Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions govern the provision of celebrancy services by Lucy Jessop Celebrant ("the Celebrant", "I", "me", or "my") to you ("the Client", "you", or "your"). By paying the initial booking deposit, you enter into a binding contract and agree to the following terms.

2. Services Provided

I provide bespoke, non-legally binding ceremonial services, including but not limited to Weddings & Life Celebrations and Funerals & Gentle Farewells. I also facilitate symbolic rituals (e.g., Ayni Despacho, Altar Building, Smudging). The exact scope of the service will be outlined in your individual booking agreement and crafted collaboratively during our consultation phase.

3. Booking and Securing the Date

• Provisional Holds: Upon initial enquiry and agreement of availability, I will provisionally hold your ceremony date for a period of 7 days.
• Securing the Date: To secure the booking, a non-refundable booking fee (deposit) must be paid, and a signed copy of the booking agreement must be returned. If the deposit and agreement are not received within the 7-day period, the date will be released.

4. Payment Terms & Financial Arrangements

All fees are agreed upon in writing prior to booking. The following standard payment structure applies:

Payment Phase	Amount Due	Timeline
Booking Fee (Deposit)	As agreed (e.g., 50% or flat fee)	Within 7 days of provisional booking
Final Balance	Remaining Balance	Strictly due 28 days (4 weeks) prior to the ceremony date
Short Notice Bookings	100% of Total Fee	Due immediately upon booking if the ceremony is less than 28 days away

Failure to pay the final balance by the due date may result in the cancellation of the services, and the booking fee will be retained.

5. Cancellation and Refund Policy

In the event that you need to cancel the ceremony, the cancellation must be made in writing. The following cancellation charges will apply to cover time, administration, and lost booking opportunities:

• Within 14 days of booking (Cooling-off Period): Full refund of any monies paid, provided no bespoke script work has commenced at your instruction.
• More than 3 months before the ceremony: Loss of the non-refundable booking fee.
• Between 1 and 3 months before the ceremony: 50% of the total Celebrant's fee is payable.
• Less than 1 month before the ceremony: 100% of the total Celebrant's fee is payable.

6. Unforeseen Circumstances & Celebrant Cancellation

In the highly unlikely event that the Celebrant cannot officiate your ceremony due to severe illness, an act of nature, or an unavoidable emergency:

• I will make every reasonable effort to secure a replacement professional celebrant of a similar standard to officiate the ceremony using the agreed, finalised script.
• If a suitable replacement cannot be sourced, you will receive a full and immediate refund of all monies paid to me. My liability is strictly limited to the total fees paid.

7. Legal Framework & Jurisdiction

As an independent celebrant operating in England and Wales, my ceremonies are purely symbolic and hold no legal standing. To be legally married or to legally register a death, you must complete the statutory requirements via a Registry Office or the appropriate authorities. These Terms and Conditions are governed by English Law, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

8. Script Ownership and Confidentiality

The bespoke ceremony script remains the intellectual property of the Celebrant until the final balance is paid and the ceremony is completed. You are permitted to retain the script for personal keepsake purposes but may not publish or use the script for commercial gain. I hold all details regarding your personal stories, family dynamics, and ceremony specifics in the strictest confidence.

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Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

I am committed to respecting and protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy details how I collect, use, and protect the personal data of my clients and website visitors, in strict adherence to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Information I Collect

I may collect and process the following types of data:

• Identity & Contact Data: Names, email addresses, phone numbers, and postal addresses provided via our website contact forms, direct email, or consultations.
• Ceremony Data: Personal stories, family histories, relationship details, and other sensitive information shared voluntarily by you to help craft a bespoke ceremony or eulogy.
• Technical Data: IP addresses, browser types, and usage data automatically collected when you interact with my website to help improve functionality.

3. How I Use Your Information

Your data is used solely to facilitate the celebrancy services you have requested. Specifically, I use your data to:

• Respond to initial enquiries and arrange consultations.
• Write, draft, and finalise your bespoke ceremony script.
• Liaise with relevant third parties (e.g., venue coordinators, funeral directors, or other suppliers) with your explicit consent to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly.
• Manage invoicing, contracts, and administrative obligations.

4. My Lawful Basis for Processing Data

Under UK GDPR, I rely on the following lawful bases to process your information:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing data required to fulfil my celebrancy contract with you.
• Consent: When you provide information via my contact forms or give me permission to use ceremony photos or testimonials.
• Legitimate Interests: Running my business smoothly, maintaining my website, and record-keeping.

5. Data Retention

I only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes I collected it for. Specifically:

• Enquiries: Data from enquiries that do not lead to a booking will be deleted within 12 months.
• Client Records & Invoices: Basic contact and financial data will be kept for up to 7 years to comply with HMRC tax requirements.
• Ceremony Scripts: Scripts and the personal notes used to create them will be retained securely as part of my professional portfolio, but any highly sensitive or identifying data can be redacted upon request.

6. Data Security and Sharing

Your personal data is stored securely on password-protected devices and cloud services. I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. I will only share your information with trusted third parties (such as website hosts, form providers like Web3Forms, or venue staff) when strictly necessary to operate my business or deliver your ceremony.

7. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal data I hold about you.
• Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request erasure of your personal data ("the right to be forgotten"), subject to my legal and tax obligations.
• Withdraw consent at any time for data processing based on consent (such as marketing or testimonials).

8. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact me at:

Name: Lucy Jessop Celebrant
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07350 504087
Based in: Royal Tunbridge Wells, England, UK