Funeral FAQs

A funeral celebrant creates and leads a personalised ceremony that focuses entirely on the life, values, and wishes of the person who has died. Unlike a minister or faith leader, a celebrant-led funeral doesn’t follow a set religious order of service – it’s shaped around what feels right for you.

My role is to spend time with you, listen to your stories, and create a ceremony that feels authentic, uplifting, and true to your person. I’ll help you choose readings, music, and ways to involve family and friends, then write and deliver a farewell that’s warm, personal, and memorable for everyone who attends.A funeral celebrant creates and leads a personalised funeral ceremony that focuses on the life, values, and wishes of the person it honours.

Yes – if your loved one wasn’t religious, it can feel more authentic to have a funeral that avoids religious tradition. My ceremonies are warm, uplifting, and person-focused, centred on their life, character, and what they’ll be remembered for. Music, stories, and personal touches take the place of prayers or hymns, making the farewell truly their own.

Yes – I can lead funerals at burial sites including municipal cemeteries and natural burial grounds. Locally, I’ve worked in places like Penuel Chapel in Llangefni and Bron y Nant Chapel in Colwyn Bay. While churches are usually led by faith leaders, I’ve co-led services in venues such as St John’s Uniting and St Hilary’s, blending personal, celebrant-led elements with traditional religious services.

Most celebrant-led funerals last 30–45 minutes, giving time for music, memories, and tributes without feeling rushed. In venues like halls, chapels, woodlands, or at home, timing can be more flexible. Shorter farewells suit some, while others book a longer “double slot” at a crematorium for more space and less pressure. I’ll work with you to shape the ceremony so it feels just right.

As a funeral celebrant, I can include hymns in your service, blending tradition with a personal farewell. Hymns like Calon Lân or All Things Bright and Beautiful can bring comfort. We can include as many as you wish alongside other music, with hymn words shown on screen at most crematoriums or printed for guests in other venues.

Yes – I’m proud to be an inclusive funeral celebrant, welcoming and supporting LGBTQ+ individuals, couples, and families. I create person-focused ceremonies that reflect who they were and who they loved, using respectful, affirming language. I also understand not everyone is fully “out” and work sensitively to ensure the ceremony feels authentic while respecting any sensitivities.
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For a funeral ceremony in Bangor, Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire, and the surrounding areas, my fee is £210.I charge a little more for a “double slot” at the crematorium, for ceremonies in two locations (such as a chapel service followed by a graveside committal), or for venues further afield to cover travel time and costs.For Memorials and Celebrations of Life, which are often longer and more detailed to plan, I’ll put together a bespoke quote based on what’s needed. These fees start from £350.

Yes – I often create funeral ceremonies that honour a person’s faith and beliefs, having led person-centered funerals for Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and Pagans. I’m not a religious leader, but acts of worship can be included if led by someone from that faith. I’m happy to work alongside faith leaders, blending tradition with a warm, personal, and inclusive celebration of life.

Yes – one of the key parts of a celebrant’s role is to listen carefully to everyone involved and help find common ground so the ceremony feels right for all.It’s not unusual for families to have different ideas about what a funeral should look like. My job is to create a space where everyone can share what matters most to them, and then shape the funeral so it honours the person’s life while respecting the family’s wishes.

Once the date, time, and venue are confirmed, I’ll be in touch to introduce myself and explain how we’ll work together.

Our first step is to meet – ideally in person, but online if that’s easier. We’ll talk about how you’d like the funeral to feel, and who might like to be involved. If the person who has died shared any wishes, we’ll weave those in, and we’ll cover practical details such as whether you’d like the curtains to close or remain open.

We’ll spend time talking about your person – their life, character, and the moments they’ll be remembered for most. If there are any sensitive family dynamics, we can discuss them so the ceremony feels comfortable for everyone.

From there, I’ll create the first draft and send it to you for review. We’ll work together to make tweaks until it feels like a fitting goodbye. The day before, I prepare everything – printing the final script, any readings, and making sure all details are in place.

On the day, I’ll arrive early to check the venue, greet you, and lead the ceremony with warmth and care. Afterwards, I’ll leave you with a printed keepsake copy of the ceremony, and can also send it as a PDF to share or keep.

Yes – you can choose your own celebrant, even if your Funeral Director suggests others. Funeral Directors are usually happy to work with whoever feels right for you, whether you’ve seen me lead a ceremony or found me through the Humanists UK directory. Give them my details and they’ll check my availability before confirming the venue, ensuring you have someone you feel comfortable and confident with.

I have a strong local network of celebrants. If I couldn’t attend, a skilled colleague would step in, using our shared script and plans to deliver the ceremony exactly as agreed. This system worked well during lockdowns – the ceremony always went ahead. It’s never happened to me (touch wood), but families can be confident their loved one’s farewell will be in safe, capable hands.

Yes – if you’d like me to. The eulogy is often the heart of the ceremony, telling the story of someone’s life, character, and impact. Some families write it themselves or provide a draft for me to shape. I’m happy to guide and refine it, and friends or family are welcome to share their own tributes, making the farewell even more personal and heartfelt.

Yes – live music, videos, or photographs can all be part of the ceremony. Family or friends can perform, and professional singers, bagpipers, or buglers can be arranged through your funeral director. Crematoriums often have screens for slideshows or videos, and printed photos can be placed around the coffin, on memory tables, or in the order of service or memory cards.

Yes – children are welcome to be part of a funeral, and it can be a meaningful way to help them understand loss and feel included in saying goodbye.

Children might choose to place a flower, read a short poem, help select music, or simply be present. If they prefer not to take part, it might feel right for them to make a drawing, creating a memory box, or light a candle at home. My role is to guide you in finding the right balance for your family, so the ceremony feels safe, comfortable, and meaningful for everyone, whatever their age.

Yes – if an eco-conscious funeral is important to you, I can work with your funeral director to create a ceremony that reflects those values. Many offer green options such as biodegradable coffins, woodland or natural burials, and locally sourced flowers - use the Association of Green Funeral Directors to find one in your area.

I’m also mindful of my own impact, travelling in a small electric car to travel and using an iPad instead of printed scripts. Simple choices like seasonal flowers, recycled paper, and shared lifts can also make a farewell kinder to the planet.

Yes – I can create and lead a ceremony for memorials, scattering ashes, or any occasion to gather and remember. These can be formal or relaxed, held in places like a favourite walking spot, beach, woodland, garden, or anywhere that feels right. We can include readings, music, memories, or symbolic gestures such as planting a tree. Often chosen after a direct cremation, they can take place weeks, months, or years later, offering a personal, inclusive, and respectful farewell.

Yes – I can help you create a personalised funeral plan so your wishes are clearly set out and your family is spared difficult decisions later.

Pre-planning a funeral is about more than choosing music or readings. It’s a way of making sure your ceremony reflects your values, personality, and the life you’ve lived. We’ll talk about the style of ceremony you’d like, any special elements to include, and how you’d like people to feel on the day.

You don’t need to have all the answers straight away. My role is to guide you through your options, help you capture your ideas, and put them into a clear, practical document for when the time comes. You can read more in my blog: Why Pre-Planning Your Funeral Can Be a Gift to Your Loved Ones.

Yes – a funeral ceremony can take place almost anywhere that’s meaningful to you and your loved one, as long as the venue is happy to host it.

Over the years I’ve led funerals in all sorts of settings, from social clubs, cricket, football, and rugby clubs (one even had a live band and a firework display) to beautiful spaces like Mansion House in Calderstones Park, Chateau Rhianfa, and cosy pubs including The Gazelle in Menai Bridge. I’ve also held ceremonies in the person’s own home, where friends and family could gather in familiar surroundings, and even a Viking-themed farewell that reflected a truly unique personality.

There’s no obligation to include readings or poems, but they can be a lovely addition if you want them. I can shortlist some suggestions based on what you’ve told me about your person, or share my full collection so you can choose something yourself.

If music wasn’t an important part of their life, I’m happy to suggest alternatives – such as classical pieces that work beautifully in a funeral setting, or songs that were popular in the era they grew up in. I can also find instrumental or gentle background tracks if you prefer something understated.

I’m primarily an English-speaking celebrant, but dw i’n dysgu Cymraeg and I’m happy to include some words of welcome in Welsh if that feels important to you. I work hard on pronunciation to make sure names, places, and phrases are spoken correctly, and if I’m unsure, I’ll always check.If you’d like a fully Welsh-speaking celebrant, I can point you towards colleagues who specialise in this.

A celebrant-led funeral is ideal if you want a ceremony that’s personal, flexible, and focused entirely on the life of the person who has died – with or without religious content.Unlike a traditional service that follows a set format, a celebrant-led funeral can include whatever feels right for your family. That might mean stories, music, readings, symbolic gestures, or quiet moments of reflection. You can choose to include some spiritual or faith-based elements, or none at all – the choice is yours.It’s also the right choice if you want the ceremony to reflect your person’s personality, values, and beliefs, rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach. My role is to guide you through the options, help you make decisions that feel right, and create a ceremony that leaves people feeling it was “so them.”If you’re not sure, I’m happy to talk you through how it works and what’s possible, so you can decide if it’s the best fit for your loved one’s farewell.