Vita Ceremonies
Wedding, Funeral and Baby Naming Celebrant
Hampshire and The New Forest
Celebrating Love, Commemorating Life
Hampshire celebrant creating unique, personalised wedding, funeral, memorial and baby naming ceremonies
Vita: (viːtə) from Latin, meaning ‘life’
Hello! I’m Susannah, an independent celebrant based in Hampshire. I offer unique and memorable celebrant-led wedding, funeral, memorial and naming ceremonies across Hampshire and the New Forest. I also work throughout Berkshire, Surrey, Dorset, Wiltshire and beyond - including officiating at destination ceremonies. Additionally, I offer ceremony script and vow writing services.
You can find out a bit more about me here.
Image by Ruiz Rocks Photography, taken at the Abbey Ruins in Reading
What is an independent celebrant?
An independent celebrant creates and officiates personalised ceremonies marking the important times in life, such as weddings, funerals, memorials, vow renewals and naming ceremonies. Importantly, as an independent celebrant, I can offer increased choice around what can be included in your ceremony; each one I write is bespoke, unique and is created individually for each client.
An independent celebrant is not a Humanist celebrant. Being independent, I can include spiritual or religious elements in your ceremony, if desired, whereas a Humanist ceremony cannot. This can take the form of a prayer, a reading or a hymn, for example.
Being ‘independent’ means I can create and officiate the ceremony you want, without restrictions of faith, spirituality, inclusivity, ceremony location or wording. This means that there is more freedom for me to offer you a wider choice of what you can include and therefore create the ceremony that is most meaningful to you and your loved ones.
Celebrating love, commemorating life. Creating unforgettable moments with me as your celebrant in Hampshire.
Find out more about my services below…
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Weddings
I love weddings (no surprise there!) and I love being able to offer my couples the wedding ceremony that they want; as traditional or as unconventional as they would like it to be. I particularly enjoy conducting weddings and commitment ceremonies in unusual or unconventional locations. So if you want that outdoor New Forest wedding ceremony, if you want to renew your vows in a clifftop ceremony, or you want an elopement ceremony on a remote beach, I’m here to help make sure your wedding is special, unique and totally unforgettable. I’ll work with you to create a unique wedding ceremony, including any elements of tradition and symbolism you desire.
Image by Shaun Peters Photography, taken at Hookhouse Farm
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Vow Renewals
A renewal of your vows or a recommitment ceremony is the perfect way to reaffirm your love for each other. I can create a ceremony encapsulating your love story so far and your hopes and dreams for your lives to come. Some couples take the opportunity to hold the dream wedding they never had; others prefer a more low-key and intimate renewal of vows. Whichever way you choose to renew your vows to each other, I’m here to help you celebrate in a way that is perfect for you.
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Funerals and Memorials
As a funeral and memorial celebrant who has been bereaved, I understand the importance of having a truly meaningful ceremony to mark the passing of a loved one. Often, the traditional structure of a funeral service just doesn’t feel personal enough.
I will take time to create a fully personalised ceremony script to celebrate the life of your loved one, with the ceremony to be held at the location of your choosing. This does not have to be at a crematorium or a cemetery; if you wish, the ceremony can be held at a location that holds more meaning for you and your loved one – this can be indoors or outdoors. You can opt to include one or more spiritual or religious elements in your funeral ceremony, or you can choose to exclude these completely for a secular funeral service.
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Naming Ceremonies
Naming ceremonies can be the perfect way to commemorate a whole range of occasions. For example, baby namings to welcome a new born, welcoming ceremonies to embrace an adopted child, celebrating a new identity and saying goodbye to a old name and identity, or a healing ceremony as part of a post-divorce ritual. If you are looking for a non-religious alternative to a christening or you want to mark a name or identity change in your life, I’ll help you by creating a meaningful and memorable baby naming ceremony to commemorate this.