball!

And for brides, grooms or any of your party I would thoroughly recommend visiting charity shops, some of the large charities even have dedicated shops to wedding wear – I don’t like to say bridal wear so as to include all.

Overall, shop local as much as possible – save your money, save your time, save our local businesses and save the planet! Win, win for everyone!

Please feel free to contact me for a no-obligation chat and I can share even more tips and ideas.

PS – Two of my three children have married or are due to be married. Did they follow all of my suggestions? No! Some? Just about! Did I wish they had followed more? NO! I’m proud that I’ve raised three children who listen (possibly to pacify me!) however overall know their own minds. Please, also look upon this article as suggestions and, most importantly, have a wonderful day… your way 😊


Coffin & Cake

It sounds like the start of a joke: two Celebrants and a Soul Doula walk into an ice cream parlour to host an event aimed at encouraging people talk positively about death, dying and grief. However, those behind the first Coffin & Cake event are in earnest about providing a platform for local people to find support and to ask questions.

Free of charge, Coffin & Cake takes place on Sunday 18 September at Pinks Parlour in Bognor Regis at 6pm. Open to anyone who is curious or fearful about death, those grieving a loved one are also assured a warm welcome. Led by Funeral Celebrants Erika Biddlecombe and Vicky Edwards, and Alison Wright who is a Soul Doula (someone who supports people emotionally and holistically at the end of their life), they are supported by former nurse Katy Alston, owner of Pinks Parlour in Bognor Regis.

Explaining that the collective hope to open up what is often perceived as a taboo conversation, Erika said:

“As independent celebrants [wedding and funeral officiants who aren’t necessarily affiliated with a particular faith] one of the saddest things we encounter is seeing a family’s grief being compounded by the fact that they have no idea what their loved one wanted for their funeral – that death was something that they never talked about. The idea is that people can come along either to contribute, or just to listen. We aim to inspire and support in an atmosphere that is non-judgemental and rich in loving kindness.”

“In other cultures attitudes to end of life and dying are more pragmatic – pro-active, even,” said Vicky, adding: “For instance, there is a lot more scope for non-traditional funeral services now, but often people aren’t aware of the options. Being able to talk openly and ask questions about death should be the norm, but as a nation we are still a bit buttoned-up about it. This can leave those who are grieving with a lot of unanswered questions. Our event will cover everything you ever wanted to know about death but we’re afraid to ask – with cake and compassion.’”

As a Soul Doula,Alison knows that it is possible to have a ‘good death.’

“I am passionate about making grief and dying more accepted and honoured in society, and also about raising awareness of how Soul Doulas and Celebrants can help achieve this.

“Being part of a team that offers a loving and vibrant space where death can be freely spoken about is really important,” said Alison.

Stressing that Coffin & Cake will be a warm, welcoming and insightful gathering hosted by empathic professionals, the ladies hope that hosting the event at an ice cream parlour – a venue traditionally associated with joy and fun – that people will feel reassured.

Katy Alston said: “I feel that there is such a need for the skills and ideas that these three ladies have. Pinks is always proud to support the community, and of course everyone experiences loss. I am delighted to be able to offer Pinks Parlour as the inaugural meeting place for Coffin & Cake.”

The event is free of charge, but places are limited and must be pre booked. To book, please call 07771 890854 or email [email protected]
Notes for Editors:
Erika is based in Emsworth, Vicky is based in Chichester and Alison is based in Rustington.

Photo shows Vicky (in navy) seated next to Alison. Katy (in pink/red) next to Erika.

For further information and interview requests, please contact Vicky Edwards on 07771 890854 [email protected] or Erika Biddlecombe on 07947 833401 [email protected]


The Aisle File

12 SEPTEMBER 2023 – published in Chichester Observer

Peak proposal time falls between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, with engagements often triggered by couples attending weddings during the preceding summer. But what do engaged couples REALLY need to know? Fellow Celebrant Erika Biddlecombe and Vicky Edwards put their heads together to offer some of our pearliest pearls of wedding wisdom…

Going to the chapel (or not)
If you want a faith-based wedding, a place of worship is the appropriate venue for you to marry. If it’s a secular ceremony you’re after, or you just wish to fulfil the legalities of marriage, a licensed venue where a Registrar will officiate does the job. But if you want a ceremony that is designed and written exclusively for you, with no time or content restrictions, you need a Celebrant. While you will still have to fulfil the legalities of marriage with the Registrar (many couples do this the week before their celebrant-led ceremony), a Celebrant will help you design and create a unique and personalised ceremony. There are moves afoot to review the centuries-old wedding laws; potentially licensing celebrants and thereby giving all couples the opportunity to marry in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them. But in the meantime, if you want a bespoke ceremony, let’s chat!

Nail your non-negotiables
Weddings can be expensive and, unless you have unlimited funds, you’ll need to spend wisely. So in the first instance, identify the things that you don’t want to compromise on. Whether it’s the award-winning photographer or the designer dress, by nailing your non-negotiables early on, you can work out where to trim your spending.
And remember: making, borrowing or buying second hand are brilliant budget-shavers, so tap into your resources and identify the bargain hunters and Pinterest ninjas in your circle.

Shop local
It’s an all-round win: shopping local for all things wedding boosts the local economy, often includes free delivery, and, crucially, reduces your carbon footprint. Shockingly, the average carbon footprint of a UK wedding equates to more than the average annual footprint of a household. So share the local love.

Beware pinchy pants and toe torture!
Pretty bridal lingerie may be easy on the eye, but it can be really uncomfortable. We cannot stress this enough: test drive undies before the wedding! It’s a long day and being comfortable is essential. Plus, there’s nothing quite as mortifying for a bride than a photo of her desperately trying to rearrange an uncomfortable wedgie. Oh, and remember: Shape Wear can be highly impractical for going to the loo.

As for shoes, wear them in to avoid blisters. And sandpaper the soles to minimise the risk of making an unscheduled skid down the aisle.

Tradition or Twist?
Weddings are rich in tradition. Some people like to include one or two of these, while others like to add their own twist to wedding rituals, or even invent one of their own.

Brolly good: It is considered lucky if it rains on your wedding day. Why? Well, a knot that becomes wet is extremely hard to untie. Therefore when you ‘tie the knot’ on a rainy day, your marriage is supposedly just as hard to untie. Tip: ALWAYS have a ‘B’ plan for an outdoors wedding in the UK, or add ‘bring a brolly’ to your invitations.

Pelted by petals: The word confetti comes from the Italian for ‘confectionary.’ Historically sweets were thrown, however these were gradually replaced by rice and grains, to represent wealth and fertility. Colourful paper was the next incarnation of this tradition, but, more environmentally friendly, petals are now the confetti norm. Which is kinder to the planet and preferable to being shelled with hard candy! Tip: Use petals gathered from family gardens for a personal touch.

Girls in white dresses: Originally, brides in the UK would simply wear their best clothes. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in an ivory-white gown that white wedding dresses became a fashionable. Old Queen Vic was quite the trendsetter! Tip: If you mum or granny still has their dress, think about using it to make something for your wedding wardrobe – a garter made from veil la

Put a ring on it: The custom of exchanging wedding rings goes back to Old Egypt, where a circle symbolised eternity. Ancient Egyptians wore wedding rings on the left finger of the left hand, as they believed the ‘vena amoris’ (the vein of love) began here, leading all the way to the heart. Tip: a ring warming ritual, when the rings are passed from person to person during the ceremony, is a lovely way to involve your guests.

Giving a toss: A peculiar tradition during the 15th century in Britain saw guests trying to tear bits off the bride’s dress, flowers or hair, believing that grabbing a piece of the bride’s outfit would bring them good luck. However, the guests could get very rowdy, so a tradition evolved whereby the bride would simply toss her flowers at the mob and run for her life! Tip: Instead of chucking your bouquet, chuck this tradition and keep the blooms for yourself!

The Icing on the Cake: Back in the 17th century, white icing on a wedding cake symbolised the bride’s virginity, as well as being an indicator of her folk’s wealth (the thicker the icing, the richer her family). Nowadays, ‘naked’ cakes are on trend. Make of that what you will! Tip: Go rogue and kick out the traditional cake in favour of a cheese castle, brownie tower or a pastry pylon.

This article offers you just a few thoughts, but if you have any questions, we’d be happy to hear from you! www.spotonceremonies.co.uk (Vicky) www.erikabcelebrant.co.uk (Erika)