When a loved one passes away, it is one of the hardest things to cope with. On top of your grief, you may have a Funeral Service to arrange.

Things have changed over the last few years with many families choosing to have a Celebrant lead service instead of a religious ceremony.

Funerals

I am a Civil Celebrant, not a Humanist and as such both types of Celebrant have different ways of working. Humanists base their ceremonies on the life of your loved one and will include readings and poetry as you would like. However, a Humanist will not read prayers,however they might have a time during their ceremony for the congregation to say a silent prayer if they wish to.

As a Civil Celebrant I will also base the ceremony on the life of your loved one, read poetry but will, if required, lead prayers, write prayers specifically for the family and your loved one, read from the Bible and lead hymns.

Funeral services can take at a Crematorium, a Cemetery or a Natural Burial Ground.

Interments

Sometimes, a family member’s ashes are interred in either a family grave or a new plot. This can take place a few weeks, months or sometimes years after your loved one’s Cremation Ceremony. Some families like to do this with the minimal amount of fuss, others like to have a small service. There is no right or wrong way to do this. It is very much a personal thing and the family must do what is right for them.

Celebration of Life

Other families have just a small service and sometime later have a Celebration of Life. This is just what it says. It is a ceremony that recalls the life of your loved one. It doesn’t have to take place in a Crematorium or Church, it can be held wherever you want. It has no time limit and as many people as you want can speak and share their thoughts and memories of their loved ones. This is usually a joyous occasion and often ends with a party of some kind.