Posts Tagged ‘Funeral advice’
Featured Celebrant Story: Changing our perception of funerals.
An interview with the wonderful Celebrant, Vanessa Buckley as she talks us through her journey and explores how funerals have changed over time… Over to you, Vanessa! Up until a few years ago mortality was my phobia – why? Because as a young child I was frightened by a funeral I attended; a man in a big tall hat and a stern face, lots of tears, curtains closing and then wailing noises. In later life I attended many funerals where the deceased wasn’t really referred to and if they were I could never relate to the description, as to me they certainly weren’t the person spoken about. Why? I often questioned why we still followed this ancient protocol and wondered…
Read MoreChoosing a Direct Cremation like trend setter David Bowie
The past 18 months have be challenging for every person in the funeral profession and mourners alike. The pandemic has pushed families to source alternative options for saying goodbye to their loved ones, moving away from traditional ones. Here’s where Celebrants come in. Celebrants are storytellers by trade and at The Celebrant Directory we have a wealth of advice and inspiration written by Celebrants creating ceremonies across the world. Directory member Helen Noble, Best National Celebrant for Funerals CDGA shares her insights into Direct Cremations and Memorials, first made popular by David Bowie. Since he passed, the demand for Direct Cremations have rocketed by 400% – a true trend setter in both life and death. What is a Direct Cremation?…
Read MoreThe ultimate guide to giving a eulogy at a funeral for a loved one
Are you giving a eulogy at a funeral for a loved one but fear you’re not up to the task? This blog answers 10 key questions to help you write and deliver a eulogy that brings your loved one’s memory to life and engages the hearts and minds of your audience. Giving a eulogy is a wonderful gift Giving a eulogy at a funeral of someone special to you is a wonderful gift to everyone who is attending the funeral service. A eulogy brings the person’s memory to life and helps create the legacy they will be remembered by. Being the voice of their story and legacy is an honourable responsibility. However, writing and giving a eulogy at a funeral…
Read MoreFuneral Budgeting 101: Funeral Celebrant Planning for Beginners
Are you a celebrant in need of some funeral budgeting advice? This article covers it all… Making plans for a funeral is one of the most difficult tasks anyone will have to go through. That’s why, as a celebrant, you have an important job to make sure that all the finer details are taken care of, including helping with funeral budgeting. Funeral budgeting covers a wide range of different factors. For starters, you’ll be guiding people through their loved one’s Will to avoid potential inheritance disputes when paying for the funeral. You’ll also be required to help choose the flower arrangements, and more. Every little detail can make a huge difference to the funeral, so it’s vital to be prepared.…
Read MoreHow to involve children in a funeral
Deciding whether or not to take a child to a funeral service is an extremely personal decision. It’s only natural to be concerned that your child will become bored, restless or even disrupt others during the service. We understand there are often reservations about how to get them involved so our top funeral celebrants give you the ideas you need in order to understand the best ways to involve children into the funeral. Involving children in a celebration of life There are plenty of ways in which a child can be involved during both the funeral preparations and the service itself. Even if you decide against bringing your child on the day, including them in any of these activities can…
Read MoreFunerals: Thinking ahead and planning for the inevitable
Dying Matters With Dying Matters awareness week in May 2019 posing the question, “Are we ready?” one Celebrant takes a look at why it is so important to think ahead and plan for the inevitable, your funeral. So many funeral celebrants have heard the following comments when having the first conversation with someone who is recently bereaved, ‘We never talked about funerals…’ ‘Burial or cremation? I don’t really know what she’d like’ ‘Religion? He never said whether he believed in anything’ ‘She liked lots of different music, but I have no idea what she would’ve liked at her celebration of life ceremony’ Does this sound like you? Perhaps it is time to open up the conversation about death, dying, funerals and…
Read MoreHow to write a eulogy for a loved one’s funeral.
There will come a time when you may have to write some words to celebrate the life of your loved one. Perhaps the time is now. Are you writing a eulogy for a loved one’s funeral but not sure where to start? In this blog, our resident blogger and funeral celebrant, Rosalie, answers the seven most asked questions and answers to help you write a eulogy that brings your loved one to life and engages the hearts and minds of your audience. Q1. What is a eulogy? A eulogy, or funeral speech, is a spoken tribute about a person at their funeral. It aims to capture their character by sharing highlights of their life, special memories and stories illustrating what…
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