…creating personal and memorable ceremonies to celebrate and honor the milestones of your life.
The Importance of Ceremony
Ceremonies are powerful in the role they play in our lives and in the messages they communicate. They announce and create change. They help us enter a new stage of life. They connect us to our past while reaching into the future.
Ceremonies used to be pretty straight forward. People were born into the same community in which they married, had children, and eventually died. Customs were seldom questioned. Today, though, people often live far from their families of origin, question the practices and beliefs they knew as children, and find partners who bring different traditions, customs, and beliefs to the relationship.
Finding someone to lead a ceremony, let alone create one, isn’t always easy. Ceremonies and Event Planning of the Finger Lakes can work with you to help you meet your unique ceremonial needs. All our ceremonies are based on a philosophy of humanistic values: equality, dignity, inclusivity, warmth, and belief in human potential.
Types of Ceremonies
Baby Namings/Welcoming Ceremonies/Adoption Ceremonies
Whether you are anticipating the birth of a child, adopting a child, or planning a ceremony to name and welcome your child, Ceremonies and Event Planning of the Finger Lakes can help you honor and celebrate this special occasion. We can help you plan a ceremony that doesn’t just honor the child, but honors the new roles each family member.
Coming of Age Ceremonies
Cultures all over the world recognize the importance of coming of age. If you are looking for “non-traditional,” creative ways to mark this culturally significant moment, we can help you craft a meaningful ceremony and service for your child imbued with the values of family, tradition, and responsibility. We believe that whatever strengthens our connections to each other, strengthens the human spirit.
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Sometimes a party is celebration enough. But other times you want to honor a special anniversary or birthday. Maybe you’ve arrived at an age you never thought you’d live to see. Or you want to renew your vows. Or you want to honor someone special in your life. Whatever the occasion, we can help you create an occasion that is both joyful, and meaningful.
Female Life Cycle Celebrations: Menarche, Childbirth, Weaning, and Menopause
Women experience the cycles of life in a personal, embodied way. But often our culture fails to recognize and honor these hugely significant moments. As a former nursing mother and author of a book on breastfeeding, Barbara can help you turn these transitional passages into positive, meaningful opportunities for reflection and celebration.
We Offer...
Consultation. If you want to design the ceremony or occasion yourself, but simply need help crafting your ideas, identifying resources, or planning the flow, we can meet with you on an hourly basis to help you realize your vision.
Writing and design. If you prefer to leave the final writing and ceremony creation to someone else, we will thoughtfully incorporate traditions, rituals, and symbols from your personal background and history.
Rates vary, depending on the complexity of the ceremony, but are based on ur hourly rate of $60.00.
