L'Appondeuse

L'Appondeuse is the business of Valérie Amos Hedinger, a secular celebrant based at Ruelle du Cordonnier 21b in Châtel-St-Denis, canton of Fribourg. She writes and leads non-religious ceremonies for weddings, civil unions and vow renewals, and also funerals and tributes. Her wedding page is detailed: it explains her approach, sets out three packages with starting prices, and answers the common questions in an FAQ. The celebrant work sits alongside linocut workshops and story-sharing evenings called Cafés-Récits.

What she aims for

She introduces herself simply: «Je m'appelle Valérie et je crée et célèbre des cérémonies laïques uniques, sensibles et profondément humaines» (I create and celebrate secular ceremonies that are unique, sensitive and deeply human). From the couple's words, memories and what unites them, she writes, she creates «une cérémonie sincère, fluide, personnalisée et pleine d'émotions». What she is after, she says, is not just writing a ceremony but telling your story accurately, so that you truly recognize yourselves in it.

She describes four parts to her work:

• Écoute (listening): taking time to know the couple, their story, values, doubts, dreams and even their silences.
• Accompagnement structuré (structured support): guiding them at every step from first contact to the end of the ceremony, while leaving every choice to them.
• Création sur mesure (made to measure): a fully personalized ceremony, with ideas for rituals and help writing vows.
• Présence chaleureuse (warm presence): on the day she runs and leads the ceremony with calm, sincerity and emotion, and handles both the high points and the unexpected.

She celebrates secular ceremonies for weddings, civil unions, vow renewals, couples who want a personalized ceremony, and couples who are non-religious or mixed. The ceremony can take place wherever the couple chooses: an estate, a garden, the mountains, a forest or a reception hall.

The three packages

Prices, she writes, vary with the place, the complexity of the organization and the level of support, and she prefers to build a personalized, transparent offer. The three packages give the starting points:

Plume de Lin, from CHF 600. For creative, independent couples who write their own ceremony. Included: 3 coaching sessions (5 hours at most) on structure, writing, reading aloud and rehearsal, plus advice on rituals, music and texts. Optional: coordination with the other speakers, and her presence on the day (2 hours beforehand and the ceremony).

Plume de Coton, from CHF 1,200. For a ceremony led by an officiant of your choice, such as a friend or relative. Included: 2 hours of conversation to get to know you, creation and writing of the ceremony, 2 coaching sessions (2 hours) for the person who will lead it, and advice on rituals, music and texts. Optional: coordination and her presence on the day.

Plume de Soie, from CHF 2,200. The turnkey option. Included: 2 hours of conversation, creation and writing of the ceremony, help writing your vows, advice on rituals, music and texts, coordination with the other speakers, and on the day her presence 2 hours beforehand and the ceremony itself.

Each package comes with a note on its fabric: linen, natural and solid, that «se froisse avec élégance» (creases elegantly); cotton, soft and familiar, easy to pass on; and silk, fluid and precious, «la matière du lâcher-prise» (the fabric of letting go).

What she does and does not do

Her list of what she offers includes a meeting in person to understand your story, texts that are 100% homemade, and a professional presence on the day. Under the heading «CE QUE JE NE PROPOSE PAS» (what I do not offer) she lists three things: a standard, impersonal or AI-generated text; organizing the whole wedding and coordinating the event («je ne suis pas wedding planner»); and a mere reading on the day, since she lives the ceremony with you.

The FAQ adds that you can order just the speech or coaching, without her leading the ceremony. It describes a typical ceremony as a welcome for guests, a main speech, speeches or readings from family and friends, symbolic rituals, the exchange of vows and rings, and a festive close. After a 2-hour conversation, she writes the main speech and manages all the contributions. Family and friends are warmly encouraged to take part with readings, testimonies or songs.

The legal side, in her words

Her FAQ is explicit that a secular ceremony has no religious dimension and no legal effect: «la cérémonie laïque est une célébration symbolique et n'a pas de valeur légale», and to make the marriage official a couple must hold a civil ceremony at the town hall or the civil registry.

Where she works and when to book

The contact block says she is based in Châtel-St-Denis and works throughout Romandie, naming Fribourg, Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux, Nyon and Martigny. Her list of what she offers phrases it as ceremonies in Fribourg and, from 2026, across the whole of French-speaking Switzerland. The FAQ advises contacting a celebrant as soon as you have decided on a secular ceremony, several months before the date.

To start, she offers a free first call of about 30 minutes to talk about your story, your wedding and your wishes. Contact is by email at contact@lappondeuse.ch or phone on +41 (0)79 318 99 43. A free mini-guide with 5 tips for an authentic ceremony is available by email, and her blog advertises a 4-hour workshop in Romandie for creative couples who want to build their own ceremony.

Language

The site is written in French. It does not say whether she leads ceremonies in English, German or any other language, so a couple who need a bilingual ceremony should ask on the first call.

What the site does not settle

Beyond the starting prices, the site does not publish travel costs or say how they are charged for venues away from Châtel-St-Denis. It does not say how many ceremonies she has led, and the testimonials and references pages are linked but not on this page.

Who she suits

L'Appondeuse suits French-speaking couples in Fribourg, Vaud and the rest of Romandie who want a personal secular ceremony and like the flexibility of choosing how much to hand over, from coaching for couples who write their own ceremony to a full turnkey service. The Plume de Coton package suits couples who want a friend to lead the ceremony with professional support. For couples from abroad, the questions to raise on the free call are language and travel.