I'm Lewis Docherty.
Celebrant, storyteller, listener.
I'm Lewis, a Scottish celebrant based in Angus, working with people and families across Scotland.
I'm a husband, a dad of two, a bit of a philosopher, and a Scottish guy who enjoys wearing a good suit. I'm also someone who has spent much of his working life listening to people, hearing their stories and supporting them through some of life's more difficult moments.
Somewhere along the way, I realised that celebrancy brought together a lot of the things I've always valued: people, their stories, the relationships that shape us and the moments in life that deserve to be marked. I've found a job where asking questions, writing carefully and owning more waistcoats than any sensible person needs are all legitimate parts of the work.
I'm not sure I could have planned that any better.
The experience I bring
Before becoming a celebrant, I worked across mental health, healthcare, adult social care, emergency response and frontline support.
I've supported people in crisis, worked alongside families and professionals, and spent a lot of time with people who were facing circumstances they hadn't necessarily prepared for.
Those experiences have taught me plenty, but one lesson has stayed with me: people don't always need you to have the perfect words. Sometimes, they just need you to listen properly.
That matters in celebrancy, too.
Whether I'm helping a family say goodbye to someone they love or working with a family to welcome a new child, my job isn't to take over or tell people how things should be done. It's to understand what matters to them and help them express it in a way that feels right.
It's a responsibility I take seriously.
Every story is different
I've always been fascinated by people. What makes us who we are, the relationships we build, and the little details that tell us more about someone than a list of achievements ever could.
I come from a family with plenty of stories. Funny ones, embarrassing ones, and those that get brought up at family gatherings time and time again.
They're often the stories that seem unimportant until someone asks about them. The throwaway comments, the family in-jokes, the everyday moments that become part of a family's history.
They're also the things that make people who they are and I think that's what makes creating a ceremony so rewarding. Somewhere among the big milestones and the little details, there's a story worth telling.
Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's heart-breaking and usually it's a bit of both.
I want to hear those stories.
A ceremony should feel like you
I don't believe a ceremony should come off a shelf.
Tradition can be wonderful, and for many people it's an important part of how they mark life's milestones but there's no reason to follow a particular formula simply because it's how things have always been done.
Your beliefs, your values, your family and your wishes should all have a place in the conversation.
That might mean a religious, spiritual or secular ceremony. It might be traditional, unconventional or a mixture of different things. There's room for all sorts of ideas, and you don't need to have everything figured out before we start talking.
I'll listen, ask questions, get to know your story and work with you to create something that reflects what matters to you. The most important thing is that it feels right for you and the people you're sharing it with.
I'm still me
I'm not going to pretend I suddenly became a perfectly polished, deeply serious celebrant the moment I started training.
I'm still Lewis.
I'm still a husband and dad. I have strong opinions about music, love a good philosophical discussion and occasionally ask far too many questions.
I'll be professional when professionalism matters, relaxed when it helps, and quite happy to find the humour in a situation when the moment calls for it.
Because ceremonies can be emotional, profound, funny, complicated and sometimes a little bit chaotic. That's life, really.
When you work with me, you'll have someone who listens, takes the time to get the details right, writes with care and understands the responsibility that comes with being part of such a personal occasion.
No sales team and no ceremonies pulled from a template. Just me, working with you to tell your story.
What’s Next?
Wherever you are, we can start there.
Get in touch, tell me what's happening, and we'll take it one step at a time.
Call 01241 676012 | Email lewis@celtictree.co.uk | Or use the button below to complete a contact form
All enquiries will be answered within 24 Hours