Wedding Celebrant in Yorkshire

Hello, my name is Cathy Thomas-Varcoe your Family and Wedding Celebrant in Yorkshire and I’d love to have the opportunity to help you create a special occasion that is personal and memorable for you.

A little about me…
I have been happily married for 26 years to my husband Ben and we have a daughter, Emma, who is at university. Our rescue dog, Merry, completes the family. We have lived in north Leeds for 16 years, and prior to then in Sussex and Munich. My husband and I are originally from Australia, but are very happy to now call beautiful Yorkshire home.

I love to travel and cook, and I enjoy watching movies or a good box set and going to see musical theatre and concerts. My family and friends are everything, and I love organising dinners and parties to bring everyone together for a few cocktails and a good laugh.

My love for weddings started when I was a flower girl for my aunt at the tender age of eight. It was a small affair, but it was so happy and joyous. I’ve been a bridesmaid and maid of honour a number of times since then and have helped friends and family organise their own events.

In contemplating life as an ‘empty nester’ I was thinking about how I might be able to focus more on this love of mine, hence I embarked on my training as a family celebrant with UKSOC.

How I can help you
I am happy to perform weddings, vow renewals and naming ceremonies in the Leeds and Harrogate areas, and even more widely in some parts of West, South, and North Yorkshire.

As your celebrant, I would work with you to understand exactly the kind of ceremony you’d like to have; who you’d like involved from your family and friends; what songs, readings, poems you may like to include; what special elements you’d like to incorporate; etc. But don’t worry if you aren’t clear on some of these details, as I can help you with ideas too. Together we can be the architects of your special day!

Once I have all the information I need from you, I’ll spend some time creating a ceremony that is bespoke to you. You will have an opportunity to check this before the ceremony and tweaks can be made to ensure it is just what you want. After the ceremony I will provide you with a copy of the written ceremony as a keepsake.

If you are writing personal vows or promises, and are a bit stumped for where to start, I can provide guidance to help you. Your vows or promises are one of the most important parts of your ceremony, so I will ensure they are available to you in a nice presentation format for the day, and that they aren’t read from a scribbled napkin or a few post-it notes.

Any materials required for any bespoke elements (for example ribbons for hand fasting or parchments for signing) will be sourced and organised by me. I will also liaise with your venue and any others involved in the ceremony (for example, musicians) to ensure your ceremony runs smoothly. My aim is to make things that little bit easier for you during the preparation stage.

I’d love the opportunity to help make your day a moment to cherish. I look forward to hearing from you.