Funerals
A funeral ceremony acknowledges loss, celebrates life, comforts the bereaved, recalls happy memories and includes smiles as well as tears. It is an opportunity to recall everything that made your loved one special, to say goodbye and to give thanks for their life.
I will meet with you, either at your home or at a venue of your choice, to discuss your wishes and talk about the kind of ceremony that would suit your loved one. I will listen carefully to what you want and try to understand the qualities of your loved one. We will discuss their life, your favourite memories and interesting stories so that I can draft a eulogy, a life tribute, which encapsulates your loved one.
You can include religious, non-religious or spiritual content. I will create a draft ceremony which you review and I will revise until you are satisfied. I will provide advice and guidance but the choices are yours. My role is to create a ceremony that you feel honours and reflects your loved one.
On the day of the funeral, I will deliver a unique and personal ceremony in a professional manner.
A kind comment from one of my recent ceremonies:
“Thank you for your support throughout.
The service went well I believe, and a lot of that is down to your input, prompting questions I hadn’t even thought to consider”.
“You came to mind immediately. You set the right tone and helped it to go smoothly”.
“A lovely ceremony. You summed her up perfectly”.
“Thank you for your lovely service. I have let my colleagues know about you”.
If you would like me to be your celebrant, you can contact me directly by phone: 0776 534 2708, email to: enquiries@cradle-to-grave-ceremonies.co.uk or you could send a message via my Contact page.
You can also ask your funeral director to contact me on your behalf.
I do not charge for the funeral of a baby or a child under 18.
Memorial Ceremony
Planning a funeral, plus the attendant wake, at such an emotionally stressful time can be overwhelming for the next of kin. Direct cremations are now being chosen by more people in order to reduce the pressure on their immediate family when they are feeling so vulnerable. However, family and friends still need to pay their last respects and to know that the life of their loved one was valued and honoured. This also applies to families of someone who has donated their body for medical research or was lost at sea. It may be that the actual funeral service was for family members only, or that a lot of people were unable to attend due to weather, distance and/or short notice.
A Memorial ceremony provides the emotional support at a time when family are more able to cope with the practicalities of the arrangements. This is often several weeks after the burial or cremation of the deceased. Some people choose to have a memorial service to coincide with the scattering of the ashes. Others, who may have had a funeral service at the time, wish to mark the first anniversary of the loved one.
A Memorial ceremony gives you greater flexibility over when, where and how your ceremony is conducted. You can hold a memorial service almost anywhere you want at a time which suits you and you are not limited to a thirty minute slot in a schedule. Together we will create a ceremony which honours the life and reflects the personality of your loved one. You can choose whatever readings, music, reminiscences, tributes and mini-ceremonies you like. With your help, I will write a heartfelt eulogy to be delivered as part of the ceremony.
Whatever your reason for considering a memorial service, please call me on: 0776 534 2708 or send a message via my Contact page.
Pet Funeral
A pet is part of the family. For those who live on their own, a pet is also a much-loved, constant companion. When a pet dies, the owner has the heartache of losing a best friend. The grief is often overwhelming so a ceremony is a dignified opportunity to mourn your pet’s passing, feel the support of friends and family and celebrate your pet’s life.
A heartfelt ceremony allows you to honour and give thanks for the life of your pet, acknowledge all that they gave you and say farewell in a meaningful way.
You may decide to have your pet’s body present in a casket, prior to burial or cremation. You may prefer to have your pet’s ashes in an urn – to be scattered as part of the ceremony or not. It’s your choice. Together we will create a ceremony that will honour your pet. This could include readings, memorabilia, music, favourite stories about your pet and tributes.
If it is a family pet, family members can be involved in the ceremony if they wish. A ceremony can be beneficial for children who may never have experienced loss before and help them to come to terms with it.
Contact me for a free, no obligation consultation.