At Rites of Passage, we design and officiate personalized ceremonies to mark the meaningful thresholds of life ~ moments of beginning, change, healing, and ending.

Whether you are celebrating, grieving, letting go, or honoring a life well lived, we walk with you through both the practical and spiritual aspects of creating a ceremony that feels true to you. Our work is grounded in presence, deep listening, and respect for your values, beliefs, and lived experience.

Kristabeth has officiated hundreds of ceremonies over the past twenty-five years and has accompanied individuals and families through life’s most tender transitions with care and steadiness. People of secular, spiritual, religious, interfaith, and spiritual-but-not-religious worldviews are warmly welcomed.

Ceremonies at the End of Life

End-of-life ceremonies offer a way to honor, remember, and hold the fullness of a life even as we face loss.

Kristabeth designs and officiates:

• Funerals
• Memorial Services
• Graveside Ceremonies
• Celebrations of Life
• Living Wakes

Each ceremony is thoughtfully crafted to reflect the personality, values, and beliefs of the person being honored, while offering comfort and meaning to those who gather.

Kristabeth officiates end-of-life ceremonies throughout Vermont and Northern New York, and virtually when appropriate. Services include personal consultations, a customized ceremony, and a draft review prior to the ceremony when applicable.

“Right away from the first meeting with Kristabeth to plan my dad’s Celebration of Life, I felt held. With just a handful of conversations together, she captured my dad’s essence so exactly and beautifully.  I heard from many people during and after the ceremony that it was all absolutely perfect.  I would not have been able to put this together without her, and I am so grateful for her services.” ~ Cara

Fees for funerals, memorials, graveside ceremonies, celebrations of life, and living wakes range from $225–$625, depending on the details of the service. (Travel fees apply for ceremonies outside Chittenden County, Vermont.)

“Life is what you celebrate. All of it. Even its end.” ~ Joanne Harris

Ceremonies for Life Transitions, Celebrations, and Healing

Life brings many moments that deserve to be named, honored, and held with intention. A personalized ceremony can ease the stress of transition, acknowledge grief or change, or mark moments of gratitude, accomplishment, and joy.

Kristabeth officiates life transition ceremonies throughout Vermont, Northern New York, and online. Because each ceremony is thoughtfully created to reflect your unique needs, values, and circumstances, fees vary based on the scope, location, and level of preparation involved.

Celebrations

• Renewal of Vows
• Weddings
• Pregnancy Blessings
• Baby Dedications and Naming Ceremonies
• Pet Blessings
• House Blessings
• Sobriety Anniversary Celebrations

Transitions

• Coming-of-Age Rituals
• Leave-Taking Rituals for Moving or Retirement
• Blessings for Military Deployment and Homecoming
• Coming Out or Gender Identity Rituals
• Naming Ceremonies for Renaming or Reclaiming
• Divorce Rituals
• Life Review
• Living Wakes

Healing & Remembrance

• Funerals, Memorials, and Celebrations of Life
• Graveside Ceremonies
• Healing Rituals for Illness, Surgery, Trauma, or Loss
• Grief Rituals and Circles
• Forgiveness and Letting-Go Rituals
• Miscarriage and Stillbirth Remembrances
• Death Anniversaries
• Pet Memorials

All ceremonies are created collaboratively, with your input and your unique values, traditions, dreams, and guiding principles at the center. Services include personal consultation, a customized ceremony, and a draft review prior to the ceremony.

E-mail us for more information about any of these ceremonies and rituals or to discuss designing a ceremony for your unique life event. You can also schedule a free 20-minute introductory call.

“When I rise up/let me rise up joyful/like a bird. When I fall/let me fall without regret/like a leaf.”

~ Wendell Berry

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