'No two love stories are the same': Meet the Leeds wedding celebrant in the running to be named the best in UK

“In the initial moment when Damian called out my name, it took me a second to register,” the humanist celebrant, who many newlyweds know as Your Best Life Celebrant, explained.

“Then, once I had registered, I was completely euphoric.”

It’s a testament to the diligent, compassionate nature of her work with those looking to tie the knot.

The awards were voted for by couples across the country. And as 2026 marks her 15th year bringing new families together, Helen is set to celebrate her 100th ceremony in the new year.

Reflecting on some of the lessons she may have learned over the years as a celebrant, one of the most important for Helen is how “love looks different for each and every couple.”

“No two love stories are ever the same, every person expresses their love in different ways,” she told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “And love has a unique meaning for each couple. This is why I firmly believe that no two ceremonies should ever be the same.”

Helen admits she’s “done quite a few quirky and alternative” ceremonies, but one in particular stands out.

“I once had a magician conjure the rings in a blaze of fire after the bride and her son feigned losing them as a prank on the very laid-back groom,” she said.

“That was certainly a very memorable moment.”

A change in law to give couples more choice.

Current wedding laws in England and Wales are still rooted in the Victorian-era law, the Marriage Act of 1949, which dictates that a marriage can only be legal if it is tied to a specific type of building or a specific religious group.

With Helen being a humanist, a “non-religious” belief system, it falls into a legal loophole, with some believing weddings officiated by a humanist celebrant “are ‘fake’ or ‘not real’”, Helen said.

But she is quick to dispel that myth.

Helen said: “It is true that, until the promised wedding reform is introduced, Humanist ceremonies are not legally recognised. Nevertheless, the sentiments and the stories shared in our ceremonies are as authentic as it gets.

“A lot of couples also don’t know that they have an option of choosing a Humanist ceremony which is another reason why I am so pleased that The Wedding Industry Awards includes a specific Celebrant category and enables us to celebrate and raise awareness of our ceremony type.”

However, on October 2, the UK Government formally announced its commitment to the biggest overhaul of wedding laws since the 19th century, providing a fundamental shift in how people in Leeds and across England and Wales will be allowed to marry.

It’s a move that Helen believes can only be in the best interests of those looking to tie the knot.

The move towards legal recognition “will give couples more choice to have a ceremony that aligns with their beliefs and values, conducted by someone who shares those values,” she explains.

“This will also be without the additional cost, time and stress of registering their marriage separately, which is something that those having a church or religious ceremony don’t need to do, so this will also create greater equality, a core value for us Humanists.”

Helen also pointed out that the marriage reforms “open up more possibilities of where couples can marry, which could mean more options of wedding locations across the city.”

With so many options across the city, we asked Helen about her favourite spaces.

“One of my favourites and also most-visited is Left Bank on Cardigan Road in Burley,” she said, while quipping that “a former church might seem an unusual choice for a non-religious Celebrant, however, my ceremonies are inclusive and welcoming to all, and the space was designed for ceremony and ritual.

“So it works perfectly for a Humanist wedding.”

For more information on Helen Phillips and her humanistic celebrant service, visit her website and cheer her on ahead of the Wedding Industry Awards National Finals, which take place January 21, 2026, in Liverpool.