m' & la Vie

m' & la Vie is the business of Mélanie Brunner, a secular wedding officiant (officiante laïque) in Courfaivre, in the canton of Jura. She writes and leads personalized, non-religious ceremonies, and her one-page site sets out how she came to the work, how she prepares a ceremony, and what five couples said afterward. It is a small, personal operation, and the site reads that way.

How she started

She tells the story in the first lines of the site: «Je m'appelle Mélanie et j'ai découvert le monde des cérémonies laïques en 2022, presque par hasard, grâce à une amie qui cherchait une personne de confiance pour célébrer un mariage dans le Jura.» In English: she discovered secular ceremonies in 2022, almost by chance, when a friend was looking for someone she trusted to celebrate a wedding in the Jura. That first experience, deeply moving, was «un déclic», the moment something clicked.

Since then, she writes, she has had the joy of celebrating several other couples. Speaking in front of a gathering, sharing real emotion and marking those strong moments is, in her words, «une véritable passion, et un accomplissement personnel» (a true passion and a personal achievement). The site does not mention formal celebrant training or membership of an association, and does not say how many ceremonies she has led beyond "several".

What she means by a secular ceremony

Her explanation is short. Secular ceremonies, she writes, «bien qu'elles ne soient pas reconnues officiellement» (although they are not officially recognized), offer a unique opportunity to celebrate important moments in an entirely personal way, in line with your wishes and values. Far from opposing any religious belief, this kind of ceremony simply lets the day be more intimate and personal, because each element is designed to reflect who you are, your tastes, aspirations and convictions. She adds that she is there to bring your most precious dreams to life.

The practical point for a couple is the first phrase: by her own description the ceremony is not officially recognized, so it is worth asking her how it fits alongside the civil formalities.

How she prepares a ceremony

The process on the site has three parts.

A first meeting at your home. She offers a first meeting «chez vous, offerte et sans aucun engagement» (at your home, free and without obligation), to get to know each other and talk about what you want for the day.

At least two more meetings. If you decide to go ahead, she organizes at least two further meetings before the wedding day to refine every detail of the ceremony, «afin qu'elle soit parfaite à vos yeux» (so that it is perfect in your eyes).

Building it together. She commits to supporting you kindly at every step. Together you choose the key moments and the people who matter to you, and may add rituals or music that touch you. «Tout est possible pour faire de cette journée une célébration qui vous ressemble» (anything is possible to make the day a celebration that is like you).

The first meeting is described as taking place at the couple's home. The site does not mention video calls, which matters for couples who live abroad: ask whether the meetings can be held remotely.

What couples say

Five testimonials, all in French, fill most of the page. They are consistent on a few points.

One couple thanked her for agreeing to celebrate their union and said her role was much more than simple accompaniment: she found the right words, sincere warmth and real emotion, and «Tu pleurais autant que moi c'était génial» (you cried as much as I did, it was great). Their ceremony, they wrote, was «simple, vraie, remplie d'amour et de bienveillance» (simple, true, full of love and kindness).

Another couple, married on 27 August, wrote that she gave them a very touching ceremony «en alliant humour et romantisme, tout ce que l'on souhaitait !» (combining humor and romance, everything we wanted), that she gives a great deal of herself, and that she was a centerpiece of their wedding.

A third wrote: «Moi qui rêvais de me marier à l'église, tu as bien réussi à me faire changer d'avis» (I who dreamed of marrying in church, you managed to change my mind). The same couple added that if they ever have the chance to do it again, they will gladly turn to her. A fourth said she met their expectations perfectly with a ceremony in their image. A fifth described her as an incredible woman who, in a few meetings, grasped their love and gave them a ceremony «emplie d'amour et de rire» (full of love and laughter), adding that their guests loved it too.

The first couple even admitted they had to look up the word for her role («j'ai cherché le terme»), a small and honest detail. The recurring themes are warmth, humor alongside emotion, and ceremonies that feel like the couple rather than a template.

Contact and language

Contact is by phone on +41 79 864 87 86 or email at info@aimetlavie.ch. The site is written entirely in French, and so are all the testimonials. It does not say whether she leads ceremonies in German, English or Italian. Photos on the site are credited to the couples and to Cyrille Fragnière.

What the site does not settle

The site publishes no prices and no packages. It does not state where she will travel: the only location given is Courfaivre, and her first ceremony took place in the Jura, but no service area or travel fee appears. It does not say how far ahead to book, how long a ceremony lasts, whether she offers a rehearsal, or whether couples receive the ceremony text afterward.

Who she suits

m' & la Vie suits French-speaking couples in the Jura and nearby who want a warm, personal secular ceremony with room for laughter, from a celebrant who comes to their home to prepare it and meets them at least three times in all. The testimonials all praise ceremonies that sounded like the couple.

For couples from abroad, the gaps are language, remote meetings and travel. Ask about all three in the first email, along with her fee.