FAQ

While Humanist and independent celebrants believe in a life-centred funeral, the key difference is that Humanists won't include anything religiously centred in their ceremonies, such as prayers, religious readings, poems or hymns. While an independent funeral celebrant may be considered a non-religious alternative, we will happily incorporate anything with spiritual or religious significance that you feel is important for the ceremony.

Additionally, Humanists do not believe in any form of afterlife and that death is the end, which is why religious or spiritual beliefs are not part of the ceremony. They must also explain what it is to be a Humanist during the ceremony, whereas an independent celebrant will not mention our personal religious or spiritual beliefs at all.

As an independent celebrant, I embrace all forms of beliefs and spirituality, believing that so long as your faith fulfils you, or your lack thereof, that is all that matters. We can have as much or as little religion or spirituality in your ceremony as you like; it's entirely up to you!

While funerals typically mark the burial or cremation of a person at the end of their life, Celebrations of Life memorialise the life they lived rather than their death. Celebrations of Life can even happen with your terminally ill loved one present, bringing together family and friends for a gathered goodbye and celebration filled with love before they pass.

A Celebration of Life is not constrained by time like funerals often are because no body is present during the ceremony (although ashes can be). This means that after the whirlwind and exhaustion that comes with planning a funeral, you can take your time to plan the Celebration of Life. And just like any party, it can be anywhere! Perhaps their favourite bar, coffee spot or beach, as long as you can use the venue for a private event, anything goes.

As your independent celebrant during the Celebration of Life, I will be present for the entire event, helping coordinate guests and structuring the flow of the day.

Remember, there are no rules for how a Celebration of Life should be. From dress code to theme, location and number of attendees, the choice is entirely up to you.

I can lead and officiate many types of ceremonies for you. Perhaps close family wanted a traditional funeral for your loved one, and you'd like a memorial service that differs—we can do that. Perhaps your loved one had their funeral, and you weren't aware you had other options. It is never too late to hold a memorial service or Celebration of Life. Maybe you've had your loved one's ashes in your home for a while, and you've been unsure how to scatter them; I can officiate an ash scattering ceremony for you! Let's find out your wants and worries together, then explore your options.

Pregnancy loss is something I hold close to my heart, and I know that having a ceremony to mourn this can help in navigating your grief. If you have experienced pregnancy loss, whatever the gestation, I am available to lead a funeral or memorial ceremony for you. My fee for pregnancy loss ceremonies is £150, which includes our first video consultation, communication as I write the script, and my attending to lead a 30-minute ceremony.

Absolutely not, no! So long as you have permission, a funeral can take place anywhere. As your funeral celebrant, I will be happy to officiate the ceremony in whatever location you or your loved one would have wanted. From gardens to golf clubs, so long as it’s permissible, anywhere is fine.

Understandably, however, some religious places of worship would prefer their religious leaders to lead ceremonies in those locations. In the event of this, where my presence as an independent celebrant during the funeral ceremony is not possible, we can explore alternative ceremonial options after the burial or cremation, such as memorial services, ash scattering ceremonies, and Celebrations of Life.

I am not constrained by the funeral directors I work with. If you're in a location further afield, I will contact your funeral director to liaise with them to ensure a smoothly run and officiated ceremony.

Upon receiving your initial email, I will contact you within 24 hours to arrange a free 20-30 minute chat soon after that, over the phone or via online meeting, to see if I am the right fit for your ceremony. After that, should you wish to proceed with me for the service, we will discuss my fee, which depends on the type of ceremony you want, and any additional travel charges. Once confirmed, we will schedule a date to meet in person; if you are within my radius (30 miles), I can travel to meet with you. If you are further afield (more than 30 miles), our meeting will continue online, and we will meet in person on the day of service at the venue. I will be available continuously for the lead-up to the service for any questions and queries you may have.

My funeral, ash scattering, or memorial services are £300 (up to one hour). If your ceremony mentioned above is longer, there will be a £100 charge per hour afterwards. I charge £500 for Celebrations of Life, as these events range from 2 to 6 hours and require more planning, depending on the type of Celebration of Life you would like.

I cover all of Northern Ireland, but if you are outside my 30-mile radius, I charge an additional 45 pence per mile. I'm based in Ballymena, so please feel free to use that to gauge additional charges for how far I may have to travel to you.

Please note, if your lost loved one was under the age of 18, my charges for funerals, memorials or ash scattering services will be less than stated and will depend on age. For babies and infants, there will be a minimal fee. I also offer my services for pregnancy loss, no matter the age of gestation, so please get in touch to discuss this with me.

I am available 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., seven days a week, to lead your ceremony, but there is an additional £50 charge for Saturday and Sunday services.

My prices include all our calls and meetings before the service, bespoke writing for the ceremony, and my attending and leading it. They also include guidance and advice on readings, poems, and music, should you need it.

Please note that initial inquiry calls are free because they are to determine whether I am a good fit for your ceremony.

I understand that a funeral is a last goodbye, and all other ceremonies mean a lot, so I also know that you may be exploring your options. I don't charge for initial inquiry calls because these initial introductions are to see if I will be a good fit for your ceremony.

If you would like to lead a funeral for your loved one, I am more than happy to assist you in a consultancy capacity. This will cost £60 per hour on video calls, and I will not be in attendance during the service but will act as your advisor before it for however many hours you may require.