Image by Claire McClean

Hello there! I am a weddings celebrant based in the beautiful city of York, working throughout Yorkshire and the North of England! I first became interested in Humanist ceremonies when planning my own wedding. I liked the magic and ritual of a religious ceremony, but I didn’t want to say words I didn’t believe on my wedding day. I found civil ceremonies to be formulaic and impersonal, and so I began searching for an alternative.

A Humanist wedding appealed to me because it allowed us to incorporate the best bits from weddings in any culture whilst staying true to our values as a couple, using words that felt true to celebrate our love.

Image by Sam Chiplin

I love weddings. I love hearing couples’ stories: how they met, what they thought of each other, how it nearly went awry, how their friends interfered to set them up, how their proposals went. I love hearing how they supported each other during difficult times and what they admire and respect about their partner. Sharing and amplifying these love stories is my biggest thrill and it’s why I became a Humanist wedding celebrant. 

I worked as a museum curator for 10 years before becoming a celebrant, telling human stories about peace, war, and love. When telling stories in museums, I always sought to create a connection between the audience and the past. Now I help couples to share their love stories, creating an emotional connection with their guests and crafting ceremonies that are memorable for all the right reasons.

Feedback from my past couples tells me they love my friendly approach, my creative storytelling and the sense of calm and joy I bring to their big day. Get in touch to find out if you want me by your side on your wedding day!

“A huge, HUGE thank you for such a beautiful ceremony on October 8th. We had no doubt that you would deliver, and you proved it from the moment you first poured that gin-free gin and tonic.

Thank you for making us feel so at ease, for bonding so well with the guests and for truly honouring us as a couple. We will never forget what you did for us!”

K + C

“We wanted to thank you for making our wedding day so incredibly special with the warm and magical prowess you brought to our ceremony!

It has been the loveliest part of our wedding prep chatting to you, every time leaving us with lingering grins. You are wonderful at what you do!”

N + J

“Rachael is simply the best!

From the moment we met her, we were blown away by how friendly and professional she was.

She truly got to know us, and wrote and delivered such a meaningful, heartfelt and personalised ceremony, our wedding guests couldn’t believe she hadn’t known us for years!

Highly, highly recommended!
Thank you Rachael!”

B + N