brighton & London Wedding Celebrant; ceremonies for people who know who they are

Brighton Communities… need a Ceremony?

Couple being showered in confetti by guests.
2 brides in ivory Boho dresses with applique lace. They have similar faces, with brown hair tied in a rustic informal style into curled braids. They are smiling and looking to their right. They look really happy
The Pearls. Amy and Rebecca. Crystals, Dream Catchers, Communal singing. All the woo and so much love.

Jess May’s Special Days

Jess is on an orange/pink background with her back to the pink/orange bus. she is wearing a leather jacket in black. she has red flowers in her hair. her hair matches the bus
Jess May is my name, Special Days is what I do! photo from Han at The Giraffe Shed

Your very own Sparkly Human Ceremony Dream Catcher

Hello Brighton! I’m Jess May from Jess May’s Special Days, newly arrived in Brighton ready to serve gorgeous, local Brighton residents by creating ceremonies full of creativity, vitality and vibrant with energy.

two brides in white wedding gowns, with an Autumnal background. one bride is holding her train and one is carrying a bouquet of wild flowers with pink and yellow
Festival wedding ceremony. thanks to @Camerahannah for photo https://www.camerahannah.co.uk/

Your very own Sparkly Human Ceremony Dream Catcher for Brighton’s Dreamers. Brighton Residents immediately receive a 20% discount. My business values a Live Local Love Local approach, therefore supporting the environment, local businesses and people at the same time.

pink and orange and yellow and black background with a bride and groom kissing . The bride has her arms around his neck. she has her hair braided loosely. her sleeves are floaty with white chiffon. She is on the left. She holds her wild flower bouquet behind his head in her left hand. the wall behind is graffiti art.
Urban Chic Weddings might be your thing, I hope so, because we have that in common. Thanks to the incomparable Jim at Dearest Love Photographer http://www.dearestlove.co.uk/

Different Ceremonies making a Difference for Different People

Ceremonies of different flavours which make a difference for different people are what I create. Any Life Transition, for any occasion can be celebrated with Ceremony. After all, most ceremonies mark transition. Not only do ceremonies create meaning for weddings, but also they create meaning for new life and for death.

a yellow picnic table. with a floral arrangement with wild flowers from a British garden including red dahlia, pink Buddleia and red flowers. This illustrates an example of a funeral and how colourful they can be
A beautiful ceremony for someone who died. Flowers by Carole at Tuckshop Flowers https://www.tuckshopflowers.com/ ceremony collaboration with https://www.anaturalundertaking.co.uk/

Double Award-Winning with a decade of experience creating ceremonies.

blue badge TCIA The Celebrant Industry Awards 2021. blue background and gold letters
Most Unique Ceremony Award Winner at TCIA, member of The Celebrant Directory Find my listing here: https://www.thecelebrantdirectory.com/find-a-celebrant/weddings/show/jess-mays-special-days/
4 people doing a handfasting with ribbons. A woodland ceremony, spiritual but not religious. The groom is on the left and has dreadlocks and a bandana which is blue. then there is a woman wearing blue dress with pink flowers and brown wavy hair, then a woman in a white jacket and blue dress with black hair with a fringe and on the right is the bride in a white dress with a lilac coronet and a bun. she has lilac embroidery on her dress
outdoors wedding ceremony. photo by Charlotte Burn Photographyhttps://www.charlotteburnphotography.com/

‘I’m just Very Brighton’, a Colourful, Quirky, Different, Creative, Vegan, Environmentally friendly, Community focused, Green Party enthusiast, Compassionate, Lover of diversity, a little bit ‘Hippie’, Fun but serious about life, Sea Loving, Lunar watching, Queer-Affirming, with a vibrant energy and, well….’just a little bit woo’! Check out my Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/jessmayspecialdays

a Black couple. the Groom is on the right carrying a small baby. She has a bow in her hair. He has short hair. She is on the left and has a chic white dress with a halter neck and a large white bouquet. There is a confetti shot.
Natasha and Marcus with Layla Rose

Bringing all my expertise to Brighton people and I can’t wait to meet you.

It is my preference to try and serve local communities in a local context. Being a Celebrant in a Community suits me. At University I studied Theology and Religion gaining a First Class Degree at The University of Birmingham and specialising in Contemporary Spirituality in Britain. That background gave me a passion for the concept of Community, and service to that community. It highlighted the beauty of building long standing relationships with your communities.

3 people. Two adults and one baby. they are Caucasian and suntanned. a baby girl with a gold affect circle around her face. She is with her godmother on her left with a coronet of white flowers and her mom on the left has a smaller coronet. they look like they are going to a festival
I love this Festival style naming Ceremony for Isla…who is now at school! We planted a tree for her and we are still in touch.

It is traditionally part of the role of a person dedicated to ceremony to serve a particular group of people and get to know them over time. Although this may be true, times have changed and so I will travel to you if I’m your person. Choosing to work with me, may well mean that you identify as ‘Spiritual but not Religious’ and I would be inclined to say the same of myself.

All Faiths or None, I’m not a Humanist

However, I often work with people of all faiths or none and I especially love working with intercultural and interfaith relationships. Before I moved to Brighton people who knew me well and knew Brighton well all told me “you’ll love Brighton and Brighton will love you”. This goes to show that we should trust those who know us best. Yes! I am indeed in love with Brighton and I feel the love from Brighton too. Can’t wait to meet you for coffee, chocolates and chats which will lead to ceremonies full of love and laughter

wooden board, stylised arial shot of a frothy hot chocolate with rose petals on top and a stick of cinnamon on the board to the left
Would you like to join me for a fancy plant-based luxury hot chocolate, my personal fave, and get to know me. See if I’m the Celebrant for you https://calendly.com/jessmaysspecialdays/discovery-call-with-jess-may

I’m bringing your communities a decade of ceremony expertise to Brighton from Multi-cultural Birmingham

After all those years in Brum, meeting phenomenal people and growing in ways I couldn’t have anywhere else, I have discovered that I’m just…’Very Brighton’! But I’ve only been here for one month. Because I’m new here I have yet to forge all the new relationships in my new life. Living in Central Birmingham for 22 years has made me very exited about the power of those inter-generational relationships and the importance of celebrating and embracing diversity.

picture of Jess with bright orange hair, holding a baby. she has turquoise blue nails and an amber ring. the baby is holding her face and jess is smiling. there is a Tudor building in the background. it is white with grey wooden beams
One of my favourite things is creating ceremonies for the same families, creating their weddings and then creating naming ceremonies for the children and celebrating the lives of those who have died. It helps families and couples to have ‘their person’, ‘their family celebrant’ and it’s more fun for me too.

Starting again with new communities

We’re starting again! me, my partner Mrinal and our 3 mad Burmese cats. Starting again has given me the opportunity to start again with my business. I now a decade and 2 awards under my Celebrant belt. Since I trained to become accredited with the Fellowship of Professional Celebrants I have lots of experience creating ceremonies which I am now bringing to you here in Brighton.

Tattooed couple. on the left is a woman with pink hair and a coronet like Queen Elizabeth the 1st. Both are fair skinned. she has pink eyebrows. she is sticking out her tongue in a rock and roll pose. she is covered in tattoos. they are orange and black. She is in a wedding dress and has a long veil . both are white. The groom is smaller than her, in a black tuxedo and a blue and green kilt with a sporran.
Are you very creative, expressive and artistic like these two Tattoo Artists? if so, text me for a discovery call or follow this link to book into my calendar https://calendly.com/jessmaysspecialdays/discovery-call-with-jess-may

Relaxed, joyous, creative, informal, chilled vibe with no bored guests? Yes? give me a call

Let’s say you want a break from convention and want to be truly creative with your ceremony? If so, then I’m the celebrant for you. Perhaps you would like a ceremony like Jessica and Waly who had a big Graffiti board during their ceremony which they then framed. This graffiti board had been signed by all their friends and family and they also played with tradition. Although they loved to break with convention, they also loved playing with traditions. At this wedding the Brazillian side of the family all wore kilts! As a result they had a wedding ceremony full of nods to tradition but playfully disrupted and reinterpreted.

Do you love informal, relaxed vibes with a lot of humour thrown in? Well, you are in the right place because this is very much my thing.

jess is wearing a floral dress and facing out to camera. it is lilac and pink, and black and green. her hair is bright orange. she has flowers in her hair and a folder with green patterns. she looks happy
The Affirming Celebrant Celebrating Diversity
bride stood in front of an ancient Church. She has lilac hair. warm toned skin, a gold coronet and a bunch of lilac and blue flowers in front. her eye shadow is bright pink. her dress is floaty with lace and off white. it is 'off the shoulder'. She is smiling sweetly and looks really happy
Could this be you? Pure mischief and colour and creativity looking for originality, fun, informality and flair

Kindred Spirits, with coronets and flowers in their hair, here for ‘the Woo’?

All the Goddesses and kindred spirits out there with flamboyant colours in their hair, you know what to do because I’d love to hear from you. Do contact me to book a free appointment in my diary for a chat and a chocolate. https://calendly.com/jessmaysspecialdays/discovery-call-with-jess-may

Whatever your Identity and whatever your need, there is a ceremony for you waiting to be written.

I can’t wait to get started…..

two men in ladies hats. They both have beards and sun tans making them look pink from the sun. They are in their 50s. the man on the right has a grey Schnauzer dog in his arms and a white feathered hat for a wedding. The man on the left has a blue shirt and a grey jacket and a blue straw hat
Leo and Paul with Gracie at the New Beginnings and conversion to marriage from civil partnership ceremony

with all my love and excitement

Jess signature in pink with a handwritten script on a grey watermarked background
Jess May Affirming Celebrant

CHECK OUT THIS SHORT FILM FROM THE GIRAFFE SHED WEDDING VENUE ALL ABOUT WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE A CELEBRANT WEDDING!