21/11/2025
Let’s Talk About Funerals!
Today is Funeral Celebrant Day (21st November 2025), and I want to use this moment to open up some honest conversations about death, funerals, and the choices families have.
This year’s theme is 'Ask a Funeral Celebrant' - and that’s exactly what I’d love you to do. So often, people don’t realise that you can book a funeral celebrant directly, without going through a funeral director first. My role is to support families, answer questions, and help create funerals that truly reflect the person who has died.
As a celebrant, I don’t follow a set religious format. Instead, I work with you to shape a ceremony that feels personal and meaningful - whether that’s through music, readings, rituals, or those small touches that capture someone’s life and personality.
I know talking about death can feel uncomfortable, even taboo, but it doesn’t have to be. Planning ahead, asking questions, and knowing your options can make such a difference when the time comes.
Here are some of the questions I’m often asked:
• Do I have to use a funeral director? Not always! Think of funeral directors as the “event planners” of the funeral world — but if you’d rather go DIY, you can come straight to me. I’ll help you shape the ceremony, and you can decide how much or little support you want elsewhere.
• Can I keep my loved one at home for a while after death? Yes! It’s not only possible, it can be deeply comforting. Imagine it as giving them one last sleepover at home, surrounded by love, before the formalities begin.
• What are my options for coffins and cremation? Far more than you’d expect! From eco‑friendly wicker to colourful cardboard, coffins don’t have to be plain or sombre. And cremation? It’s not just “ashes in an urn”, you can have jewellery, fireworks, or even a vinyl record made.
• How do I make a funeral more personal? Easy: add the quirks that made your person them. Favourite song? Play it. Loved tea and biscuits? Serve them. Obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing? Let’s add a twirl or two.
• Can I transport my loved one myself? Yes! You don’t need a black limousine if that doesn’t feel right. Families have used campervans, tractors, even a beloved family car. If it tells their story, it works.
• Can I plan my OWN funeral so my family doesn’t have to worry? – ABSOLUTELY!
The point is: funerals don’t have to be cookie‑cutter. They can be as unique, colourful, and heartfelt as the life they’re honouring.
Funeral Celebrant Day is celebrated across the UK to shine a light on the work we do and the importance of family led, personalised funerals.
If you’d like to know more, ask a question, or chat about how I can support you, just drop me a message!
Do you want a beautiful, unique ceremony, that reflects who you truly are? If so, then a celebrant led ceremony could be just what you are looking for. Contact me at [email protected] for a no obligation chat.
