Double Award-Winning Ceremony Creator with a decade of experience
Ceremonies for Life Transitions :
Birth – welcome to the world ceremonies
Gender – gender transition ceremonies
Love – weddings, gratitude ceremonies
Life Change – new beginnings ceremonies
Age – 3rd act ceremonies
Death – funeral ceremonies, ‘Goodbye get-togethers’
what can i do for you?
client joy
See what people have most enjoyed about the celebrant services I offer…
…We are writing to say an enormous, immense, gigantic thank you for making our Wedding Day so unbelievably amazing with your kind, loving words, your thoughtful preparation and wonderful ideas. We mean it when we say nobody else on the planet could have done a better job than you and we feel so honoured that you invested your time, effort and heart into our marriage. You are a gentle, creative, caring, fun person with a real sensitivity to those around you. You had all the guests crying one minute and laughing the next in the ceremony. Thank you
Shereen & Eli
Fiona R
12:19 15 Jan 23
Jess was the best!!She got to know myself and Russell really well, for our December 2022 wedding. she told our story exactly how we wanted it, she suggested things, we suggested things and Jess put... it all together amazingly, everyone commented how great she was,If you’re thinking of a celebrant choice Jess mays special days she really is the best, Jess even involved our young grand children, xxread more
Jayne Gardner
18:59 13 Jul 22
Jess was the celebrant at a lovely funeral for a cherished friend. Whilst this was a celebration of a life, it was can be daunting for those attending. Jess was very immediate and she reached out to... us all personally on arrival to put us at ease. The ceremony was conducted / orchestrated with professionalism and compassion. Whilst we were all relatives and friends of Caroline, we left feeling that we all knew her in more depth - a true 3D experience of her life. A beautiful ceremony. Thank you xxread more
Jane Summerton
10:25 13 Jul 22
Jess is an exceptional celebrant.I was lucky that Jess met my sister and arranged her celebration of life before she died. As Jess spoke you could tell the amount of time she had spoken with my... sister and her friends so it was such a personal tribute.Jess spent so much time preparing, making sure that the day ran perfectly, you could feel her passion for her job.Jess is a beautiful person, who did a beautiful service for a beautiful day.read more
Sophie St Clair Pedroza
10:44 03 Jul 22
Jess is an incredible celebrant, I was blown how she easily started talking to guests before the wedding ceremony. Getting to know everyone, agile with conversation putting people at ease. Then... included them throughout the service making you feel involved and part of the couple's journey and celebrating their love from the beginning of their journey.Jess wrote an incredible ceremony, full of love and understanding about the Maria and Ed's life together. We were quickly enthralled with their lives so far and how they had become the couple we knew and loved. Hearing new parts of their tale, perfect anecdotes and witty lines about how they came to be. I thought Jess had been there for all of it the way she talked about it.I couldn't love a ceremony more, such a great understanding of the couple and the audience, lovely energy and fantastic speaking voice. So much flare but didn't take away from the couple. Really understood what was needed. Xxxread more
Edward Taylor
08:53 18 Jun 22
Jess is a fantastically attentive and versatile celebrant. Highly responsive with a brilliant upbeat character. Any fella like me with stresses prior to the big day will benefit from her support and... calm nature!read more
Rosie Gunn
21:34 03 Jun 22
Jess was the celebrant for my Mum’s Celebration of Life - she was so brilliant. She offered us such kindness and was so sensitive, and thoughtful. It felt really important to have a celebration of... life that celebrated my mum and Jess understood entirely what we wanted. We felt “held” in such a difficult and sad time - Jess has a gift and I’m glad she gets to offer this to individuals, couples and families at whatever stage in their lives - whether the death of someone close or a happy wedding. She was curious and involved and I really felt that she cared about doing our mum justice. She was extremely professional but also just a lovely human! I would recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone.read more
Leo Platt
18:09 17 May 22
What an amazing person delivering an amazing day!Jess took so much time to get to know me and my (now) husband Paul and worked with us to craft a truly original, beautiful wedding ceremony.The... service was totally unique, heartfelt and brought happy tears to everyone’s eyes. It was such a memorable day and it simply would not heaven happened without Jess.Thank you so much for everything you have done Jess to make our wedding perfect!read more
nicola graham
18:41 15 Apr 22
Amazing doesn't quite cut it to describe JessOur beloved mom's funeral was the hardest day of our lives and then with just over 1 hour to go before the service I received a phone call off my good... friend who is a celebrant to say he was stuck in traffic and looked like he wouldn't make it to say I panicked is an understatement I mean what do you do? My sister in law found Jess on line and there was no hesitation in her saying yes to us when others had said no, I was worried on the journey to the Crematorium as I thought how can anyone possibly pull this off with literally no notice... Well Jess did and she did our beloved mom proud, not one person suspected that Jess hadn't been involved since the start and were amazed when we told them what had happened. When I first seen Jess she said I have got this don't worry and I didn't as I trusted her instantlyWe cannot thank you enough Jess and we will never forget what you did for us, truly amazing Ladyread more
Aurora Cenci
08:14 15 Apr 22
Jess was absolutely amazing!We had a VERY last minute cancellation from our celebrant who got stuck in traffic. After calling 5/6 other celebrants who all said they wouldn’t conduct a ceremony with... such short notice, I found Jess’s contact.She was so understanding, as soon as I explained to her the situation she straight away put our minds at ease confirming she will be there.She put the family at ease as soon as they arrived at the crematorium and conducted the ceremony as if she had been involved from the very start.We were all so so pleased with her work and would definitely recommend to anyone.read more
Sophie Horton
19:50 28 Mar 22
Jess May is all about the story, so let me share ours.Our first wedding in 2020 was like many severely reduced in scope and guests, but we decided to get married anyway. We also decided we wanted... to celebrate our marriage in 2021 with all of our friends and family. Perhaps too late we decided we wanted a celebrant to recreate our ceremony. We found Jess on Bridebook along with a number of others. When we had a no pressure first chat with Jess we knew she was the one for us, if only because she was the only one who didn't make 6 weeks sound like too short a time to plan a ceremony. We met with Jess in Birmingham and had a wonderful chat together about how me and my partner met and how we came to be married (no questionnaires in sight). From this chat, Jess managed to extract the story of our relationship and had some brilliant insights into our relationship. This Jess wove into a wonderful story for our ceremony. Jess also helped both of us to write our own vows. The rehearsal the day before the wedding helped to settle our nerves.Overall Jess was brilliant I would recommend her for any occasion.read more
Kayleigh Robertson
20:44 26 Mar 22
Due to covid we actually ended up having 2 weddings. We had a legal ceremony in Cornwall just the 2 of us and then more recently another ceremony and reception with all our friends and family. Jess... led our 'redo' ceremony for us and was amazing. She was brilliant at listening to us when we described our relationship and what we would like to achieve on the day and she created a ceremony that was personal to us and told our story. We had the opportunity to honour the family members no longer with us, had a drinks toast halfway through the ceremony and honoured our Scottish heritage with a handfasting and literally 'tied the knot' (lots of practice on getting the knot right beforehand!). Even better we didn't have to talk in front of a room full of people, as someone with anxiety this was something I was very worried about. We didn't really know how we wanted the ceremony to be structured but Jess was very skilled in getting to know us and offering up great ideas. We had a perfect, heartfelt and unusual ceremony and our guests were very complimentary. Thank you so much Jess! Xxxread more
Jenny Prescott
13:53 15 Mar 22
We chose Jess as our wedding celebrant, and we are so glad we did! She was incredibly helpful in guiding us to design our ideal ceremony, she is warm and friendly, and delivers the highest quality... service. The ceremony went so smoothly and wonderfully, thanks to Jess’s help and professionalism. Everyone commented on how great she was, and what a wonderful ceremony it was. It honestly wouldn’t have been the same without her. Many family members took her details for future events and she has since provided several family services for us. We love Jess, she will always have a special place in our hearts. I cannot recommend her highly enough! Choose her for your celebration and you will not be disappointed ❤️read more
Amanda rann
12:50 05 Feb 22
We chose Jess for my dads funeral. My dad wasn’t religious and didn’t want a fuss. I have to say Jess was exceptional, she took so much time speaking to me and both of my brothers, finding out about... the kind of person he was. She took us back to our childhood, bringing back happy memories that had been forgotten over the years. This really helped us through the sad, heart wrenching time we had with him in the months leading up to his passing. I’m happy to say that those childhood memories are now in the forefront of our thoughts and for this I can’t thank Jess enough. She is amazing 🤩read more
Kara Davies-Hobbs
12:38 28 Jan 22
Jess was superb at our cousin's funeral; she turned a profoundly upsetting and challenging time into a day we remember with fondness. Jess greeted us individually, and with her distinctive, bright... and cheerful hairdo - she was instantly recognisable! The service was sensitive, heartfelt and a humorous celebration of Allie’s life - an excellent way to remember him.After the ceremony, Jess attended the wake and chatted with everyone there; it was so rewarding to tell her our anecdotes and recount memories of good times.read more
Platty Platt
22:13 27 Jan 22
Jess is amazing! Having worked with Jess in the past, she has always been my number one choice of celebrant; she has a natural talent for gauging exactly the right approach for each occasion, which... comes in part from her general lovely nature, but also from her diligence in taking the time to really get to know the person for whom she is celebrating, and their friends and family, all the while doing everything that she can to put them at ease and support them through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives. I've seen the collective ease of a room when she is speaking, and everyone that I have worked with who has engaged her services have been overwhelmed with her kindness and support.I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing her work as a wedding celebrant, however, if her funerals are anything to go by, I have no doubt that she is a perfect match for so many couples. If and when I get married, she will without a shadow of a doubt be my number one choice!!read more
Claire Davies-Hobbs
16:50 27 Jan 22
I recommended Jess to officiate at my darling cousin' Allie's funeral which was down in Surrey. Jess was wonderful. She greeted everyone and made us feel at ease. I have to admit I was a bit... nervous recommending her for such an important occasion as I had not seen her in action at a funeral. I needn't have worried - she totally got the tone of the day and managed to bring together so many different friends and family members. I remember the day so fondly, despite it being a funeral for someone who should have had many more years with us all. I also really appreciated all the support she gave my other cousins, his wonderful sisters. Thank you Jess.read more
kayleigh hudson
09:50 27 Jan 22
There aren’t enough words to tell you how perfect Jess was. She made sure every bit of the speech was perfect and that we all had a chance to tell our stories that we weren’t able to do ourselves on... the day. My dad was a fun guy and she made his funeral more of a celebration of his life it was perfect from start to finish. Exactly what we wanted as a family but more importantly what my dad would of wanted. I couldn’t recommend Jess enough she is amazing. And thank you for not only making our dads send off so special but also being there for us. You are a very special lady xread more
Johanna Cope
16:27 23 Nov 21
I've worked with Jess May a few times in my job as a wedding coordinator and seen her officiate many a wedding, so when it came to planning my wonderful Grandma's funeral, she was the only choice.... She helped us plan such a lovely celebration of my Grandma's life, she was so kind and patient, listening to us share our memories. Jess delivered such a beautiful, warm service, thank you.read more
Becky Thorn Sietsma
21:18 22 Nov 21
Jess was Celebrant for our wedding and our first child's naming ceremony. We'll be calling on her again soon we hope!We searched high and low to find the right person who could help to bring... together all our strands of life and journey, some conflicting, and weave together to form a beautiful, inclusive ceremony. One of the best moments of my life. So pleased I made that first call.read more
janice Martison
12:01 06 Nov 21
Couldn't think of anything/anyone more perfect. Jess made the day so very special. Her tribute was filled with warmth and sensitivity and loved by all of the family. Thank you Jess. 🌻 x
Florence Goodrham
11:01 06 Nov 21
Jess was incredible at my friend’s wedding renewal! She was wonderfully understanding of some sensitive, emotional aspects to the ceremony and made such an effort to create a perfect story of their... lives together to tell at the renewal. She fully understood them as a couple and did everything to fit in with their theme (Beauty and the Beast). She was also lovely to talk to and so passionate about her job! I can’t recommend her enough! Thanks Jess 🙂 xread more
Lou
22:17 03 Nov 21
Having watched a friends funeral officiated by Jess online I just have to say how impressed I was.The funeral service was without doubt the loveliest I've ever seen. Jess was sensitive, caring and... seemed to have made a huge effort to find out as much about Tom, not just his life but Tom as a man, as a friend and a husband. Watching it I would have thought Jess knew Tom and the family beforehand. Jess had sent messages and even joined a Facebook page to find out more about what seemed to be Tom's greatest passion before the funeral as well as obviously speaking to Tom's widow. I've never seen that level of care and attention before. Tom was an online friend to me but even so I think he would have been as blown away by Jess as I was.read more
Matthew Keogh
06:56 26 Oct 21
Jess recently delivered the eulogy at my mother’s funeral who had died somewhat unexpectedly after a long fight against cancer. Having suddenly found myself in a position of dealing with organising... the funeral as well as grieving, I was dreading delivering a eulogy and all the difficulties that brings in making sure all those affected in the immediate family have the opportunity to say what they want. Jess clearly laid out what she would need from us in composing a eulogy, picking out memories and feelings that were important for us to share and reached out to speak to all of us affected, whether that be close family or friends and ensured we were all heard.She was so supportive, even to the extent of recommending a great local florist for the flowers. What Jess delivered was exceptional. Her eulogy managed to paint an eloquent and personal portrait of my mother as if she’d known her for years. It was my mother’s wishes for a church service and I was concerned the church might not want us to use the services of a celebrant. Jess worked closely with the church to ensure that they were clear about the service she would provide and took note of what the church might wish for an order of service.Having Jess deliver the eulogy ensured we were able to pay tribute in the way we wanted to without the fear of not being able to speak ourselves on the day. We had so many lovely comments about the high quality of her eulogy from family, friends and the church and throughout the planning and subsequent funeral, Jess provided a huge amount of support at such a difficult time. Can’t thank her enough for making such a tough time one that celebrated my mum’s life with such a fitting tribute.read more
Laura Lynch
22:05 17 Oct 21
Jess was the celebrant for a recent family funeral. She helped us navigate through a difficult time with ease. She worked with us to create a very special final send off for a much loved, greatly... missed person. Thanks Jess.read more
amanda owen
14:45 12 Oct 21
Jess was a magnificent MC. She acted as a guide and mentor (Who knew that we didn't actually have to have a service at the crematorium but could go to a venue of choice and have a bespoke ceremony?) ... We did it exactly the way we wanted under her caring, sensitive stewardship. At a most traumatic and distressing time, Jess (and Fran and Carrie from A Natural Undertaking) helped us navigate our way round the system and create something authentic to my husband's life well-lived and his family and friends. Thank you Jess for everything you did from our initial call to the final moving goodbye x♥️👋🎶read more
Nathan Talbot
10:27 11 Oct 21
Great support and attention to detail in the planning of the day. Was always available to go through ideas and make suggestions, so that everything ran smoothly on the day
Jasmin Grimshaw
15:31 24 Sep 21
We choice Jess after meeting with a few celebrants and we just knew she was the one for us. She took the time to get to know us. Supported us throughout covid and postponing. She arranged an zoom... wedding for us on our original date with all our family there to celebrate that day from different living rooms across the UK. We finally had our day last weekend, and Jess delivered a cemeory I will remember forever. Having all the elements I wanted and more. Although we have been married since May I now feel married as I spiritually married my husband last weekend with the support of Jess. She is just amazing I dont have words to describe her , she just amazing. All our guests loved her and the cemeory. All the comments we got where about how lovely the cemeory was and how jess had captured the sense of us. Jess will continue to be part of our lives. We can't thank her enough for making our day so special.read more
Charlotte Jayne
12:29 14 Sep 21
Jess was a celebrant at my nans funeral. She is absolutely amazing !! Me and my family are so grateful for the amazing send off for our nan and thats down to you jess . Thank you so so... much🌸🤍❤️ xxxxxread more
Anna Davis
10:13 07 Sep 21
Jess performed a beautiful wedding ceremony for my partner and I in July 2021. When I approached Jess I had already had to reschedule my wedding three times due to Covid-19 and was feeling quite low... about the whole thing. Using a celebrant wasn’t something I had considered before but I had found her on Instagram, heard her wonderful voice and what she stood for and knew she had to perform our ceremony.Right from the start, Jess brought back the excitement into wedding planning and created an amazing experience start to finish. Even during the initial planning meeting, she asked questions to my partner and I about our hopes, dreams, motivations and values and really helped us to realise more about us as a couple and appreciate even the small things that made us fall in love in the first place.She was completely centered around us, dedicated to making sure we had a personalised and meaningful ceremony where no ideas or requests were off the table. She wrote an amazing speech that our family and friends were blown away by and bought me to tears, it was like she had known us for years rather than weeks. Jess created a ceremony that was so magical, we will treasure it for the rest of our lives.read more
christy matta
17:40 14 Aug 21
Well, where can we even begin to explain how wonderful Jess had been throughout the whole wedding planning through to the day. Due to Covid, we were worried that a switch in venue and location was a... compromise but Jess helped us and inspired us to feel excited once again and even helped us realise that it wasn’t a compromise at all, but a new exciting theme!From meeting in person , to WhatsApp tips and advice (even up to the night before the wedding!) she was an absolute star and a rock throughout the planning of a “Covid age” Wedding. Restrictions there one minute, then not , then the possibility of more issues, she helped us through it all.The ceremony was incredibly personal, she took the time to get to know us, and celebrate our relationship and even made us realise one or two things about us too!The biggest compliment I got was a guest enquiring as to how long we had known Jess for because “you must have been friends for a long time!” But this was down to the excellence and attention to detail Jess puts in to the planning and preparing of the ceremony right through to the day.Jess, thanks so much for making our small wedding so personal and entirely celebrating me and my husband and what makes us us. You were fantastic, I couldn’t recommend you enough. If you’re looking for a unique , extremely personalised ceremony by the most wonderful person, choose Jess!Christy & Stef.read more
Guy Arthur
15:58 08 Aug 19
We couldn't recommend Jess more highly! We'd spoken to a few different celebrants on the phone before coming across Jess, and instantly knew that she was perfect - Jess genuinely listened to us for... ages on the phone, and when we met in person, and really got to know us, and she clearly cares about what she does. Very personal and human and genuine - which is exactly what we wanted from our ceremony. Jess struck the right balance with everything, from the tone to the length, to her advice to us throughout. So many people came up to us after the ceremony to say how great they thought Jess was, and we felt and still feel super proud and lucky that she was there for our wedding 🙂read more
Shereen L. W.
00:34 18 Jul 19
Eight months before the wedding, we met up with Jess over lunch to discuss our initial visions for the ceremony and were extremely moved by how intently she listened and put forward ideas to fit our... values and wishes for the day. As neither of us are religious, it was important for us to write our own vows and for the ceremony to reflect us as people, whilst also being inclusive to our many friends and family members who are religious. Jess found this balance perfectly! On the morning of the wedding (our wedding started in the afternoon), Jess arrived early to run through a rehearsal (amidst the wedding-morning-running-around!) and had wonderful suggestions for how we should use the space. We got married outdoors and set up the guest seating in a circle around the wedding arch, and Jess was eager to ensure that everybody could see, hear and feel part of the ceremony. She recommended that we stand as part of the circle to say our vows, and then move to the centre for her speech, poetry readings from our family and friends, and finally the exchange of rings. We had not thought about moving around the space at all and this wonderful detail turned out to be a perfect example of the thought and care that Jess puts into her role as a celebrant.The first time we heard Jess’s own speech (apart from the vows which we had written) was during the ceremony itself and we started tearing up at the first syllable! She welcomed everybody warmly, spoke loudly so that all of our guests could hear clearly, made us all laugh when we were sobbing through the ceremony, and wrote such a beautiful, personal speech for us as a couple! Every one of our 150 guests said how much they enjoyed the ceremony and how it was completely true to who we are!read more
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6d Hova Villas
Hove
BN3 3DG
