What is a Civil Celebrant?
A Civil Celebrant conducts civil or secular ceremonies. All civil ceremonies may include not only secular content, but also cultural, religious, faith-based and spiritual rituals. As an Authorised Registered Marriage Celebrant I conduct delightful, inclusive, legal civil wedding ceremonies for all people.
Civil Celebrant Glenda J Ashleigh
I plan and conduct ceremonies to mark significant life events: birth, marriage, death and all those occasions that deserve a special celebration. Do you have questions about civil or secular ceremonies and who performs them?
Answers to questions about civil ceremonies here.
Please contact me if you have other questions about civil ceremonies, or how I can assist you as a civil celebrant. I am happy to help and you are under no obligation. Here are some of the more common QA (questions and answers) about civil or secular ceremonies.
Civil Ceremonies QA – Namings
Are Christenings and Namings the same?
- Christenings and Namings are not the same. An ordained minister/priest of the Christian faith conducts ‘Christening‘ or ‘Baptism‘ ceremonies that include mandatory religious rituals according to the particular denomination. These rituals usually include the naming of the person. Other faiths conduct similar ceremonies according to their traditions and religious rites.
- Anyone can perform a ‘Naming‘ ceremony that is a civil or secular ceremony. There are no legislative requirements as to how, where or who performs the ceremony. Further, there is no legal status attached to a Naming ceremony. A Naming ceremony is a delightful time to celebrate the giving of a name to a newcomer in the family.
More about delightful Naming ceremonies
Can we have Godparents in a Naming Ceremony?
- You may involve anyone you like, after all it is your ceremony!
- I craft Naming ceremonies that reflect the beliefs, ideas and wishes of the family. These ceremonies include the appointment not only of Godparents, but also of Guides and/or Sponsors or other roles.
- Family members or close family friends, who are not only significant in the life of the person being named, but also who uphold the family’s values are good choices for these appointments.
Civil Ceremonies QA – Funerals
Is a Funeral Ceremony legal?
- There is no legal status attached to a funeral ceremony, and there is no legal requirement for a funeral ceremony. There are, however, strict legislative requirements that apply when a person passes away. Consequently, the Funeral Director follows the regulations for the handling and disposal of deceased persons.
- Religious-based funeral ceremonies include mandatory, or must have, religious rituals according to the particular faith and/or denomination. In contrast, Civil or secular funeral ceremonies on the other hand, are free of content restrictions. They include content that meets the needs of clients and may include religious or spiritual rituals.
Does a Funeral Celebrant need to be qualified?
- Anyone can conduct a civil funeral ceremony, however this area requires special care. National industry training standards set the benchmark for qualifications in conducting funeral ceremonies.
- A professional Funeral Celebrant is one who is qualified in the specific competencies in conducting funeral ceremonies. This knowledge and experience is important as people grieve and express loss in different ways. Consequently a professional, qualified Funeral Celebrant is a great help in these difficult times. I am a professional, qualified Funeral Celebrant.
More about Funeral and Celebration of Life Ceremonies here
Are Funeral and Celebration of Life Ceremonies the same?
- The terms ‘Funeral’ and ‘Celebration of Life’ usually refer to End-of-life ceremonies. However, the content of a Funeral ceremony and a Celebration of Life ceremony may be different. This depends on what to include, and what not to include in the ceremony. Consequently, it is up to those who make the funeral arrangements to decide on the content of the ceremony.
- Lives touch and affect others in many different ways that are not always apparent until someone dies. Not only do we mourn the loss of our loved ones, but we also mourn the loss of our loving connections with them. We pause to reflect and recall life events at a Funeral or Celebration of Life Ceremony. This allows us to acknowledge the effect of the loss of loved ones in our lives. Family, friends and community members experience loss in different ways and express this loss differently .
- A traditional Funeral ceremony is an End-of-life ceremony that focuses on the loss of relationships. People find comfort in the ceremony and rituals of saying goodbye to loved ones when they pass.
- A Celebration of Life ceremony is an End-of-life ceremony that focuses on the gift of life of a loved one. This type of ceremony provides an experience that is not only uplifting, but is also comforting and memorable for those family and friends at the ceremony.
- I craft these end-of-life ceremonies with care and expert knowledge, and with sensitivity and respect for all mourners. Consequently, I conduct these ceremonies in a manner that meets the needs and wishes of people who attend the ceremony.