Funerals and Memorial Service Planning, Life Story and Pre-Funeral

Celebrate Our Lives

My Services ... Of Loss and Planning

Funerals and Memorial Service Planning

I have been a professional funeral and memorial celebrant for over 10 years and used my experience and skills to capture many loved one's stories.

I would be honoured to assist you in arranging a personalised funeral or memorial service that respectfully pays tribute and honours the life of your loved one.

I can help you to create a meaningful, memorable, fitting end of life tribute that reflects the needs, beliefs and values of your loved one and your family.

I will use my knowledge and experience to help guide you clearly in this planning so you feel supported, heard and organised during this emotional time.

I will deliver the ceremony with compassion and sincerity.
I will celebrate the life of your loved one.
To help your family is a blessing and a privilege.

My celebrant services can be booked directly or through a funeral director.

What is included in my celebrant service package?
On average 10 to 12 hours is taken to create and deliver a meaningful and personal farewell that reflects the life, values and wishes of your loved one. 

My Planning Information includes:
Eulogy preparation guidance
Sample ideas of poems, readings, prayers, rituals and music ideas
Scattering of Ashes information
Grief and Bereavement Support information
Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants (AFCC) Funeral Resources

I provide a ceremony wording package as a keepsake (in hard copy and in digital form) to share with family and friends. 

Optional extras are the use of my high quality wireless portable PA system and play chosen music and my help with ideas for the setup of the ceremony area and provide items (such as easel for a photo board, table for use as a memory table, and decorations). 

Ideas ....

Memorial table ideas... Outdoor memorial... Children's bereavement books... Internment of ashes

The Eulogy

What is the Eulogy? 

The eulogy is the personalised speech or presentation during the funeral or memorial ceremony that talks about the life and character of the person who has died. It include memories and anecdotes of the person’s life and also tries to capture personality. The eulogy acknowledges the unique life of this person and affirms the significance of that life for all who shared in it, a time to share memories.

It can include the person’s life history in a chronological and detailed way or can be a few highlights from each stage of life. 

You can have more than one person read the Eulogy. It is up to you how many to choose, but find a balance, chose people from different areas of interest. It is often nice to give an invitation for others to speak spontaneously, but it is difficult to determine what may be said and the time they may want to speak for.

As a guide, the Eulogy is usually about 500 to 900 words, aiming at around 5 or so minutes. A eulogy leaving a lasting impact does not need to be too long.

A eulogy does not have to be included in a funeral or memorial, it is not a necessity, I can still create a meaningful farewell without including the person’s life story.

How can I help?
It can be a challenge to write a eulogy when you are grieving and working in with the funeral/memorial schedule. Finding the right words to honour the person and capture your loved one's story can be quite overwhelming and daunting.

As part of my service package, I offer eulogy writing guidance and as an additional cost I can I work with you to create a meaningful and personalised eulogy.

Ceremony Inclusions:
Don't worry, I will send you with a list of what I need to help with ceremony inclusions, in particular:
•	The number of songs needed and for what part of the ceremony 
(artist and version needed)
•	Ideas around music choice
•	The number of poems/readings possibly needed, and whom might read them
•	Eulogy planning information

The Brochure

I was over joyed on being given the opportunity to design a brochure as a member for the national The Celebrants Network in Australia. The brochure 
"It's time...to plan for your final farewell"  contains information on the importance of preparing Life Stories and Pre-Funeral Ceremony Planning and is available for purchase via the associations website!!!!!

And then I worked with a Memorial Working Party from The Celebrants Network and we developed another brochure ...."Memorials: the new funerals?"

Life Story and Pre-Funeral 
Ceremony Planning

I am so very passionate about acting now before your final farewell. 
I can help support you to prepare: a personal and meaningful tribute to honour your life… so a record of your life is kept.
PLAN PLAN PLAN….. WHILST YOU CAN…..PLANNING IS A PRECIOUS GIFT
PLAN YOUR OWN CEREMONY BEFORE YOUR FINAL FAREWELL…THE CELEBRATION OF YOUR OWN LIFE…
So when is the best time to get started? Now, as we do not know when our time is up! Review your life- “the good, the bad and the ugly”.
A written life story can go on to help a loved one prepare a eulogy.

Taking care of life’s last passage not only honours you, but benefits everyone. 

It spares your loved ones from difficult decisions, when they are emotionally distressed trying to cope with your loss, when it is often hard to remember things that are required. 
Even if you have contacted a funeral director and pre-paid your funeral, this planning can be an add on, to be sure your ceremony is as you really want it, how you want to be remembered in life.
So you can relax and get on with life, knowing that when the time comes, you have plans in place.
I have developed thorough documents to assist with my preparation and final presentation.

My friend's farewell

I was very honoured and humbled to be a part of the celebration of one of my dear friend’s life. She showed amazing courage in preparing her life story and her funeral ceremony with me whilst she could. Working with her family and friends before and after her passing, and designing and delivering her funeral ceremony was such an absolute honour. Joining the family to deliver the ceremony at the Crematorium and then for the Scattering of her Ashes Ceremony was a further tribute to her life which will be remembered by all.

My father's life story

I have used my father as my “guinea pig” so to speak, and I have prepared his “life story and his pre-funeral ceremony” plan. It has been a wonderful experience for us both. I just wish I had had done this with my mother 23 years ago when she passed away. But I am so grateful I have this for my father. 

On the topic of death and dying 

Brene Brown, a powerful speaker, says 
“you can’t get to courage without walking through vulnerability”. 
It takes courage to talk about death. It’s only human to feel vulnerable, yet the more I practice talking about death, the more courageous and comfortable and normal it becomes. 
The information stall I held for Dying to Know Day 
at my local library was well visited.