Funeral Celebrant Services
What is a Funeral Celebrant?
A celebrant meets with your family, listens, and then creates a service built around the person who died. Their stories and favorite music. Their most important people. Their personal beliefs and values. Every word written specifically for this person, for this family, for this loss.
I coordinate with your funeral home, or I can work with you directly if you're planning a memorial outside of a funeral home setting. Either way, the family leads the way, and we create a meaningful ceremony, together.
Is a Celebrant Right for You?
Most families planning a service fall into one of three preferences.
Some want a fully religious service, rooted in the traditions of their faith. That's a beautiful thing, and that's when you call your clergy.
Some want something with no religious elements at all. Just the life story, told honestly and poignantly, in a way that suits the person who died. That's where a celebrant comes in.
And then there's the families who want something in between. Maybe a reading that matters to them, or a hymn they grew up with. But also the real story of who this person was, told by someone who took the time to learn it. That combination is also where a celebrant comes in, sometimes alongside clergy, sometimes alone.
Every Family Deserves a Service
Some deaths are harder to hold in a traditional religious setting. Suicides. Overdoses. People whose lives didn't fit neatly into the doctrine of a particular church. Sometimes clergy declines.
A celebrant doesn't turn anyone away. Every life is worth honoring. Every family deserves a service that reflects the person they loved.
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When you reach out, here's how the process works. We'll have an initial conversation to see if we're a good fit. From there, I'll schedule a family meeting, usually one to two hours, where I listen to stories, gather memories, and begin to understand who your person was. I'll take everything I learn and craft a service that feels like them. On the day of the service, I'll be there, present and prepared, to guide your family through it.
You don't have to know what you want when you call me. That's what the conversation is for.
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Does the service have to be secular? Not at all. Scripture, prayer, a hymn, a blessing, any element that feels right for your family is welcome. A celebrant service is shaped entirely by what you need, not by a template.
Will you use AI to write the service? No. Every word is written by me, after sitting with your family and listening. A process best served by a human who took the time to learn your person’s story.
Can we also include a minister or other speakers? Yes. I'm accustomed to sharing the service with clergy, a family friend, or anyone else your family wants to include. It's your service.
Do I have to go through a funeral home to work with a celebrant? Most of my work comes through funeral home referrals, and I'm happy to coordinate directly with whatever funeral home you've chosen. If you're planning a memorial outside of a funeral home setting, we can work together directly.
What if our situation is complicated? Reach out anyway. Celebrants are trained to be present with families regardless of the cause of death or the circumstances around it. There is no situation I am unwilling to sit with.
How do I get started? Use the button below to send me a message, or call me directly. You don't need to have anything figured out before you reach out. Just start with hello.
“You are gone, but thank you for all these soft, sweet things you left behind. In my home, in my head, in my heart.”
