Hi – I’m a Humanist wedding officiant licensed by the Registrar General and the Ontario Humanist Society . This means I provide legal, secular wedding ceremonies crafted especially for you. I believe you should be able to marry who you want, in the way you want. I know that staying true to yourself, your values and your dreams is important when getting married so your ceremony will be personal, special and one that you will cherish after it’s all over. Whether you already know exactly what you want to say or if you need a little inspiration I will be your ceremony partner and support. I really love what I do and that makes every couple important to me.

Pop Up Weddings

The pandemic has derailed many wedding plans. But true love is winning out and couples are choosing to have a small intimate ceremony with only their closest friends and family in a private setting. Who knows what this summer will bring? Flexibility and a positive attitude is key.

End of Life

I also offer officiant services for End of Life/Celebration of Life. When you lose someone you love it’s very hard to deal with saying goodbye. A Humanist officiant can relieve you of the burden of planning what to say and how to celebrate the life of your loved one respectfully and joyfully.

A little about me

After a career in communications I decided to take my daughter’s advice and do something that actually had meaning for me. I realized that the values of Humanism aligned perfectly with the way I lived my life. Being an officiant allows me to provide a non-judgmental service to people at important milestones in their lives, sharing in their joys and sorrows. Instead of working on inspirational but impersonal email campaigns, I now get to actually live in the moment, in person, with real people.

I’m married with two children and two dogs. I read widely and love to garden, hike, ski and laugh with my friends. I’m the Registrar of the Ontario Humanist Society and my favourite Humanist is Gene Roddenberry.

Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like more information, to check availability or book a ceremony.

 @trueheartceremonies 

     What’s Humanism Anyway?      

I asked myself that same question. Turns out I’ve been a Humanist all along. Maybe you are too, so if you are interested here is some more information.

Humanism is a non-religious ethical philosophy, a way of life and a way of thinking, that involves adherence to strong ethics, an emphasis on human rights, and respect for the Earth and its creatures. A Humanist works toward creating a more humane and responsible world, with a commitment to reason and compassion. Humanists believe:

  • The universe is natural, neither for us nor against us
  • Natural events have natural causes
  • We human beings are part of nature and have kinship with all life
  • Morality is a challenge to be figured out by human beings from experience and our interactions with others
  • Compassion, empathy and reason are a natural guide to deciding right from wrong:  we are responsible to ourselves and to each other to do what’s right
  • Human beings are communal animals: people need each other and learn from each other
  • Reason is a useful and powerful tool for solving problems, and the methods of science help us understand ourselves and the universe we live in
  • Humans are presented with possibilities and opportunities, living together on a crowded planet;  we should work on our problems, learning from others, and not ask or expect supernatural intervention to solve them
  • What happens to us often results from choice and by chance, through the actions of the natural world and how we interact with others; it is not determined by stars and planets, or by gods or other supernatural forces
  •  There are no promises of special privilege to anyone,  neither is anyone doomed or afflicted
  • We all have ideas. It’s right to be open to learn from others and hear their views
  • Individual freedom of choice and freedom of expression is part of being human and worth defending

LLAP

You are invited to provide me with feedback about my services at any time. Complaints relating to misconduct, incompetence or incapacity as set out in the Ontario Humanist Society Ethical Principles and Humanist Officiant Profile (available at www.ontariohumanists.ca) may be directed to the Chair, Ceremonies Committee, Ontario Humanist Society, 265 Gore Street, Almonte, ON,  KOA 1A0 or by e-mail to [email protected]