Ceremonies rooted in the earth.
Written for you.
Ceremony has always been about marking the moments that matter.
The beginnings. The endings. The promises. The changes. The lives we’ve shared and the people we’ve become along the way.
I’m Michelle, the celebrant and ceremony creator behind Oak & Thorn Ceremonies. Based in Essex and travelling throughout the UK, I create personal, inclusive and nature-rooted ceremonies for people who want something that genuinely belongs to them. No generic scripts. No filling in the blanks. No trying to squeeze your story into somebody else’s idea of what a ceremony should look like.
Your people. Your beliefs. Your story. Your ceremony.
What are we celebrating?
Some ceremonies are joyful. Some are reflective. Some are loud, colourful and gloriously unconventional. Others are quiet, intimate and held beneath a canopy of trees with only a handful of people watching.
Whatever brings you here, we start with you.
Weddings
A wedding ceremony built around the two of you rather than tradition for tradition’s sake.
Tell your story, write your own vows, involve your favourite people, bring the dog, add music, laughter, ritual, spirituality or something nobody else has thought of yet.
Explore Wedding ceremoniesHandfastings
Rooted in ancient tradition but created for the people standing in the circle today.
Your handfasting can be a deeply Pagan ceremony, a symbolic element within your wedding, an intimate elopement or a celebration in its own right.
Explore Handfasting ceremoniesVow Renewals
A chance to stop, look at everything you’ve shared and say, quite simply, ‘We still do‘.
Whether it’s a significant anniversary, a new chapter or just because it feels like the right time, your renewal should reflect the life you’ve actually lived together.
Explore Vow Renewals ceremoniesFunerals & Memorials
A life shouldn’t be reduced to a template.
Together, we can create a farewell, celebration of life or memorial ceremony that feels true to the person you knew and loved.
Explore Funerals and MemorialsNo templates, No cookie-cutter ceremonies.
I’ve been creating and conducting ceremonies since 2011, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no two people are ever quite the same. That’s exactly why every Oak & Thorn ceremony starts with a conversation.
I take the time to get to know your story, what matters to you, what makes you laugh, what moves you, what you believe in and, just as importantly, what you definitely don’t want included.
From there, I write your ceremony completely from scratch, creating something personal, meaningful and true to you rather than adapting a template or following a set script.
Rooted in nature
I’m an eclectic Pagan and much of my own spirituality is rooted in nature, the changing seasons and our relationship with the world around us.
So yes, I am very happy standing in a woodland, a field, a garden, on a beach or somewhere wonderfully wild conducting your ceremony.
Nature can simply provide the setting, or we can weave the seasons, the elements, ritual and symbolism through the ceremony itself.
There are no rules saying we have to stay indoors.
People and planet at the heart of what I do
Creating beautiful ceremonies shouldn’t mean forgetting about the world we’re celebrating them in.
Sustainability runs through Oak & Thorn, from the way I work and travel to the choices I encourage people to consider when creating a ceremony.
I‘m an accredited member of the Sustainable Wedding Alliance and believe celebrations can be meaningful, joyful and memorable without leaving unnecessary damage behind.
Based in Essex. Travelling throughout the UK.
Oak & Thorn Ceremonies is based in North Essex, close to the Suffolk border, but I travel extensively.
So whether you’re gathering in an Essex woodland, celebrating on the Suffolk coast or have found somewhere completely different elsewhere in the UK, tell me about it.
Let’s talk about your ceremony
You don’t need to have everything worked out before getting in touch. You might have a complete vision. You might have three Pinterest images, half an idea and a feeling you can’t quite explain.
Both are good places to start.
Tell me what you are planning
