Divine Ceremony

We held a funeral service in April 2026 for my grandmother. We had planned the service with Dee at the sanctuary a year prior, as we had expected her death. The meeting was conducted with sensitivity and a gentle hand to guide us through the process and lay out the many options we could select. It was so easy and we felt completely comfortable throughout what was a fairly surreal process. There was no up selling or sales tactics, just a thoughtful and considered approach towards creating the best moment possible to mark a life well lived. The day itself was seamless. The celebrant, driver, pallbearers were superb and added such dignity and respect to a solemn day. The team was exclusively female and it made for a real feeling of matriarchy which my grandmother embodied. My deepest thanks are extended to Dee Ryding and her team at Divine Ceremony. Words alone are not sufficient to describe the feeling that she was able create and the holding of a moment in time to allow us as a family to express our grief.

What an amazing team Divine Ceremony are, all four ladies are exceptional and brilliant at what they do. They not only looked after my late husband with such care and dignity but went out of their way to ensure my family and I were ok, offering time and space to visit and ensuring our wishes were carried out right from the start. We were able to sit and discuss options and when suggesting something 'a bit different', the team were more than happy to support and collaborate on what was a truly special celebration of life for a truly special person. I cannot recommend them highly enough, I have no hesitation in letting people know how good they are.

I found it difficult to write a review about my father’s passing, but the care, compassion, and kindness shown by the staff at Divine to both him and my family during the worst of times truly deserves recognition. We will never forget Isabel and Rosalind and we cannot thank them enough for everything they did. Without them, we would have felt completely lost, but through their gentle guidance and support, the whole process was made so much easier to bear. Divine was recommended to me by a friend, and it was the best phone call I made. I visited many other funeral directors, but none of them felt right until I knocked on the door of Divine. I knew instantly that my dad would be looked after in the way we wanted. We believe they went above and beyond with the compassion and care they showed my father and us as a family.  Other funeral directors felt a bit clinical, and that it was a business and you were just another number, but Divine were personal and you could feel their sincerity from the moment I met them.  After meeting us once they remembered all of our names and continued to greet us by first name throughout, it’s those small touches that made us feel acknowledged and cared for. They truly care and take great pride in what they do, they pay attention to detail and are so accommodating. Knowing my dad was treated with the dignity and care he deserved brings great comfort to me and my family, and for that we will be forever grateful. From the O’Connell family.

Friends recommended Divine Ceremony to me & in April I decided to use them for my Mum’s direct cremation. Dee and her entire team were incredible from the start. My Mum was at the end of her life and I enquired about the details beforehand. I was unsure of the protocols of booking a cremation. The team were very patient and understanding of me and made themselves available every time I rang with questions. Mums decline was rapid and I am so glad I rang in advance because this reduced a lot of anxiety when the time came. Mum died at home with us, in the night and I had expressed it would be better to have her collected first thing in the morning. I called Dee at 9am and within the hour Mum was collected. During the collection, the staff were kind, compassionate and gentle and I felt in safe hands at such a difficult time. I sought great comfort that Mum was cared for at Divine Ceremony HQ on Zetland Rd during the wait period until the cremation. Dee and I met to discuss funeral details and I handed her clothing and personal items to go in with Mum. We were kept in the loop throughout and communication was exemplary. My emotions were all over the place but Dee and the team were always there to listen and make themselves available every whole process easy for me. Divine Ceremony are a small Bristol independent business based in Bristol and are women owned and run. When you go to their HQ their space is warm and inviting like stepping into a family home and sitting in a comfy lounge, such a peaceful space. I would not hesitate in recommending Divine Ceremony for any type of cremation or funeral. You are guaranteed a personal, compassionate and professional experience with an abundance of patience and kindness. Thank you Dee and everyone at Divine Ceremony for making a tough journey easier.

Divine Ceremony proved the perfect funeral provider when we needed to say goodbye to our much loved husband and father David Cemlyn. They guided and facilitated us with care, love and thoughtfulness through the planning of his funeral, and the organising of all the associated practical and online detail. We felt very well supported throughout this process, and their imaginative and empathetic approach ensured it became an occasion that we felt truly reflected David's life and contribution, what he meant to us and others, and his commitment to nature and the environment. Being able to invite people to bring vegetables rather than flowers to place on his coffin reflected his passion for gardening, while also providing a donation for a local food charity. Thank you Divine Ceremony for the way you have helped us through this painful but also celebratory journey

Divine looked after my mum after her sudden death with huge love and dignity. The staff were professional, but also so compassionate, caring and kind. They were faultless and wonderful, providing dignity and beauty in death. They made everything we asked for possible and every accommodation for my family's very varied needs and allowed a funeral more personal than we had ever hoped for. Never overstepping, just removing every difficulty with calm. I would recommend them to anyone for the last journey of their loved one; it would have been so much harder without them.

Thoughtful, organised, accommodating, understanding and did an excellent job organising a funeral at a venue they hadn't previously used. Lots of kind support for the family in a tough time. I cannot recommend Ros and the rest of the team at Divine Ceremony highly enough.