From Classroom to the Ceremony:Why I Became a Liverpool Celebrant
Let’s rewind to 2021. I was four months pregnant, wearing a dress that somehow still fit, and standing next to the love of my life on a day that, against all odds, turned out to be gorgeous.
It had been chucking it down with gale force winds all week (classic British chaos), but the sky cleared just long enough for us to have our civil partnership at the great St. Georges Hall, a true landmark in Liverpool and honestly the greatest venue for a wedding, big or small. That day wasn’t big or flashy, but it was ours, personal, emotional, and full of meaning.
More Confetti Please
We laughed the entire day
And that’s when it clicked: this is what ceremonies should be like. Real. Honest. Joyful. Imperfectly perfect.
That little lightbulb moment, combined with a lot of reflection (and parenting), led me here; Toni The Liverpool Celebrant. Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it’s what people will google and I thought Garden Ceremonies made Toni Garden sound like a Celebrant that worked exclusively in nature... So not that. Although I do love a garden ceremony!
I’ve worn a few hats throughout my career; Hospitality Manager, Events Organiser, Journalist, Mum, Teaching Assistant, emotional support human, occasional therapist, and worlds greatest snack provider.
Me on my Big Day
But Celebrancy brings them all together.
Before I took the plunge into ceremonies, I worked in hospitality for 15 years, working weddings and funerals in a slightly different capacity. I’ve alway loved a gathering of people. It’s what hospitality is about really, bringing joy through service.
After my son was born and at the ripe old age of 35, I was diagnosed with ADHD and in true ADHD fashion, I turned my skills and life in a completely different direction.
Taking up a course with The Academy of Modern Celebrancy alongside a new post as a Teaching Assistant in an amazing Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) school, I support students aged 7 to 19 with complex learning needs. Developing tailored support plans, working with teachers and families, and adapting to whatever the day threw at us (which, frankly, is excellent celebrant training) it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and I’m so grateful to all of the people that I’ve worked alongside.
So, if you’re after a modern, inclusive celebrant, who’ll bring warmth, wit, and well-crafted words
(and maybe a spare brolly - just in case), you’ve found her.
Let’s make your moment something real.
Something joyful.
Something you.
