How to Choose a Funeral Celebrant
The importance of selecting the right funeral celebrant for your loved one’s celebration of life cannot be over estimated
Choosing the right person to create and deliver an appropriate tribute is a very important part of creating a funeral service which is fitting for you and your loved one and is memorable for all of the right reasons. This is the one occasion when their life story is told, your memories of them are honoured and your love and respect for each other is celebrated.
How do you go about choosing the right celebrant?
This choice is usually determined by the lifestyle and beliefs of the person who has died. Were they religious, spiritual or agnostic?
Some celebrants specialise in creating and delivering traditional services, whilst others choose to focus on alternative funerals.
Humanist Celebrants
Humanist Celebrants conduct life centred funerals. They do not believe in the afterlife or any religions, which excludes aspects such as hymns, biblical quotes and prayers.
Independent Celebrants
Independent or ‘civil’ celebrants offer complete freedom of choice and can officiate funeral services with or without reference to religion and will include prayers, biblical quotes and hymns, if you so wish.
You can book them directly
By selecting your own celebrant, you can hand-pick all the qualities you want in the person who will be leading the funeral ceremony for your loved one. Do you want someone with a vivacious personality to deliver an energetic life story, or simply someone who looks the part and will deliver everything in a calm and engaging manner?
Above all, you need to find a celebrant who shares your values and is demonstrably good at their job. Evidence of training, together with commitment to best practice and continuing professional development, may also be important to you.
Believe it or not, there are no qualifications necessary to be a funeral celebrant. It is possible for someone to decide they want to be a celebrant and deliver a funeral the very next day. While the right kind of person may be able to do this without any problems, it is generally better to find a celebrant who has trained with an organisation that requires them to abide by a code of conduct and continues to offer them support as they develop their career - such as The Association of Independent Celebrants - where you will find an extensive directory of experienced funeral celebrants.
It is also worth asking around your friends and family and finding out if anyone has been to a well-run funeral and is able to recommend a celebrant.
If you want to hold out for exactly the right celebrant you will need to work around their availability and be flexible about the time of the service. That is why it is important to start looking for a celebrant as soon as you can.
Carrying out the necessary research to find the perfect celebrant can be time consuming. When time is of the essence and you have other important priorities to sort out, you can always rely on your chosen Funeral Director to recommend someone who they have worked with previously.
The best Funeral Directors will match you with the right celebrant
Ordinarily, when you first approach a Funeral Director, they will ascertain your preference in terms of the style of the funeral ceremony and can assign a celebrant to you from their preferred list.
The very best Funeral Directors pride themselves on being able to match you with the right celebrant. They know their local celebrants. They know what people think of them and how they work. They are very careful to assign you a celebrant who is the right fit for you.
Six questions to ask a celebrant when you speak to them;
1. How many funerals do you deliver each week? (You don’t want someone who spreads him or herself too thin)
2. Are you available for me to speak with during the day and in the evenings?
3. Will I have sight of the tribute before it is delivered at the funeral?
4. Am I able to make additions or amendments to the script, right up to the day of the funeral?
5. Will you proof read it with me before the funeral?
6. Will you provide me with a presentation copy of the script afterwards?
If you are unsure after speaking with them, ask them to put you in touch with someone whose family member’s funeral they have led and get a second opinion.
How much does a celebrant cost?
Celebrants cost a lot less than most people spend on flowers. All work for a fixed, all inclusive fee, which is generally between £180 and £250, but may add mileage expenses if required to travel long distance. Most Funeral Directors include this service as part of their offering and expect to pay your celebrant’s fee on your behalf.
The work of a funeral celebrant is extremely enriching and is rewarding in many ways. For me, it is more than a job. It is an honour and a privilege to be there to facilitate a family’s needs by creating and delivering a beautiful bespoke tribute filled with respect, gratitude and love. With this in mind, I will always go the extra mile to provide the best possible experience for everyone involved.
If you contact me on 07561 107888 or 01430 819806 I will respond to any messages within two hours.
