Karen celebrating being among the rising tide of celebrants

Not too long ago, the vast majority of weddings were conducted in a church or register office, funerals by a religious representative and Christenings by a minister or priest the usual way to formally welcome a new arrival to the family into the world.

But recently, the number of celebrants offering ceremonies tailor-made to the needs of the individuals and families has grown rapidly.

The ceremonies can be non-religious or perhaps with just a religious ingredient, but crucially they are organised to fit exactly how those involved want to say farewell to a loved one, be married, perhaps formalise a civil partnership, or have the non-religious equivalent of a christening.

The trend seems set to continue and grow, as the latest Census figure show a notable decrease over the last decade in the number of people identifying as Christian.

On census day, March 21, 2021, the figure was 46.2 per cent, compared with 59.3 per cent of the population in the 2011 census.

A key finding from the census was a significant rise in the number ofpeople identifying as of no particular faith at all and Fylde-based celebrant Karen Harrison says that is clearly a factor in the growth in popularity of the role, but believes there other reasons.

"The number of people looking for celebrants to officiate at their important ceremonies has certainly grown since lockdown,” said Karen, who has been a celebrant since 2019.

"I think that time made a lot of people reappraise their lives, the important of family and tailoring the big events in their lives to their needs.

"It’s also a fact of modern life that families are different to how they used to be.

"Perhaps two people with children already get together, decide to marry and want the children more involved than they perhaps would be at a more formal traditional ceremony.

"People just appreciate that more informal, bespoke approach if that’s what they want. There are even divorce celebration ceremonies, although I haven’t done of of those – yet.”

Karen, a Christian herself, feels however that there very much remains room for both the informal and the more formal. “It’s all about the choice,” she said. “People welcome the opportunity to be able to decide for themselves.”

Karen, a St Annes town councillor who is this year’s town mayor, became a celebrant after hearing about the role from a fellow chorister at a choir rehearsal in which she was involved.

"I had just taken early redundancy from my job as an attendance officer at Lytham St Annes High School and liked the idea of what I was told about the role,” she said.

"I had actually looked at register office work but he more personal aspect of this really appealed.

"I found out more, signed up for some training and I love it. It’s wonderful to meet so many people and help them at what are really special times in their lives.”

Highlight of Karen’s time as a celebrant has undoubtedly been the wedding on the beach at St Annes – the town’s first – between Louise Wiltshire and Shaun McGilloway in September.

“It was just great to be part of their special day in such a special setting,” she said.

Louise said: “Karen helped make the day perfect. She really got to know us and tailored the ceremony to exactly what we were looking for.”