Hi, I'm Dawn

Image of Dawn Rees

Hello there! Looking for a Humanist wedding celebrant and don't know where to start?

I am Dawn Rees. I am based in Norwich but that's just where I live - I frequently work in London, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire,, Colchester, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds. I am always very happy to travel in the name of love. Recent ceremonies have been at the Cafe Royal London and stately homes in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. I regularly provide ceremonies in Wiltshire, North Yorkshire, Greece and Spain - so don't hold back if you are planning a destination wedding. My bag is already packed!

Becoming a humanist celebrant was one of the best decisions I ever made – I choose to live a full and vibrant life and you can find out more on Instagram @dawnthecelebrant if you are interested in what else I get up to.

Whilst I respect other people’s beliefs and culture, religion isn’t for me and I see humanism as a way of demonstrating and celebrating my fundamental values – kindness, fairness, love, equality, fun and compassion. I decided to take these values and share them with others by creating wonderfully personal and unique humanist ceremonies. 

You are already looking for a celebrant, and so you probably are looking for something different! My role as your celebrant is to give your ideas life and make them sparkle. I deliver tailor-made ceremonies, I never use a pre-prepared script and your ceremony will be 100% unique to you.

‘Loving’, ‘Laughing’, ‘Living’ reflect my fundamental values and approach to my work. I have written and delivered hundreds of ceremonies and all are unique, celebrating love, individuality, humour, equality, fairness and fun.

Why am I doing this? I've had a long career as an innovator - often appointed for courageous leadership, for being straightforward, for being a great public speaker and a generator of ideas. I've worked in local authorities, regional government, as a director of innovation and change for government departments and in the last 15 years of my career, as an executive coach and leadership mentor. People have always been my motivators.

I am a great fan of Simon Sinek (look him up!) who says that the best question we can ask is 'why'? And so I ask you: Why do you want a celebrant led ceremony? Why is this an important choice for you? Why might you engage me?

Look forward to hearing from you so we can start a conversation. Who knows where it will end?

Let's talk.

With Dawns steady hand on the tiller we had the celebration we absolutely wanted! Her experience and confidence held the ring of some pretty riotous behaviour amongst our friends! We wanted something different, something a little quirky and a little ‘out-there’ that reflected us as a family and the relationship we have. We certainly got that!”

“Thank you for such an ecstatically happy day naming Tilly and Eddie. We couldn’t believe it went so smoothly with all those children there! The ‘memory tree’ was inspired and thank you for including all those little references …… In the Night Garden, Moana and Frozen. Perfect!

“As you know, we wanted to renew our vows with just two guests. I am sure it is more tricky to do that and to ‘make it real’ than to do a big ceremony. You held it all so lightly, it was as if we were in a little secret bubble. Nothing else mattered but being there and the words you wrote. We will never forget what you did and how you made us feel. You got who we are.”

We haven’t even got to the wedding bit yet but I wanted to say how lovely it is working with you. As two women preparing for our special day we never thought it could feel so easy”

“You were fabulous! You got our story absolutely pitch perfect, and everyone loved you! We dont just think of you as our celebrant, we consider you a friend. In fact you probably know more about us now than some of our friends!”

“Don’t change Dawn, because the combination of knowledge, personality and utter respect for who we are and how we live our lives made for a ceremony without equal. Just wonderful. We are on Cloud Nine”

Image of Dawn Rees

Dawn Rees

Where I work

I am based in Norfolk, just south of Norwich. That's just the start of it! In fact i travel all over the UK and Europe. The gift of the internet, Zoom, WhatsApp, email and (sometimes) a hand-written letter means that couples from Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Cayman Islands, Greece, Spain, Italy, India, Mauritius, Colombia, and the USA all find me. From that point, we have wide-ranging conversations before we ever get to the booking stage!

Fees from...

2025/6 Fee starts at £1350 for a weekend wedding (Friday-Sunday) and £1000 mid week (Monday-Thursday). I am a popular, in-demand celebrant often booked two years in advance. My fee reflects experience and reputation (see Google reviews) with couples and wedding planners; the meticulous planning, writing, liaison with suppliers and guests. You are assured of a first-class service.

How to contact me
Email

hello@dawnreesceremonies.com

Phone

07846 747728

Website

www.dawnreesceremonies.com

HUMANIST CEREMONIES™ is the network of more than 550 celebrants, trained by national charity Humanists UK to a gold standard to provide memorable and meaningful humanist ceremonies to non-religious people. Operating throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, we deliver authentic, tailor-made and heartfelt ceremonies for life’s key moments. They are always inclusive and welcoming, regardless of the beliefs of those attending.

You can trust Humanist Ceremonies celebrants: We are DBS-checked, fully insured, and regularly peer reviewed for quality assurance. We are committed to a code of conduct, and have a transparent and robust complaints process in the rare case of a problem. We all pay a monthly fee to Humanists UK to further support the work of the charity, and are part of a regional network for like-minded celebrants for support and learning.

Humanist weddings

A humanist wedding ceremony is a wonderful option to celebrate your wedding in the way you choose: without religion but with meaning, and totally true to the two of you. They are uplifting and heartwarming occasions, personal to each couple to reflect your personalities and interests, and your love story. Sincere and significant, your ceremony will be crafted to create an occasion which is unique and fitting to you both.