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Adoption Ceremonies

Sue Anne O'Donnell

The Celebrant By Your Side

Hello, I'm Sue Anne

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"While you may not share the colour of my eyes, nor have my dad's dimpled chin, we promise from this moment forward, you have our heart."
The adoption process can be slow and drawn out, therefore a family adoption ceremony can be emotional and intimate. 

It's a ceremony full of joy in which together you celebrate the love that shines in your family. 


While I'm based in Fethard Co. Tipperary, in my role as a Holistic Family Celebrant I travel the length and breadth of the country for civil ceremonies. I believe in the importance of marking the myriad of life’s events.

What is an adoption ceremony?

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Adoption Ceremonies are an incredibly special ceremony where you gather to celebrate the arrival of this wonderful person into your family. It is a way to say, ‘Welcome, today we make our commitment as a family to love and protect you, to make memories to treasure for always.’ 

​While typically, the ceremony is celebrating the adoption approval, the date of the adoption and becoming a family, an adoption ceremony can be to celebrate a stepparent adopting the child/children or where two families come together and the ceremony is to celebrate the blending of the two families and their commitment to each other.

​As
The Celebrant By Your Side I am here to guide you every step of the way to ensure your adoption ceremony is a true reflection of your wishes and celebration of your family.

Due to the varying ages at adoption, the ceremony will reflect this and where the child/children are older, they may be very actively involved in the ceremony and its planning.  Often the child also wishes to include 'Adopting my Parents' as part of the Ceremony.

Our own unique adoption ceremony

Your Adoption Civil Ceremony can be personalised with a wish tree filled with personal wishes from guests, candle lighting to signify the light and love of family and can of course include poems, readings, and music.

When we meet to plan your adoption ceremony, we can explore the range of personal elements and incorporate the ones that feel right for your special day. 
While most civil ceremonies are non-religious, you can of course incorporate prayers, readings, religious and traditional elements into your Adoption Ceremony. 

Guests can be included in the symbolic elements of the ceremony, this may involve them reading a poem or prayer, singing, or presenting flowers. 

It's particularly important to include the children where the ceremony is to celebrate your becoming a blended family. The addition of a sand ceremony can be significantly meaningful where particles are blended symbolising the bond of family, love, and dedication to each other. Many families like to include signing of a certificate or include fingerprints on a keepsake memento of the ceremony.
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Ideas to include in your family adoption ceremony

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Readings, Poems, Music 
Welcome Enhancements
Bestowing A New name 
Bestowing a Family Surname
Planting A Tree
Wish tree from guests
Balloon release
Handprints
Parental commitment to Love
Child's commitment to be part of the Family.
Stepparents commitment to love and treasure.

Next steps

If you're interested in holding an adoption ceremony, here's what to do next:

  • Contact me by mobile or email me to check date availability.
  • We will meet or chat via zoom to plan the ceremony and decide what elements you would like included such as poems, stories, the adoption story, or the blending of our two families, music you may like to add to the service that holds special significance.
  • Decide  who you would like to include in the Ceremony on the day, this may include grandparents, other children, friends, and of course you can include guide parents/godparents if this is appropriate for you.
  • Decide who you would like to invite to your family adoption ceremony
  • Deciding on the number of guests will help you in choosing the venue that works best for you. 
  • Choose Readings, Poems and Enhancements for the ceremony, creating the perfect memorable day for your family.
  • Discuss the role of the guide parents in the ceremony, if they’re present on the day.
  • Agree the day, date, time and venue
  • I will arrive 45 -60 minutes before the ceremony to arrange the set up and to go over any questions you or the guide parents or those involved might have in advance of the ceremony.
  • If certain extra materials were requested to be included in the enhancement element of the ceremony, I will remind you of same prior to the day.

Ceremony fees

Fee: a 50% deposit is required at the initial meeting, with balance to be paid 48hrs in advance of the ceremony. The fee for an Adoption Ceremony is €140 which includes the majority of materials for the enhancement element of the ceremony.

For travel distances over 100km there is a small additional fee.


​Contact me to confirm the date and arrange your personal Family Adoption Ceremony.

Let plan your perfect ceremony

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Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss your ceremony.

sueannecelebrant@gmail.com
Tel. +353868239431

Call SUE anNE

Location

Based in County Tipperary, Ireland, I offer my in-person services as a civil celebrant in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Limerick, Waterford, Cork and other parts of Munster and Leinster. 
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I’m also available to host online ceremonies.
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  • Welcome
  • Services
  • Funerals
  • Memorials & Anniversaries
  • Living Ceremonies
  • Naming Ceremony
  • Transgender Renaming
  • Adoption Ceremonies
  • Weddings
  • Vow Renewals
  • Contact
  • Testimonials and Qualifications
  • Blog