I’m Jan (she/her)
Iris is my mum's name, she calls me her sunshine.
When I turned 40, I made a vow to give myself the ‘gift of time’. After university, I spent almost twenty years building a corporate marketing career. It took me to wonderful places and introduced me to people I still treasure. But over time, I wanted something different for the next chapter of my life.
I craved space for creativity, connection and the things that lit my soul. I handed in my notice, left the Big Smoke and headed to Spain for a few months with no grand plan other than to just be.
It’s a privilege to pause.
It was a precious season of rest and reflection. It was here that celebrancy felt less like a passing thought and more like a calling.
The words I took with me
Leaving my career behind was really emotional, because of the people.
My dear colleagues gifted me a book filled with photos and love notes. Nobody mentioned awards, targets or market share. They wrote about kindness, care, friendship, guidance, sunshine energy and the way I make people feel.
Celebrancy gives me a place to bring together what I’ve spent decades learning. My Master of Arts education and corporate career gave me skills in project management, storytelling, creative writing and public speaking. I invested years building those attributes.
My care for people and love of life, that’s always been there, in my heart.
People have been telling me for years that I would make a lovely celebrant.
My leaving book made me believe.
The meaning behind Iris & Sun Ceremonies
The name Iris & Sun has a very special place in my heart. Iris is my mum's name, she calls me her sunshine.
Iris holds a lot of precious symbolism too. A flower associated with hope, wisdom and trust. And our eyes, the windows to the soul and how we see the world.
In Greek mythology, Iris is the goddess of the rainbow, the messenger between heaven and earth.
As someone who has always loved connection, synchronicity and finding joy and meaning in the little things, I find it all beautifully poetic and a wee bit magical.
The sun took on its own meaning during my time in Spain. Warmth, possibility and the feeling of stepping into something new.
Travel and culture have shaped who I am, and the opportunity to weave that into my celebrancy is a dream.
There's a lot of heart and soul behind Iris & Sun Ceremonies. But whenever someone asks where the name comes from, the answer always comes back to my dear mum, Iris.
Art is the heart
My celebrant journey has been full of whimsy synchronicity, but this story is my favourite.
In 2025, I came across a print online called Iris & Sun by artist Holly Miller. I felt instantly connected.
When I ordered it, I left a note explaining the meaning behind the name. When the artwork was posted, Holly surprised me with a cute handwritten postcard and an extra print for my mum, Iris.
Holly’s art became a symbol of home, propped up in my apartment in Surrey.
As the idea for Iris & Sun Ceremonies began to grow, I knew I would love Holly’s artwork to be part of it. I plucked up the courage to message her, asking whether she offered art licensing.
We got chatting and I discovered she lives in Portland, Maine. The very place I was travelling to that summer when I was in Boston supporting Scotland in the World Cup!
A couple of months later, we were together celebrating our creative collaboration with a wee glass of fizz in the park.
Holly’s art now runs through the heart of Iris & Sun Ceremonies. For me, it’s a reminder of the magic that happens when creativity, kindness and human connection come together.
Art is the heart!
Every body is welcome here
Everyone deserves to feel seen and be celebrated.
I don’t make assumptions about gender, family roles, faith, identity, ability or what a ceremony is supposed to look or feel like. I always begin with you. Your relationships, your memories, your values, your beliefs and the details that make your story yours.
We think together about seating, movement, sensory needs, communication, pacing, language and anything else that will help you and your loved ones feel comfortable and included.
Traditions can be beautiful when they hold meaning. They can also be adapted, reimagined or completely left behind. We can honour family and culture, create something new, or blend the two in a way that feels right for you.
Every Iris & Sun ceremony feels like a warm hug, with people at the heart and soul of it.
