22/04/2026
Lately, I’ve noticed more and more adverts promoting direct cremation, simple, no-fuss, no ceremony. And for some families, that is absolutely the right choice.
But as a funeral celebrant, I feel it’s important to gently say: that isn’t the whole picture. Saying goodbye matters.
A ceremony, whether you call it a funeral or a celebration of life, creates a space to pause, to reflect, and to truly acknowledge that someone we love has lived, and has been lost. It’s not about tradition for tradition’s sake. It’s about people. It’s about connection. It’s about giving grief somewhere to go.
Time and again, I meet families where stories are shared, music plays, laughter and tears sit side by side. There’s a sense of meaning. Of honour. Of having done right by that person.
Direct cremation can offer simplicity. But a ceremony offers something different: a chance to tell a story, a moment to gather, a way to say goodbye.
And importantly, it doesn’t have to be formal, traditional, or immediate. A celebration of life can happen weeks or months later, in a place that feels right, in a way that truly reflects the person.
This isn’t about saying one option is better than another. It’s about making sure families know they have a choice.
Because every life deserves to be acknowledged.
And every goodbye deserves the chance to be meaningful.
