What does a funeral celebrant do?

People often ask me what does a funeral celebrant do and if they need one? 

The question on whether you need one, really depends on whether you have someone in your family who can lead the way and give direction to the ceremony. For families who would prefer to have someone else guide the ceremony, this is where a funeral celebrant comes in.

A modern-day funeral celebrant provides a personalised, inclusive, and compassionate ceremony that honours the person who has died while supporting their grieving loved ones. 

Our role involves planning, coordination, emotional support, and gentle leading to ensure a meaningful and respectful farewell through the use of carefully chosen words, music and symbolic rituals that may help give expression to that what cannot be expressed.

But really our role is so much more than that.

I see my job as being multifacet. 

A celebrant’s role is more than just speaking words. 

Sometimes it is about saying nothing at all.   But just to be there to guide & empower a family, in a collaboration to create a very special ceremony for their loved one.  

Sometimes it’s about listening to families.  Really listening.   So that they want to speak to me and for me to hear what is being left unsaid. 

Sometimes it’s about speaking in a way that others want to listen.

But it is always about showing kindness and compassion and to treat every family like I would want my own treated.