About Debs – Embrace Celebrancy

A little bit about Debs

“I moved to the Middle East when I was a few years old, and grew up attending international schools, so my love of all cultures started very young.

Fast forward a few decades and I now live in Kent with my family. I love being outdoors in the fresh air (quite ideal with many celebrancy ceremonies being held outside), thrive on adventure and I adore being in or near water. My family enjoy escaping to Menorca when we can, where we “re-set” and work on our next year’s goals. The celebrancy goal came up on one of these breaks many years ago, (granted after a few cocktails), and I haven’t looked back!

I’ve always had a passion for helping and supporting people, with a skill for listening, stepping back and offering advice and support. To hold your hand (physically or metaphorically) through some of life’s milestones really gives me the satisfaction of knowing that I have helped families and made some of their personal events that little bit slicker and smoother.

Being an Event Director and with a history in wedding management means I’m always the one that organises the family and friend shindigs, but I don’t mind, I love a good spreadsheet! We got married amongst the Orchards at home, and with my planning head on, and support of some fantastic friends who went above and beyond, our day was amazing (we even turned a blind eye to the then 7 year old sneaking a sip of champagne…). I can see how magic can be made!

I have had too much personal experience of grief and death for my liking. I joined the cancer club twice and it led to some beautiful friendships but heart breaking losses. However, these experiences have led me to understand how important goodbyes and personal funeral services are, and this encouraged me to undertake grief and bereavement training so I am able to support emotions as well as the practical logistics of such sad days.

Our lovely Luna, a german wirehaired pointer, is an integral part of the family, and when we nearly lost her when she was 2 years old, I experienced a very new emotion and quickly realised that pets are so much more than animals. You will often find her at my side whether out in the fields, in town or at home and I love to celebrate her (any excuse: birthdays, gotcha days, Mondays…) Our experience with her accident also makes me know that we sometimes need to say a proper goodbye to our furbabies too (this is especially helpful for children).

Writing an About Me is hard so I asked some friends to describe me. They used words such as kind, organised, friendly, fun, creative, strategic, thorough, quirky and accepting. They said they know that with my love of working with people closely and using my attention to detail, this is an ideal vocation for me.

For full transparency…they also said I’m known for drinking fizz or rum (occasionally both), have a very loud laugh, am an adrenaline junkie, confuse them with my musical tastes (incredibly eclectic, the Beatles to the Beastie Boys to Beethoven), am far too interested in Brian Blessed, love a selfie, I don’t “do” kisses on texts, am a proud ostomate, change my hair a lot and need to accept I am not actually a pirate…

I am an independent celebrant Kent being my home, but happy to travel. I adapt to you – if you want formal, I suit and boot. If you want informal, I follow suit (see what I did there?).

My main aim as we work together is to be a part of your life for a short while to ensure that together we create a customised ceremony that reflects you and your wishes. I get my hands dirty, or keep them clean to hold yours – for part of my life, you become the most important person in my world.”