Celebrations of Life
Cathartic, beautiful, and bursting with love.
What is a celebration of life?
A celebration of life is a ceremony that is held to value and commemorate the life of someone who has died, often instead of, or after, a traditional funeral.
Whenever someone dies, whether their passing is sudden or not, the immediate aftermath for the next of kin becomes focused on setting in motion a series of practical arrangements. It can be easy to be consumed in planning a traditional funeral which - despite every best intention - can result in very sombre services that do little to help you in your grief, or reflect the person you have lost.
I firmly believe that life is worth celebrating and your loved one deserves to be valued and remembered. Celebrations of life give you the chance to honour your loved one and help family and friends in their journey with grief.
Your celebration can look exactly as your loved one would have wanted. It's a time for gathering people in a special place, telling stories, playing their favourite music, feasting on the foods they loved. It's a time, ultimately, for saying all the things we don't always find a way to say when someone is alive and celebrating that despite our pain, we are so lucky to have had the opportunity to know and love them.
What do I offer as your celebrant?
As your celebrant, you have me by your side as you craft the perfect celebration for your loved one. This will be lead by what their wishes might have been and what reflects their personality - perhaps they would want a big, colourful party with drinks and laughter, or maybe something more reflective and understated with beautiful classical music. Nothing is off limits for your celebration.
At the heart of the day is the ceremony itself. I will craft a beautiful, authentic script that is entirely centred around your loved one and what made them who they are. This is far more than a eulogy - it will truly reflect their personality and passions and be bursting with heartfelt anecdotes from friends and family. It will be delivered with the love and warmth of someone who feels - through you - that they know this person too. That is a privilege I never take for granted.
I will help you with any symbolic elements you may like to include - a tree planting, a scattering of ashes, a prayer, or singalong - and guide you through choosing readings and songs if you would like them. Whatever is important to you and reflects your loved one, I'll make it happen.
My fee for celebrations of life is £500 (+ travel). This includes:
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a face-to-face chat for 2 hours, over cake, where I get to know all about your loved one
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crafting your ceremony script (up to an hour in duration) - this will be sent to you in draft for your feedback before the day itself
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liaising with chosen family and friends for anecdotes and memories
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help with choosing music and readings
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liaising with your venue and any other suppliers
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leading the ceremony on the day
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a presentation copy of the ceremony script, delivered within 2 weeks of the ceremony
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my love, warmth and care throughout