Why a Civil Service?
Saying goodbye is an incredibly personal event. Choosing to have a civil funeral will give you the freedom to pay tribute to your loved one, with a truly personalised ceremony.
A civil funeral reflects the wishes and life of the loved one you have lost and can generally encompass most people’s wishes. It can include, readings, music, poetry and have religious content such as hymns and prayers. Alternatively, the ceremony can be entirely non-religious and focus purely on their life, love and achievements.
Within a civil funeral ceremony, there is nothing we must include in the service and within reason there is nothing we can’t really do!
I will be by your side throughout the whole process, working closely with the funeral directors to put your needs first and foremost. I will come to meet you within just a few days of being appointed as your celebrant. This meeting is usually in your home or a location of your choice, alternatively, we can talk online or on the telephone if you would prefer. We will spend time talking about the person who has died, focusing on their life, loves, achievements and their personality. I will be asking you for stories, memories and key events that capture the essence of the person you love. I also welcome contributions from other people, to get the broadest possible insight into their life.
We will discuss the outline of the full ceremony, from the welcoming address to the final farewell. Together we can confirm music, readings, poetry and any rituals you may want to include, such as lighting candles – creating a bespoke and fitting service for your loved one.
After our meeting I will create a beautiful and bespoke tribute (otherwise known as a eulogy) for your loved one, which will form an invaluable part of the ceremony, capturing their character and what made them unique, along with stories and snippets that accurately reflects their life.
How it works
On the Day
On the day of the funeral I will be by your side throughout, working closely with the funeral director to ensure a professional and polished ceremony, so you can focus solely on remembering your loved one.
After the ceremony I will give you a full copy of the ceremony for you to keep. Hopefully in time, looking back at the ceremony script will provide you some comfort. Furthermore, I can provide you with a list of local and national organisations that can continue to support you during this difficult time. If you so wish, I can also help you create a scattering of ashes ceremony. This will normally not incur an additional fee, but we can discuss this further if required.