Maeve Bryan
Celebrant & Solemniser
I am a celebrant and solemniser and I am deeply honoured to celebrate some of the most important moments in people’s lives. I take great care to create unique ceremonies that are true to the people I work with, celebrating special occasions but also honouring the journeys that have led to these pivotal events.
My Process
I craft ceremonies from scratch, to ensure that they are personal and authentic. This starts with listening in a very intentional way when I meet families and couples. My ceremonies emerge from the stories I have heard and how they have been told. They incorporate meaningful symbols and rituals, and draw on poignant music and poetry. My wish is to bring you and your guests on an uplifting and heart-warming journey as you mark your important milestone.I am a proud member of Entheos. Entheos' core value is inclusivity and my ceremonies will always reflect this.
Weddings
I feel so lucky to be able to work with couples as they plan their wedding. What a brave and beautiful step to take together! I work closely with couples, carefully crafting a ceremony that is unique to them, one that captures their journey together, the love that they hold for each other and the hopes they carry into their future.As a HSE Registered Solemniser, I can conduct legal wedding ceremonies, 7 days a week. As an Entheos Celebrant I can hold non religious ceremonies or include religious elements for people of any faith. Entheos' core value is inclusivity and my ceremonies will always reflect this.
Mother Blessings
A Mother Blessing is a beautiful ceremony designed to surround an expectant mother with the love and support of the women in her life as she transitions into motherhood. It derives from the Native American 'Blessingway' tradition and is rich with meaningful rituals. It is one of my favourite ceremonies to hold.It is often part of a baby shower but it can also be a stand alone ceremony. It can take place in the mother-to-be's home or another intimate venue. I like to have lots of candles and flowers surrounding the new mama. While it is traditionally an all female space, I have created ceremonies that have included all genders. Whatever feels right can be included. Every mother deserves this gorgeous celebration.
Aois na cúise
Aois na Cúise is a programme that celebrates children's rite of passage from early childhood into the 'Age of Reason'. This is a special time of development for a child that happens between the ages of 7 and 9, when they become more independent, curious, empathetic, and more aware of the world around them. Aois na Cúise celebrates the beautiful and unique people they are and all that they bring to their families and communities.The programme, rooted in nature and Irish mythology, involves three workshops and concludes with a beautiful ceremony full of meaning and warmth.I work with schools, facilitating a peer-focused programme either within the classroom or as an extracurricular. I also work with families in a group setting, facilitating a process grounded in the bond between child and caregiver.Aois na Cúise is a nationwide Entheos programme.
Baby & Family
I love working with families to welcome new little people into the world. It's wonderful to get to know a child through their family’s eyes and to create a ceremony that honours their unique little personality as well as the love and commitment that their family and community holds for them. These ceremonies are some of the sweetest and most uplifting and can be held for the tiniest of babies or busy little toddlers.I also work with families to create Family Affirmation ceremonies. These unique ceremonies cement the values of a family, and can be a moment to make a commitment to children, siblings and other family members.
Milestones
I have been privileged to develop some very special ceremonies to mark important moments of transition and change in people’s lives. In addition to my Aois na Cúise programme, I work with children and adults in marking the various thresholds they encounter in life. Please contact me if there is a particular milestone that you would like to mark through ceremony.
About me
I was born and raised in Galway and, apart from a magical few years travelling, I have never strayed far. I am so happy to have made a life here with my own little family in recent years and adore seeing this beautiful city through children’s eyes all over again. I love spending time in nature, feeling the sand between my toes at the beach or listening to the rustling leaves of swaying trees in our local woods. I also love food and cooking, exploring the world through its many cuisines. Music is my passion, coming from a musical family and having worked in classical music for many years. You’ll hear me singing my way through any day of the week! Above all else, I love connecting with people. I have huge gratitude for my life and the people in it, and try to relish all of life’s little moments along with the big ones.Becoming a celebrant has been a dream of mine since my husband and I got married 10 years ago. Working with our own celebrant showed me that ceremonies can be personal and meaningful and capture everything that is unique and special to you, whatever the occassion. To be able to offer that to others now is a privilege and joy.
Testimonials
"We cannot speak highly enough of Maeve Bryan, who officiated our wedding with grace, warmth, and incredible professionalism. From the moment we met her, both Brian and I felt at ease.Maeve made every step of our planning seamless, from our initial video call, to meetings, helping us refine every detail of our ceremony. She listened to our vision and then crafted a ceremony that was not only personal but also stunningly poetic. Her thoughtful suggestions for the music and the order of events brought everything together perfectly. We were particularly drawn to how she captured the essence of our seaside setting, incorporating the natural beauty and tranquil vibe of the coast into the ceremony.Her kindness, attention to detail, and professional guidance made us feel supported and confident throughout the entire process. Maeve went above and beyond to ensure that every moment of our ceremony was flawless. The ceremony itself was breathtaking—filled with heartfelt words, meaningful poetry, and a sense of calm that reflected the love we share.We will forever be grateful to Maeve for helping make our wedding day as beautiful and memorable as it was. Her presence added such warmth and charm to our celebration, and we are so thankful to have had her as our celebrant. She is truly a wonderful soul, and anyone would be lucky to have her lead them into one of life’s most important moments"- Sarah & Brian
"Maeve oversaw our unique family celebration which was a wonderful experience. Since the very first informal chats, it was clear that Maeve was genuinely interested in making our celebration special. We openly discussed what we envisioned and she made lots of really great suggestions. Maeve then put together the script and timeline for the ceremony and we worked together to tweak it so that it was just right for us. On the day, Maeve came early to the venue to familiarise herself with the setting and also to meet our family before the ceremony. She then took the reins, and we were able to fully enjoy and be present during the celebration. It was a truly special occasion, and we are so grateful Maeve was there as our celebrant. Not only she is thorough and comes prepared, but she is also a genuinely kind and considerate human and can easily make people feel comfortable. We could not recommend Maeve more."- Bernadette, Luca, Elia & Florence
"We engaged Maeve to create a bespoke ceremony to welcome our youngest drummers to Drumadore as they began their musical journeys. Maeve wrote a meaningful and moving ceremony that sparked the imaginations of the children and involved them every step of the way. We had a magical experience thanks to Maeve’s wonderful way of crafting words and imagery - it was a day to remember!"- Ruth Gordon, Drumadore Drum School
Contact
I would be honoured to work with you to create your perfect ceremony. Let’s have a chat…
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