About Me.
I am a Ceremonialist from Helensburgh operating in Argyll and Bute, West and East Dumbartonshire, Glasgow and the Central Belt, Edinburgh and Midlothian, Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Perth and Ayrshire although I will happily travel further afield if required. Ceremonies that I offer at MakeaVow are Legal Wedding ceremonies, Civil Partnerships,, Commitment Ceremonies, Surprise Weddings, Vow Renewals and Baby Namings/baby blessings. I also offer celebration of life ceremonies under Spiritintheskyceremonies.co.uk.
Whatever type of celebration you are planning I’m here to help make sure that it is inspiring, extraordinary and unforgettable.
"Absolutely delighted with the exceptional service provided by our wedding celebrant Jean."
Family and friendship is important to me and I love nothing better than spending time with them and my nearest and dearest. I enjoy reading, walking and travelling and I'm fortunate to have travelled to many corners of the world - my facebook friends are testament to that, having been subjected to my holiday spam.
I enjoy a good goss over coffee and cake or a G & T. I'm a really good listener and when it comes to ceremony I will encourage you to write your own vows, but equally happy to put forward suggestions and work with you as much or as little as you want.
I provide ceremonies for everyone regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or religion. I will respect your belief system whatever it is and Ceremonies can be non religious, religious or spiritual. As a couple you are unique so you will have your own unique vision for your ceremony. It is all about you. I will take the time to listen to you and really get to know you, and your wishes for your ceremony and weave that into the script to create your perfect day.
I am a Minister with the Open Sanctuary which allows me to be authorised by the Registrar General for Scotland to carry out Legal Weddings that accord with the beliefs and wishes of the couples whose marriage I have the privilege of officiating, be that Religious, non religious, Humanist, or spiritual.
We can include many aspects within your ceremony which can include Ring blessing, Handfasting, Oathing Stone, Caim, quaich, Sand Ceremony, Jumping the broom, Candle Unity, wine box ceremony, Glass breaking, or create your own ritual and start a new trend. Not sure what these rituals entail? Don't worry we will discuss options at our initial meeting and I will provide a Make a vow Ritual Run down leaflet to give you food for thought.
My Ministry
Let me tell you a wee bit about me, my journey to the Open Sanctuary and my Ministry.
I am blessed to be a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, celebrant and an Ordained Minister with the Open Sanctuary. Prior to becoming a celebrant in 2021 I spent thirty five years of my working life in Social Housing, the last twenty five of those as a Chief Executive of a Housing Association, a post I loved with a passion. Little did I know that upon my retirement I would see myself retraining to become a celebrant, finding my true vocation and a path which led me to the Open Sanctuary to complete a life changing training course. This culminated in my Ordination as an Interfaith Minister in September 2023.
I have a strong faith in so far that I believe that there is a Higher Power that exists within all of us and surrounds us for the greater good. To me that means God. That said, what I will not do as a Minister is preach religion or my faith to you but will respect and honour all faiths or none. I firmly believe and respect that everyone is an individual with their own spiritual beliefs or without. What I will do is help you discern you core beliefs, listen to you and support you in their realisation making sure your ceremony is reflective of your values, is meaningful, sacred and filled with love, with a sprinkling of laughter. I am committed to serving individuals, couples and families in a very personal and respectful way building ceremonies around their wishes, personal beliefs and practices.
Ceremonies that I provide are first welcomes, betrothals, final farewells, healing ceremonies and all life’s significant milestones in between. People describe me as a good listener, friendly warm and approachable with a good heart. With a wealth of life experiences, I deliver ceremonies from the heart striving to make each moment uniquely authentic. I also provide within my Ministry guided meditation for spirituality, for healing and letting go, offering a safe, tender place for deep inquiry & reflection - holding space of love, championing wholeness and witnessing without judgment. I also provide support to help tackle isolation and loneliness faced by adults in the Community through a one to one voluntary befriending service.
It has been a wonderful journey but it is only the first steps of a much longer journey still to come delivering my vow to strive to always be the safe port for anyone in a storm and to provide comfort, compassion and love to those who need it.
