Category: Funeral Celebrant

  • Four Funerals and a Wedding

    Four Funerals and a Wedding

    People often assume that, as a celebrant, I spend all my time surrounded by flowers, confetti, and love stories — and most of the time, that’s true! I adore helping couples celebrate one of the happiest days of their lives. But recently, something a little unexpected happened in that I was asked to facilitate four funerals in a row, before heading straight into my next wedding.

    It was quite a shift — from grief to joy, from reflection to celebration — and it reminded me why I love this work so deeply. Every ceremony, whether it’s a farewell or a beginning, is about honouring life. The tone may change, but the heart of it is the same: helping people find meaning in the moment, words that feel true, and a ceremony that feels right.

    Those four funerals reminded me that every goodbye deserves the same care and authenticity as a wedding day. Each person had a story to tell, and it was a privilege to help their families tell it. I learned about lives well-lived, love shared, quirks and humour, and the small, beautiful details that make someone unforgettable.

    My next clients were a couple getting ready to say “I do” — and it struck me again how closely love and loss sit together. Both bring people together, both ask us to pause and reflect, both are moments of transformation.

    So while most people know me for weddings, I also offer funeral and memorial ceremonies — crafted with the same warmth, care, and personal touch.

    If you’re looking for someone to help tell a life story — with honesty, understanding and respect, I’d be honoured to help.

    I am a funeral celebrant in Bristol who specialises in personal handcrafted ceremonies, find out more here about funeral celebrants and what I can offer.

  • Clare talks to BBC Radio Bristol!

    Clare talks to BBC Radio Bristol!

    I was declared a Local Expert by John Dervall from BBC Bristol! We talked about the history and origins of the expression ‘tie the knot’.

    Honestly, I really didn’t need much encouragement to chat about one of my favourite subjects! There was so much more I could have said, (but isn’t that just always the way?)

    If you don’t want to (or can’t)  listen to my melodious voice on the radio (what?) then read on as some of my favourite moments are transcribed below.

    BBC Radio Bristol John Darvall with Clare of I Do Declare Celebrant


    Where does this whole ‘tying the knot thing come from?

    “It comes from a different kind of wedding ceremony, less commonly known, called a handfasting. The couple’s hands are tied together with a selected cord or ribbon as a symbol of their love and commitment, and the knot that is tied becomes representative of their union.”


    “I have heard that some couples back in the day stayed tied together for the rest of the day, which I think sounds quite fun, a bit like a three legged race but with hands and less racing!”


    “In parts of India they also use the phrase tie the knot, it’s not just in Europe. It’s common in India during a wedding ceremony for the groom to tie a thread around the neck of the bride as a necklace and later the thread is exchanged for a gold necklace.”

    “A knot lends itself really well as a visual symbol of a commitment, something’s been agreed upon, and you can go back and see that it was so.”

    “I do a lot of very interesting, very unique weddings… The couples I work with really find their own path through the ceremony structure and really make it their own.”


    “Thank you so much for joining us, Clare Smith, Independent Celebrant of ‘I Do Declare’ (Love that!) Clare, thank you very much for being our expert!”

    Photo: “Handfasting using a braided cord 2012“
    by Susan L. Craig,
    licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
    via Wikimedia Commons.