Hi, I'm Karen

I'm an independent celebrant based in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire. I help people across Scotland mark their most important milestones with personal, meaningful ceremonies.

Whether you’re planning a wedding, a naming day, a celebration of life, or something beautifully unique, I’ll walk alongside you with warmth, creativity, and care.

With a background in coaching and over 20 years in communications, I bring a calm professionalism and deep love of storytelling that ensures every ceremony becomes a treasured moment on life’s journey.

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My journey has taken me from film sets in New York to comedy festivals in Melbourne, and I’m now happily settled in Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire.

From leadership training rooms across Europe to corporate offices in Aberdeen and London, people and their stories have always been at the heart of everything I do.

Becoming a celebrant felt like the natural next step. It’s a joy and a privilege to help people honour their own moments, from the joyful to the bittersweet, with ceremonies that are real, heartfelt, and true.

You delivered a ceremony that was so personal to the couple and was a real joy to watch.

Anyone would be lucky to have you as their celebrant.

Suzanne, wedding guest

We were so nervous! You took charge provided the calm we needed.

Marcus & Matilda, wedding couple

Wow! A celebrant-led wedding gives so many options to tell a personal story.

I loved the symbolic elements, and how to included the guests in the experience. It was marvellous!

Nicky, wedding guest

Your professionalism is outstanding. Not only are you a great storyteller, your experience as a facilitator shines through. It’s not often that I award 100% pass rate, but today I do! Well done Karen.

Miranda Ash, AMC Mentor

Crafted with heart, delivered with care.

Personalisation

Every milestone deserves to be marked in a way that’s true to you. Whether it’s a wedding, funeral, vow renewal, naming ceremony, or something more unconventional like a gender affirmation or adoption celebration, I’ll walk alongside you, listening to your story, values, and vision. No templates. Just real moments, made personal.

Planning

Think of me as a steady hand on the path ahead. I’ll help shape the flow of your ceremony with structure, intention, and emotional impact, all while minimising stress for you and your loved ones.

Performance

On the day, I’ll guide your ceremony with warmth and confidence, helping everyone feel supported and in the moment. Whether it’s solemn, joyful, or a bit of both, I ensure everything runs smoothly, with grace and heart.

Weddings

Your love. Your story. Your next chapter.

Whether you’re planning a small elopement, a big celebration with all your people, or something delightfully offbeat, I’ll help you bring your vision to life.

Your beliefs, background, and love story are uniquely yours. I’m here to honour them with a bespoke ceremony that feels authentic and true. As an independent celebrant in Scotland, I offer flexibility, creativity and a ceremony with real soul.

Prices from £650

What’s included:
- Initial consultation (face-to-face, phone, or video)
- Bespoke script based on our conversations
- Up to four rounds of script edits
- Vow-writing support if required
- Ritual and reading suggestions
- Ongoing contact up to your wedding day
- Final script + keepsake certificate

Timeline:
- First draft: within 6 weeks of receiving your questionnaire
- Final version: ready one month before your ceremony

Note: Legal marriage registration must still be completed at your local registry office. The ceremony we create is the one that tells your story.

Before the promise

Great marriages start with great conversations.

Marriage is one of life’s most meaningful milestones, and one of the greatest acts of teamwork. At Milestone Days, I offer pre-marriage coaching as an additional service to help couples prepare for this next stage in their journey together.

While I’m not a trained therapist or counsellor, I am a professionally trained executive coach and experienced leadership facilitator. With more than 20 years of working with teams and individuals, I’ve seen how small shifts can make big changes.

This wisdom has a home in the wedding world… because marriage is the ultimate team project!

Pre-marriage coaching is a supportive space for couples build insight, understanding and skills that strengthen the foundation of your partnership long before the confetti settles.

Prices from £400

What we’ll explore together

- Communication styles and active listening
- Conflict resolution and managing differences
- Roles, expectations, and shared responsibilities
- Financial values and decision-making styles
- Family dynamics and setting boundaries
- Intimacy, connection, and emotional wellbeing
- Aligning goals, values, and future vision

How it works

Sessions are informal but structured, centered around meaningful conversations and practical strategies.

We’ll start with a discovery session to understand your relationship dynamics, then tailor the experience to your unique needs as a couple.

What we hope to achieve

A safe space to grow closer, gain clarity, and step into marriage with intention, understanding and connection.

This isn’t therapy, it’s coaching with heart.

Naming ceremonies

From new beginnings to bold transitions.

The origins of naming ceremonies go back as long as time itself. Humans have always had a desire to celebrate new beginnings to create a sense of belonging and identity. From ancient tribes to modern day religions, naming ceremonies symbolise integration and unity, for a family as well as a community.

Your beliefs, background, and story are uniquely yours. Whether you are welcoming a child with a naming ceremony, blending families, marking a gender transition, or celebrating any of the beautiful milestones of identity, I’m here to honour them with a ceremony that is truly your own. As an independent celebrant in Scotland, I bring flexibility, creativity, and heartfelt care; crafting occasions that feel authentic, meaningful, and true.

Prices from £200

What’s included:
- Initial consultation (face-to-face, phone, or video)
- Bespoke script based on our conversations
- Up to two rounds of script edits
- Commitment writing support if required
- Ritual and reading suggestions

Funerals

A meaningful goodbye, thoughtfully told.

No scripts. No templates. Just a carefully crafted ceremony shaped around the person, their story, and the moments that mattered most.

A calm, supportive presence

I know how overwhelming this time can feel. That’s why I take time to listen - really listen - so I can understand the person behind the stories. From there, I gently guide you through the process, helping to shape a service that reflects a life and honours its ending. A funeral can be an important step in the grief journey. It creates space to reflect, to remember, and to honour a life in a way that feels meaningful and true.

What to expect

Working together is simple and supportive:

- A relaxed, unhurried conversation to get to know your loved one
- A fully personalised ceremony, written with care and attention
- Flexibility around tone and structure: traditional, modern, spiritual, or non-religious
- Gentle guidance with readings, music, and possible structure
- A calm, reassuring presence on the day

Holding space for love, memories, and meaning.

Funeral services should feel personal, genuine, and full of heart, because every life deserves to be remembered in a way that truly reflects who someone was. If you feel I may be the right fit for you or your family, you’re very welcome to get in touch for a quiet, no-pressure conversation.

FAQs

What is an independent celebrant?

An independent celebrant creates and leads ceremonies that reflect your beliefs and personality. Whether secular, spiritual, traditional, or modern, we’re not bound by legal or religious restrictions which means your ceremony is truly your own.

Can an independent celebrant legally marry us in Scotland?

Not at the moment, unless they are a registered humanist or religious celebrant. I’m an independent celebrant, so you’ll need to register your marriage separately at a registry office. Many couples treat that as the paperwork, and the celebrant-led ceremony as the meaningful celebration.

What kinds of ceremonies do you offer?

Weddings, vow renewals, naming/adoption ceremonies, celebration of life events, gender affirmation ceremonies, coming-of-age rituals, and anything else worth celebrating!

Where can the ceremony take place?

Anywhere! A hotel, beach, garden, forest, barn, castle, or your own home… it’s your choice. As a celebrant-led ceremony doesn’t need to be in a licensed venue, you have complete freedom.

What makes a celebrant-led ceremony special?

It’s all about you. Your values, your story, your way. No scripts, no rules; just a one-of-a-kind moment created with meaning and heart.

How do I know if we’re a good fit?

Let’s chat. Chemistry matters. I offer a no-pressure initial consultation to see if we click. You should feel heard, comfortable, and confident with whoever you choose.

The Blog

Water Cremation in Scotland: a new choice

Water Cremation in Scotland: a new choice

There’s an important conversation happening in Scotland about how we honour and remember our loved ones, one that expands the choices available to families at the most difficult times of their lives. Traditionally, people have chosen between burial and flame-based cremation, but as of March 2026, there is now a third option: water cremation. 🔗 […]

Life deserves to be celebrated.

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