Graeme Ward Humanist Ceremonies

31/07/2024

Soy mi propio proyecto

24/12/2023

To my family, my friends all around the world, to all my followers, in fact, to everybody, a merry and peaceful Christmas. We look forward to 2024 with some trepidation. Firstly, let war end with good results, let our economies thrive and may all of you enjoy good health and prosperity. Most importantly, have fun.
Graeme

30/03/2023

At your humanist wedding, you don’t have to be a humanist yourself. That’s me.
For your wedding, I use poetry, prose and music to recreate your love story and to tell of your future plans and dreams in a beautiful ceremony that you can share with those who you love and those who love you.
Your wedding can be rich with moments of meaning, both verbal and visual. If you have special people, like children, in your life then they can be part of it. It is even better if it is held in a beautiful place on a sunny day.
I guarantee what will probably be the best day of your life. I am professionally trained and have passed the relevant exams: I am subject to constant peer review and continuing professional development and am fully insured.
Check out my website:

My ceremonies are all held in English although I can also provide bi-lingual ceremonies English/Spanish, English/Nederlands (Dutch).

30/03/2023

People ask me what humanism is all about. We start by not believing in superstition, so we are not religious, and we believe that we have one life and should make the most of it. The attached video helps to explain.

24/01/2023

For my followers who enjoy opera ANATO (A Night At The Opera) now has its own page. Please like and follow. Email me with your email address to [email protected] for further details.

29/12/2022

Many humanists enjoy good music so I am sharing another great interest of mine below. The promotion of culture in the Marbella region.

ANATO (A night at the opera)
After a long Covid break ANATO is finally back and we have some great opera for you. All presented by The Royal
Opera and streamed directly from London.

Wednesday 15 February The Barber of Seville
With vocal fireworks, scheming lovers and one very busy barber; Rossini's opera is packed with fun and mischief.

Wednesday 22 March Turandot
Puccini's final opera is a pageant of rich colour, dance and drama in Andrei Serban’s classic staging.

Thursday 27 April The Marriage of Figaro
Mozart’s great comic opera of intrigue, misunderstanding and forgiveness.

Tuesday 13 June Il Trovatore
A devastating curse rises from the ashes in Verdi's monumental tale of superstition and rivalry.

These great operas are available to ANATO members at the cinema in Puerto Banus with discounted ticket prices, wine and canapes, an introduction to the opera in English provided by ANATO and free parking.

For ballet lovers two ballets are available at the cinema from the Royal Ballet: Like Water for Chocolate on Thursday 19 January and Sleeping Beauty on Wednesday 24 May. Tickets available on the door.
Please join ANATO if you are interested in opera or just want to know more about it. Respond to this post or send me a PM or WhatsApp me on +34 606 999 081. Once you are in you will get a personalised invitation for each opera.

13/09/2022

A humanist funeral is a very special celebration of a loved departed's life. Most Funeral Directors on the Costa Del sol will offer a non-religious ceremony but that is not the same thing. One FD even offers to lead the celebration himself - the one I heard he included one Amen and the 23rd psalm - not really non-religious. If you want a real humanist funeral engage a celebrant accredited by Humanist UK or a similar faith-based organisation that does not include religion. Contact me if you would like more details.

13/09/2022

https://fb.watch/fwhe72cUqh/

Watch this video for a better understanding of humanist funerals (turn on the sound).

25/07/2022

The UK Law Commission Report, Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law; was published on 18 July. It is expected that this report will be the basis of new legislation completely changing the basis of weddings in England and Wales. It will transform the law from a system based on the building in which a ceremony takes place to an officiant-based schemes.
The Government will still have to recognise non-religious bodies, e.g. Humanist UK, as providing officiants but this is probably inevitable as the High Court has ruled that to not do so would be in breach of Human Rights Laws. The definition of a non-religious belief organisation one whose sole or principal purpose is the advancement of a system of non-religious beliefs which have a level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance that brings them within the meaning of article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Legal weddings will have to take place within England or Wales. So how does this affect ex-patriate weddings in Spain or Gibraltar. These fall into two categories. Weddings of UK residents who travel to Spain for the explicit purpose of getting married and British citizens who are resident in Spain or countries other than the UK.
For UK residents, they would need to complete the preliminary registration formalities, notice of marriage, in the UK and attend in person interviews with registration officers. Their Humanist wedding would then be legal. For non-UK residents it is less clear. Humanists UK will be petitioning the Gibraltar Government to change Gibraltar law in line with the changes in England and Wales and, hopefully, this will provide the route for legal Humanist weddings for non-resident British citizens.
This is a very brief summary of what will be a major change in the relevant wedding law. If you do need any further information, please do get in touch with me and I will do my best to answer your queries. This is a very exciting time for weddings and it should certainly mean that you no longer have to go through two ceremonies.

11/07/2022

Next Monday is an important day in the world of UK Weddings. The Law Commission will produce its long-awaited report on the legalisation of weddings. It is certain to recommend that weddings should be celebrant-oriented rather than place-oriented. What this means is that you will be able to choose a regulated celebrant like myself and then get married wherever you want. Regulated means belonging to an approve ethical organisation that embraces a set of beliefs (i.e. humanism) and having been trained, examined and quality controlled by that body.
We will put special arrangements in place for UK couples who want to get married in Spain but don't want to go to the dreaded registry office.

23/06/2022

I have updated the funerals page on my web site to give more information about the services I offer. You can see it at:
https://humanist.org.uk/graemeward/funerals-2/

25/03/2022

I provide very special funeral ceremonies for occasions where religion is not appropriate because of the beliefs of the deceased or of the family. I conduct non-religious and humanist funerals, memorial services and interments of ashes for those seeking a deeply personal service that is dignified, relevant and meaningful.

I will work closely with you. If you wish to be involved in the preparation of the funeral script than you can be – many people find the process of carrying out research and writing down memories and anecdotes, comforting and helpful. But where you don’t feel able to talk about your loss, I can provide the words. I am here to help you mark and celebrate a person’s life, and I will do so with the utmost care and respect. I can also advise you on the format of the ceremony and appropriate music and readings.

I will conduct funeral ceremonies in English throughout Spain. I also offer advanced planning for those who wish to plan their own funeral.

-religious