Rachel Clarke – Wairarapa Funeral & Marriage celebrant

I am here for you!
An experienced and professional celebrant, my commitment is to create a personalised and meaningful ceremony that meets your needs and suits the occasion - whatever the occasion!

Warm and friendly, I enjoy meeting people from all walks of life. You will find my relaxed, yet professional approach is supportive, guiding you through what is needed.
It may be a funeral or memorial service - when saying goodbye to a loved one.
You may be getting married or having a civil union ceremony or renewing your vows.
It may be time for a significant birthday party, anniversary event or one of life's other milestone events.

Aroha nui ~ Rachel

Rachel Clarke (she/her)

Certificate in Celebrant studies | Masters in Nursing | PG Cert.in Chaplaincy (secular) | VCANZ*

*Validated member of Celebrants Aotearoa - committed to ongoing professional development.

We would like to say that we really enjoyed your personality and flair as our celebrant. We were made to feel so comfortable and reassured during the lead up to our wedding. You really helped us with the overall process of developing our vows, and your special poem was the icing on the cake and is something we treasure. You really listened to our love story and this made us feel very special on our wedding day. Many of our guests commented on how lovely the service was. We would highly recommend you to others.
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Cleo and Matt

Find out more about the service I offer by reading more reviews on my Google business page.

About Me

I love being a celebrant and enjoy working closely with people, helping them to create a ceremony that feels right for them, whether it be celebrating special occasions in life; or in the case of losing a loved one – saying goodbye - in whatever way feels right for you.

I chose to train as a celebrant after supporting family and friends through end-of-life experiences. Being involved was a huge privilege and I found my life skills - as nurse, educator and mother - enabled me to support people with empathy and care.

My husband, Mike, and I are enjoying all that the Wairarapa has to offer, having moved to Featherston in 2019. Regulars at the Woodside-Greytown Parkrun, we also enjoy exploring the local walking trails, along with the occasional tramp in the Tararua range. We have three daughters and one precious mokopuna and enjoy catching up with them whenever possible.

I belong to Celebrants Aotearoa - the only Professional Association for celebrants in Aotearoa New Zealand. I am currently the National President leading the National Executive. As a member, I adhere to the Code of Ethics and Professional Standards and am covered by indemnity insurance. In the unlikely event that you require it, a complaints process is available through CANZ.

Thank you for making our ceremony so special! We both appreciated your professionalism, patience and warmth. Your fun, relaxed approach was perfect for us.
- Luke & Anna

‍_{Photo by Belinda Pratt Photography (www.belindapratt.co.nz)}

Funerals - Saying Goodbye

Remembering a loved one’s life together with family, friends and members of the community is an important part of saying goodbye. It is a milestone on that journey of grief which we all must travel and being together enables you to be supported through loss.

It would be a privilege to work with you to say farewell to your loved one. I will meet you and your family/whānau to learn about their life and to plan the ceremony with you in a way that remembers and honours them, in a way personal to your family.
You can contact me directly or ask the Funeral Director you are working with to contact me.

Are you planning a memorial service, interment of ashes or unveiling ceremony?
Please contact me directly to discuss how I can help if you are planning a memorial service, interment of ashes or unveiling ceremony for a loved one.

Do you wish to have an advance conversation or hold a 'living wake'
‍Do you wish to have a conversation about your funeral or memorial service in advance?
Have you thought you might like to have a gathering with friends before your death - sometimes called a living wake. If so, I can have a conversation with you about these options. Please contact me directly.

For more information about when someone dies, you can visit Births, Deaths and Marriages.
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You can also contact a Funeral Director through the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand.

‍With pleasure I would like to pass on our immense gratitude for your friendly professionalism, your guidance and support you gave to enable us to give our Mother a special, moving and warm service and then, through an interment service, to finally lay both Mum and Dad to rest at the Archer Street Cemetery. We are extremely grateful to you Rachel.
- the Shaw family

Funeral Testimonials

“Rachel was a wonderful choice (of celebrant) for our memorial for Dad. She was warm, interested and kind. She took time to get to know us and our Dad which made us feel really supported. Rachel was so patient with us as we struggled with various issues, including our own difficulty facing our grief and other delays brought on by family illness and travel restrictions.The memorial was so well run by Rachel who gave us some lovely ideas for gentle ritual to allow us to let go and move on, including the memory stones which everyone took away with them. The setting, mood and structure were a lovely balance, making it flow really naturally.Our biggest takeaway was her gentleness and patience.I would highly recommend Rachel as a perfect choice for anyone sending off a dearly loved member of their family.”

Mary (received by email)

“What an absolute pleasure it was to have Rachel act as a celebrant for my mother-in-laws memorial service at such a difficult time.Her compassion and empathy in supporting the family to make the right decisions; from the order of service through to officiating the service.Rachel listened to everyone's needs, offering assistance and support resulting in the most heartfelt celebration of life ceremony oozing with respect and humour putting everyone at ease for which I am truly grateful.I 100% recommend Rachel Clarke as a celebrant. Her passion, patience and respect for your wishes at such a difficult time when farewelling a dearly loved one is truly honourable.”

Kerrie (received by email)

“We just wanted to say thank you for your kind words, support, insights and practical experience. You were the best life celebrant we could have asked for. We will be forever grateful for the kindness and effort you poured into Mum's service. Such a beautiful gift you have to us all.”

From a Mum's Daughters
(Written in a thank-you card)

“With pleasure I would like to pass on our immense gratitude for your friendly professionalism, your guidance and support you gave to enable us to give our Mother a special, moving and warm service and then, through an interment service, to finally lay both Mum and Dad to rest at the Archer Street Cemetery. We are extremely grateful to you Rachel.”

The Shaw Family
(received by email)

“Rachel was truly wonderful in helping our family at a really difficult time. She worked with us to create a service that was exactly what Dad would have wanted and it suited him down to the ground. Through hearing our stories, Rachel was able to capture the essence of our Dad and reflect this for us in the life story that she wrote from what we had shared.”

A greatful family (received by email)

“Rachel worked with me to craft my late husband's funeral. Her empathy enables her to grasp the heart of the matter and she is able to aptly convey this in the ceremony”

Ruth (received by email)

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

What people have to say

Testimonial from a
Memorial Service

"Rachel was a wonderful choice (of celebrant) for our memorial for Dad. She was warm, interested and kind. She took time to get to know us and our Dad which made us feel really supported. Rachel was so patient with us as we struggled with various issues, including our own difficulty facing our grief and other delays brought on by family illness and travel restrictions.

The memorial was so well run by Rachel who gave us some lovely ideas for gentle ritual to allow us to let go and move on, including the memory stones which everyone took away with them. The setting, mood and structure were a lovely balance, making it flow really naturally.
Our biggest takeaway was her gentleness and patience.

I would highly recommend Rachel as a perfect choice for anyone sending off a dearly loved member of their family".

- Mary

Testimonial from a
Memorial Service

"What an absolute pleasure it was to have Rachel act as a celebrant for my mother-in-laws memorial service at such a difficult time.

Her compassion and empathy in supporting the family to make the right decisions; from the order of service through to officiating the service.

Rachel listened to everyone's needs, offering assistance and support resulting in the most heartfelt celebration of life ceremony oozing with respect and humour putting everyone at ease for which I am truly grateful.
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I 100% recommend Rachel Clarke as a celebrant. Her passion, patience and respect for your wishes at such a difficult time when farewelling a dearly loved one is truly honourable."

- Kerrie

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Testimonial from a
Memorial Service

"With pleasure I would like to pass on our immense gratitude for your friendly professionalism, your guidance and support you gave to enable us to give our Mother a special, moving and warm service and then, through an interment service, to finally lay both Mum and Dad to rest at the Archer Street Cemetery.

We are extremely grateful to you Rachel".
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- the Shaw family

Testimonial from a
Funeral Service‍

We were so pleased with the funeral service and thought you did a beautiful job. It was humorous yet incredibly touching. Dad will be remembered for the amazing person he was.

Our feedback is extremely positive and we appreciate the follow up from you. Thanks so much for your great service.

- a grateful family member

‍Testimonial from a
Funeral Service

"Rachel worked with me to craft my late husband's funeral. Her empathy enables her to grasp the heart of the matter and she is able to aptly convey this in the ceremony".
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- Ruth

Weddings & Civil Unions

We are so happy we found you. You've been an absolute dream!
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I am an inclusive celebrant who enjoys working with all couples in love. Your wedding or civil union is a time to affirm your commitment to each other; sharing this moment with your family and friends. Let’s work together to create a ceremony that reflects your one-of-a-kind partnership. Large or small, formal or informal, traditional or non-traditional, simple or quirky – let’s have fun creating the style of ceremony you are after.

Let’s chat about whether there is something unique or different you want to include in your ceremony. Are there cultural traditions you would like to incorporate? Is a bilingual ceremony important to you? I love hearing about what you want and weaving this into the magic of your day. I am passionate about your story being the heart of your day and for the ceremony to be memorable as you declare your love for each other.

Delivering a fully personalised, bespoke service to you is my commitment to you; whether your wedding or civil union is a small intimate affair or elopement, a backyard affair or a larger gathering of family and friends at one of the stunning wedding venues we have here in Wellington and the Wairarapa.

This Celebrants Aotearoa guest blog which I collaborated on, speaks well to the role of a celebrant in creating ceremony. It's not just a party after all!

Working Together

In most instances, the first step is to catch-up for an informal no-obligation chat. This is a great chance for me to get to know you. We can explore some ideas together and I will let you know more about how I work. The following outline gives you some idea of the process from beginning to end:

• A 50% deposit of the fee will secure your date

• We will meet to develop your ceremony

• You will be sent a ceremony draft to review

• A rehearsal will be held prior to the ceremony

• I will officiate your ceremony

• For weddings and civil unions, I submit the legal papers to the office of Births, Deaths and Marriages, who will register your marriage/civil union

• Feedback and photos are requested immediately following the ceremony, upon advising you I have lodged the paperwork.

Note: This process may change depending upon the style of your ceremony

Find out more about getting married in NZ here.

Your privacy is important to me

I take your privacy seriously and maintaining the confidentiality of your information is important to me. Please download my privacy policy here to ensure you understand what I am collecting from you and why; and how I store and use your information.

We both feel so lucky that we chose you for our service. Your help and suggestions made our day so special and stress free. The memories of our day we will treasure forever. Our guests have all told us that our service was beautiful and that your input had captured our love and who we are.

- Sue & Brian
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Rachel was so easy to deal with , was extremely accommodating and was “all in” on our surprise wedding idea and helped us with ideas on how to format and execute our day. We appreciated that Rachel supported us through our untraditional wedding idea and we felt like we were able to experience a ceremony that was authentic to us. We had the best day and Rachel played a large part in making it amazing.

- Natalie and Chris

Wedding Testimonials

“I am deeply grateful for Rachel who not only officiated our wedding but also conducted my mother's funeral just two days later. Rachel's exceptional professionalism and empathy were evident throughout both occasions.Rachel created a warm and meaningful atmosphere during the wedding, capturing the essence of our relationship with sincerity and depth. Rachel also provided comfort at the funeral with her thoughtful words, beautifully celebrating my mother's life.Her kindness and poise during these moments were truly remarkable, and her presence will be forever cherished in our memories. Rachel's ability to navigate the joy of our wedding and the sorrow of my mother's passing with such grace made a significant difference, and for that, we are immensely thankful.”

Leonie Miles

“We could not have asked for a better celebrant than Rachel. She kept our hopes and dreams alive for our special day, throughout the Covid pandemic. We so appreciated her understanding, patience, flexibility and experience. Her communication with us over the past two years was excellent.On the day despite a last minute change in arrangements due to the rain, Rachel more than delivered. We were thrilled with our ceremony. It had all the components we wanted which Rachel so skillfully helped us create.Our day was a joy and fun filled one!Seeing our guests enjoy our ceremony so much was one of the highlights, thanks to Rachel. We would highly recommend her services to anyone.”

Colleen & Richard

“From the first time we met Rachel she put us at ease and was so warm and friendly we knew she would be a great fit for us with our wedding. We wanted a low-key wedding during these challenging times and Rachel listened to what we wanted and created a unique ceremony that really captured that essence. She also made it possible to involve those who could not be with us on the day which was perfect. Communication was easy and stress free. We couldn't recommend Rachel enough and are really pleased we chose her for our ceremony.
Rachel was so easy to deal with , was extremely accommodating and was “all in” on our surprise wedding idea and helped us with ideas on how to format and execute our day. We appreciated that Rachel supported us through our untraditional wedding idea and we felt like we were able to experience a ceremony that was authentic to us. We had the best day and Rachel played a large part in making it amazing.”

Natalie and Chris

“Rachel officiated our wedding in February, she was nothing but amazing, easy to talk to and always willing to answer any questions we had. Rachel is so easy going , kind hearted and we will always have a hot cuppa ready for her if is ever needed . Tēnā rawa atu koe Rachel.”

Shirvana Edmonds

“Rachel was absolutely amazing as our celebrant from start to finish. Great communication! She helped us so much throughout the whole process to feel comfortable and know we were in really great hands on the day. I would highly recommend Rachel to anyone - completely alleviated any stress for us - Thank you again it was pleasure working with you. Sarah & Stephen”

Sarah Price

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

What people have to say

Rachel married us in an intimate ceremony which was crafted to reflect our story and style, including some beautiful extra touches. We are so grateful that we had the privilege to be married by someone who cares so much about creating an unforgettable experience.

Georgia & Tom
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Rachel was amazing to work with. The communication was excellent, which was very much appreciated when trying to organise a wedding from overseas! She has a very calming nature and guided us through the ceremony beautifully. Thank you Rachel for being our celebrant and officiating our marriage.

Amanda and Aaron

Thank you so much for officiating our ceremony in January, Rachel. Nick and I really appreciated the time you spent with us on more than one occasion to really get to know us, which definitely showed in the unique and personal ceremony you put together for us.

Samme & Nick
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Rachel is a wonderful celebrant. She took time to get to know us and our story and worked collaboratively to tailor our wedding ceremony to suit us. She has the right amount of professionalism and friendliness to create a wonderful and memorable ceremony.

Paula and Richard

Thank you so much for everything you did for the ceremony, we both loved the day & really appreciate all the work you did on it. We had lots of compliments from family & guests who all really enjoyed the ceremony and all the ideas you helped put in place especially including the kids. We will recommend you to others.

Catherine & Konyo
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Rachel was wonderful, can’t recommend enough, she listened and provided helpful ideas for our ceremony. She helped us feel confident and relaxed and provided wonderful care. It was the perfect service. Thank you so much, Rachel!

Eileen & Scott

I was impressed with Rachel when I saw her in action at a recent wedding. She carried out her duties beautifully with specially chosen words for the bride and groom, delightful banter and touches of humour that made it a fun as well as a joyous occasion. I would definitely recommend Rachel as an awesome celebrant for anyone's wedding.

Judy
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Absolutely beautiful experience with Rachel! She made my husband and I feel so relaxed, even when I changed the plans on her with only three months' notice Rachel still managed to work her magic and make our perfect day even more perfect. We thank you again Rachel for a beautiful ceremony.

Paige and Reece

Thank you so much for being a part of our special day. You were absolutely amazing and very patient with our big family. You were very supportive, patient and passionate in making sure our day went well. We wouldn't change a thing. We absolutely loved your idea of the monarch butterflies, they were the topic of conversation with our guests over the weeks. Thank you from our family to you and yours.

Renee' & Aaron

In short, we are very happy and would highly recommend Rachel based on our experience having her as our celebrant - despite circumstances which were sometimes difficult, due to distance and scheduling changes caused by visa processing delays. After the marriage ceremony, Rachel continued to help us in bridging with the Indonesian embassy, which is particularly important for us, because we needed to convert the NZ marriage certificate to a local Indonesian certificate. Thank you, Rachel!!

Rani and Elfa

From the first time we met Rachel she put us at ease and was so warm and friendly we knew she would be a great fit for us with our wedding. We wanted a low-key wedding during these challenging times and Rachel listened to what we wanted and created a unique ceremony that really captured that essence. She also made it possible to involve those who could not be with us on the day which was perfect. Communication was easy and stress free. We couldn't recommend Rachel enough and are really pleased we chose her for our ceremony.

Chris & Anita

I would like to thank you for all the support and guidance you gave to our son and his fiancée during the lead up to and on the day of their wedding in February this year. Your attention to detail was a great help for them in the planning of the event, you raised issues that needed thinking about that they had not considered. The day was wonderful, your calm and composed presence rubbed off on all of us on the day. Thank-you so much for helping create a beautiful memory for all of our family.

Anney

I asked Rachel to be the celebrant for my wedding, and I’m so glad I did! She did a superb job of guiding us through the whole process, helping my new husband and I to write our wedding vows, leading our wedding and putting me at ease.Rachel got my partner and I to answer some simple questions about our lives together which gave her the material with which to write the ceremony and our vows. It all felt very personal, and very well suited to us. She made the whole process so easy, and she also printed things off for us and told me what to do by when, which meant that there were fewer things I needed to worry about. She was also super easy to communicate with, and highly responsive. Rachel is clearly very experienced (she knew when I was struggling to remember my lines, and she quickly prompted me), and she’s also very friendly, warm, professional and helpful. I’d highly recommend Rachel as a celebrant.

Felicity

My wife and I worked with Rachel for our wedding ceremony. She went above and beyond her service by also going out her way to help us sort out our venue. She was also great at making sure that everything was set before our special day. We felt at ease as we came closer to our special day knowing that we have a trustworthy celebrant looking after things. We can't think of anything that we would change if we could do it all over again.

Louis & Keren

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Rachel was so easy to deal with , was extremely accommodating and was “all in” on our surprise wedding idea and helped us with ideas on how to format and execute our day. We appreciated that Rachel supported us through our untraditional wedding idea and we felt like we were able to experience a ceremony that was authentic to us. We had the best day and Rachel played a large part in making it amazing.

Natalie and Chris

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Rachel became our celebrant after covid caused us to change our wedding location.
I contacted her around 6 weeks prior to our wedding date and she penciled us in.
She made our service planning easy using a homework sheet we had to fill out. We had a couple of face to face meetings and it all worked seamlessly. Our day turned out perfect. Rachel is a fantastic celebrant.

Vinnie and Chris

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Absolutely beautiful experience with Rachel! She made my husband and I feel so relaxed, even when I changed the plans on her with only three months notice Rachel still managed to work her magic and make our perfect day even more perfect. We thank you again Rachel for a beautiful ceremony.

Paige Bailey

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Rachel takes a warm, friendly and relaxed approach when working with couples. She believes that your story is what should be at the heart of your ceremony!

Jenny Siaosi

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Thank you for being amazing. Thanks for a perfect ceremony and for moving locations with ease! You made the ceremony so easy and we are beyond happy with how it all went.

Phoebe Shilling

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Rachel is a wonderful celebrant. She took time to get to know us and our story and worked collaboratively to tailor our wedding ceremony to suit us. She has the right amount of professionalism and friendliness to create a wonderful and memorable ceremony.

Paula Crowe

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Really enjoyed having Rachel as our celebrant wonderful attention to detail and clear steering through the process during otherwise hectic wedding preparations- highly recommend.

Louis Hurnen

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Rachel was amazing to deal with. During the whole process. She made our life easier. Thank you!

Teresa Frost

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

Rachel was absolutely incredible. Very professional, very organized, spoke wonderfully. We couldn't be happier. She made the ceremony run so smoothly, thanks heaps Rachel

Nicole Eastment

To read more reviews please view my Google Business Profile.

I am deeply grateful for Rachel who not only officiated our wedding but also conducted my mother's funeral just two days later. Rachel's exceptional professionalism and empathy were evident throughout both occasions. Rachel created a warm and meaningful atmosphere during the wedding, capturing the essence of our relationship with sincerity and depth. Rachel also provided comfort at the funeral with her thoughtful words, beautifully celebrating my mother's life.

Leonie Miles

Rachel Clarke - Celebrant

Rachel Clarke – Wairarapa Funeral & Marriage celebrant

About Me

Funerals - Saying Goodbye