Can I choose my own celebrant?
You can definitely choose your own celebrant. It does not matter which funeral home you are with, just let your funeral director know who your preferred celebrant is and they and/or you can contact me to start working with you.
Is there a time frame that I need to hold my funeral in?
There isn’t a time frame, but it is best to hold a funeral quite close to the death of your loved one. If you are waiting for family to travel from overseas or other life events mean having to hold a funeral later on, this can be discussed with your funeral director as it may mean that your loved one will need to be embalmed. Another option is to hold a memorial service at a later date.
How does a celebrant work with a funeral home?
A celebrant deals with the content of the service for your loved one. They are the storytellers. The funeral home takes care of your loved one while they are with them and works with you on all the logistics like planning the funeral time, date, venue, clothing for your loved one, legal paperwork etc.
Can I contact a celebrant before I call the funeral home?
Yes, if you have a preferred celebrant and would like to contact them first, that is fine to do. You can tell the funeral home that you have a preferred celebrant.
Who is responsible for doing the music?
The celebrant will work with you on what pieces of music you would like and then let the funeral director know your choices. The funeral director will be responsible for playing the music on the day of the service. You can also choose to have your own musicians or a family member may play for the service. Most funeral homes have a piano that you can ask to use.
Who is responsible for the Order of Service?
This is another element of a service where the celebrant works closely with the funeral director. An order of service is the booklet that is given to guests on arrival at the funeral. The celebrant will work on how you want the service to run and in what order everything should be. The celebrant then sends a list of what will be in the service to the funeral director. The funeral home will design and send you a draft to approve. Always make sure you check spelling and dates before you approve the draft. The funeral home will then print the orders of service. You can choose many different styles and may opt for the traditional booklet, a bookmark, a card or whatever your family feels is appropriate for the day.
What if our family want a choir or dancers or something unusual in a funeral?
Most things are possible to arrange in a funeral. You can let both your celebrant and the funeral home now. The celebrant will work with you on where these elements will happen in the service and be responsible for introducing them.