Having had 16 years experience as a Funeral Director I am well placed to give advice on funeral planning as well as providing a professional service as Celebrant. I am an independent celebrant so I can lead services at any funeral venue and for any funeral company.
It is very important that you feel comfortable with the Celebrant you choose or who is recommended to you. An initial meeting will usually be arranged and it is not untoward for a family to ask for a different Celebrant if a rapport is not developed at that meeting. Whether a death is expected or not the arranging of a funeral for a loved one can be highly charged with emotion and the time frame for arrangements to be made can be short (usually 3 to 5 days). The funeral service is an acknowledgement of the life lived. It may be thought of as a celebration of that life but this is not always the case. A Celebrant should be able to gauge a family’s requirements and respond with advice and ideas to make the ceremony meaningful for them. There is an old saying that tells us “Funerals are for the living, not for the dead”.
I can provide you with a basic format for a funeral service as well as reference to possible readings, music and suggestions for personalising the service to recognise the person it is being held for. Your own input is also important.
Together we can construct a meaningful and relevant ceremony.