Friday 22nd November is National Funeral Celebrant Day, for the first time ever!
Funeral celebrants all over the UK are joining together to help more people know about what a funeral celebrant does.
I hope you find the Q&As below helpful. If you want to know more then do please contact me and we can have a chat either in person or on the phone.
What is a funeral celebrant?
A funeral celebrant writes and leads funeral ceremonies. Celebrants create ceremonies to reflect the individual’s personality and values. Some celebrants only offer funerals or weddings, some do both. I offer all ceremonies.
When someone dies, a funeral celebrant will help you plan and deliver a ceremony. But did you know they can help you plan what you might want for your own funeral in the future? Having a plan can really help your family and friends when the time comes.
How does a funeral celebrant create a ceremony?
Once booked, a funeral celebrant will visit you to talk about your deceased relative or friend to explore their life story and how it should be told. Your anecdotes, memories, and stories will help create the storytelling and atmosphere of the ceremony. The celebrant will need to know some factual details about the deceased (date of birth, family members, where they have lived) too.
Family relationships can be difficult, and your funeral celebrant understand these challenges, and that people are not perfect. What you want said about the deceased in the ceremony is directed by you. A good funeral celebrant will help you find the right words, even in difficult circumstances.
The celebrant may help you choose any music, poetry or readings, and suggest appropriate rituals. They may help you think about photos you want displayed too.
In discussion with you, the funeral celebrant will put together an order of service, which you can have printed yourself or through your Funeral Director.
Before the funeral, the celebrant will send you a copy of the ceremony script to check that all facts are correct and that you are happy with the content and style.
What does a celebrant do at the funeral ceremony?
On the day of the funeral, the funeral celebrant will arrive early at the venue to make sure everything is in place. If the funeral takes place at the crematorium or burial site, they will meet the Funeral Director when the hearse arrives at the entrance, and you too. They may walk in (process) with the coffin or wait at the front.
Throughout the ceremony, your funeral celebrant will be supporting you. They will open and close the ceremony and make sure the ceremony runs to time. You, family and friends can make contributions to the ceremony (e.g. read a poem and/or the tribute). The funeral celebrant will stand in to read if someone feels unable to read on the day.
Following the funeral, your funeral celebrant will send you a copy of the final ceremony script .
What’s the difference between a civil celebrant and a humanist celebrant?
Civil celebrants, like me, are happy to include spiritual or religious words, music or rituals in a funeral ceremony if requested. You can have a non-religious ceremony too.
Humanist celebrants are guided by the principles of the Humanist Society. It represents non-religious values and is concerned about life in the present. A humanist celebrant will not include religion or spiritual elements in a funeral ceremony.
Can you have a funeral ceremony anywhere?
Yes, you can choose to hold your funeral ceremony at any venue, with or without the deceased present in their coffin or shroud.
Have you thought about having a funeral ceremony in a pub, community hall, back garden, or in a field? All of these are possible but for many people, the crematorium or burial site is their preferred choice.
Contact me for more information about venue choices.
What is the difference between a funeral and celebration of life?
Not a lot! What you call the ceremony is for you to choose.
Some people choose to use the term ‘celebration of life’ because it sounds less sombre and traditional than funeral. A celebration of life might be organised around a person’s life story rather than following a traditional funeral service determined by the church or other religious practice.
The word celebration in the term celebration of life doesn’t mean you have to have a jolly party. It could be quiet and reflective ceremony. The style and tone should reflect the person who is being remembered, and your own preferences.
Talk to me about the different types of funeral ceremonies.
Why bother having a ceremony at all?
Many people are choosing a no fuss, direct or unattended cremation.
Commemorative events can help the grieving process, but it doesn’t have to be big event or cost a lot of money. For example, friends or family members might plant a tree, take a memorial walk, or go for a nice meal to share memories.
However, a funeral celebrant can help you create a celebration of life or memorial ceremony after the cremation. It can be less formal than a funeral and it could involve scattering or interring ashes.
Have you heard about living funerals?
Another idea is to hold a ‘living funeral’ before you die. It is a celebration of your life with you in control! A funeral celebrant may be able to help you put together a living funeral with lots of creative ideas for sharing and capturing memories at the event. Please contact me if you would like to organise one.
How can you book a funeral celebrant?
Finding the right celebrant for your specific circumstances will make a big difference to how you feel. I would encourage you to look at the celebrants in your area before choosing one.
You can book a celebrant direct. Organisations such as the Association of Independent Celebrants, Humanists UK, the Natural Death Centre or the Coffin Club have lists of celebrants in your area, or search ‘funeral celebrant near me’ on Google.
I provide funeral ceremonies across Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire, and sometimes beyond.
Your funeral director may recommend their preferred celebrant. They do not employ celebrants. You can choose a different celebrant than the recommended one, should you wish.
How much will a funeral celebrant cost?
A funeral celebrant will set their own price for a funeral or celebration of life, and you will need to check the celebrant’s website or contact them.
Often funeral directors will give an estimate based on clergy fees (£220-£250). Celebrants set their own prices, as they are self-employed. Their ceremony prices may be lower or higher.
My funerals start at £300 for a standard 30-minute ceremony at a crematorium or burial site in Bristol or Bath. Ceremonies at other venues start at £500 because I offer a very individual and high-quality service, tailored exactly to your needs.
Would you be interested learning more about planning funerals?
I will be running community-based death planning workshops in South Gloucestershire (Staple Hill/Downend/Emersons Green area) during 2025. The workshops intend to help you understand what you might need to do when someone dies and explore ideas for funeral ceremonies. Do get in touch if you are interested, whether as an individual, or as a funeral director or end-of-life service provider, or if you would like a workshop elsewhere.
Do you want to know about me and my funeral celebrant services?
My commitment to you is a person-centred, compassionate service. I offer original and imaginative funeral ceremonies and celebrations of life. I support people who want a non-traditional ceremony in a different venue to the crematorium. In addition, I write eulogies, provide advance ceremony planning, and create and conduct living funerals.
Head over to my funeral page for more information or get in touch for a chat.
