About Janine

Love and memories are the elements that sustain.

Hi I’m Janine

Entrusting a virtual stranger to create a Ceremony on your behalf and relying on them to express your words and emotions is a giant leap of faith. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing the words, "That is just what we wanted; it's perfect."

Hi, I'm Janine Harkness, and I live in South Herts, a stone's throw from the M25.

In 2016 I gifted myself a year out and seized an opportunity to step away from my life and reassess what was important to me. One year became five; during those five years, I travelled near and far; whilst travelling, I adopted a tripawd puppy from Barbados, Lily. I spent time with family and friends and worked on my allotment. As a plant-based eater, my allotment is not only a hobby but also a mainstay of my larder. I did a lot of walking; outdoors makes my heart sing, and often I would come across a spot that made me think, "this would be a perfect spot for a wedding; you cannot beat nature for a beautiful backdrop.

I resolved that I would do something worthwhile and rewarding when I started working again. Inspired by a friend who had been a Celebrant for over a decade, the idea of being able to help create Ceremonies that were personal and meaningful struck a chord.

I trained with the UK Society of Celebrants (UKSOC) and am now a Funeral and Family Celebrant. I write and orchestrate a variety of Ceremonies; Funerals, Weddings, and Baby Naming. But it doesn't end there; if there is a moment in your life you'd like memorably marked, then let's talk. I am not affiliated with any doctrine and am happy to include your beliefs.

When I started my new career path in Celebrancy, my friends and family asked, "What is a Celebrant"? Once I explained what a Celebrant did, they unanimously said, "You'll be so good at that". I took their responses to be genuine, and from the testimonials, I have received from clients to date, I know I am on the right track.

It is a huge responsibility, and there is only one opportunity to get it right.

That means committing time and effort to clients to ensure the delivered Ceremony is above their expectations. So how do you know when you get it right? I always visit my clients once the Ceremony is written and read it through to them. There are several reasons for this, but when I read it aloud to my client if they laugh, shed tears, nod and sigh, I know I have hit the mark. The sigh is a crucial tell; it is a sign of relief. Entrusting a virtual stranger to create a Ceremony on your behalf and relying on them to express your words and emotions is a giant leap of faith. Nothing is as rewarding as hearing the words, "That is just what we wanted; it's perfect."

There is no place for ego when scripting or leading a ceremony. A Celebrant is a facilitator; despite leading the Ceremony, they are not the 'star'. "I" has no place in the Ceremony. Like the 'grey man", a good Celebrant should enhance the day whilst blending in, never taking the focus off those for whom the Ceremony; was written.

At the very least, a good celebrant should be an active listener and empathetic. In addition, they should be well-organised and skilled at communicating; they should have a calm and confident approach and the ability to work well with others and liaise on your behalf. I am pleased to say that these are skills I have honed over my varied career path as a Nurse, Image Consultant and Personal Assistant, amongst others.

Growing older, I appreciate more that life is about making memories, not just for myself but also for others. Love and memories are the elements that sustain. I get pleasure in using my skills to help create a perfect Ceremony for moments in time whose essence lasts forever.

As with any services you employ, you must research to find the right celebrant, don't be afraid to ask questions, ask for testimonials and meet with them. Sitting face to face with someone and having a conversation, you will instantly get a feel if they are the right one for you. I'm confident that the right one could be me

Testimonials

 

“Janine was gentle and compassionate in preparing a lovely eulogy for my beloved husband, which she delivered respectfully and calmly on the day.
Thank you, Janine.”

— Karin K.

Her compassion towards me and her unique guidance into making my husband’s ceremony the most memorable event”

— Laura F.

“You made it such a wonderful experience for all the participants, thank you so very, very much for your time, patience and understanding.

— Ian M.

Janine was very kind, considerate and professional when she came to visit us as the Celebrant for my Mother’s funeral. She spent a lot of time helping us pull together a suitable Eulogy for the ceremony with many useful suggestions for music and format. The result was a ceremony which was exactly what we felt my Mum deserved”.

— Sharon B.

Thank you so much for helping us arrange such a beautiful Celebration of Life Service for my mum. We really appreciated your patience, understanding, calmness and knowledge in helping us arrange the service we wanted for mum. Everyone who attended the service commented that it was a lovely simple, no fuss service but very personal to us as her family and a lasting tribute to mum. We did her proud”

— Ann S.

“Thank you so much for today. I thought it went very well, and your account of mum’s life was very good. Everyone seemed happy with the occasion; I certainly was. I really appreciated your help through the process

— Julian S.