The Honour of Saying Goodbye: The Role of a Funeral Celebrant.
There is no greater honour than being asked to deliver a funeral ceremony or a celebration of life. To stand before a room full of people and speak the words that will help them say goodbye in a way that feels right and true—whether with reverence, with warmth, with laughter, or all three—is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Every life is unique and every farewell should be too.
How It All Works
For most people, the first step when arranging a funeral is to visit their local funeral director. They’ll guide you through all the necessary arrangements—venues, logistics, paperwork, and all the things that can feel overwhelming in a time of grief. But when it comes to the celebrant, you have complete choice.
And it’s an important choice. The right celebrant should feel like someone your loved one would have liked. Someone who can step into their story, capture their essence, and create a ceremony that feels true to them.
My Approach
For me, being a funeral celebrant in Bristol, Bath, Cotswolds and beyond, isn’t just about standing up and delivering a service. It’s about the process—the time spent getting to know your loved one through you. We’ll sit down over tea and cake, reminiscing, flicking through photo albums, sharing stories. A space to talk, to laugh, to cry, whatever happens, happens. And I’ll listen—really listen—so that together, we can create a ceremony that feels right.
I’ll also reach out to family members near and far, hopping on calls with anyone who wants to contribute. This is collective, a gathering of voices, memories, and love. Choosing the right songs, the perfect readings, the eulogies—it’s all done with care, with collaboration as big or as small as feels right and with the knowledge that this ceremony should feel like them.
The Ceremony
Then comes the delivery, which is where I come into my own. I want grief to be welcome in the room, absolutely, but if your loved one was the type to crack a joke at the most unexpected moment, or be the first (and last!) on the dance floor, I want to make space for their joy and laughter too. If they were full of warmth and kindness, I want that to radiate through every word spoken.
A funeral should give everyone in that room what they need—a chance to say goodbye in a way that feels meaningful, personal, and true.
Because in the end, that’s what this is all about: honouring a life well-lived and saying farewell in a way that feels just right.
