Funeral Celebrant in Melbourne

Usually the ceremony takes around an hour. It’s important to note that some funeral homes and chapels work in time slots of one-hour. Depending on the length and complexity of the funeral ceremony, you may wish to ask the funeral director to reserve a double slot for your loved one’s ceremony, if possible. If you’re thinking of having some refreshments after the ceremony, that, of course, takes longer. But, basically, the ceremony can be as long or as short as you wish.

Firstly, I’ll receive a call from you, to invite me to meet with you. Or I may have been referred to you by a Funeral Director, in which case I’ll call you to arrange a first meeting.

Secondly, I’ll arrange a meeting with you over a cuppa at your place, if possible, to discuss the type of ceremony you want for your loved one. We’ll work out whether we’re looking at a funeral ceremony or another venue, a cremation ceremony, a memorial ceremony, a graveside ceremony or a combination of these. I’ll ask lots of questions. And I expect you’ll have lots of questions for me, too. I’ll take notes and be happy to answer as many of your questions as I can. And, of course, in these times of Covid-19, we will work out ways to adhere to the social distancing rules of government, whilst seeing how we can meet your other needs, as well.

Thirdly, I’ll email you a short questionnaire and ask you to fill it out and return it to me. Naturally, if you get stuck or want me to help you filling it out, I’m a phone-call away – or we can have a video-call, if you prefer.

Fourthly, I’ll put the information I’ve gathered from you into a first draft of the ceremony. I’ll ask you to review this draft and make changes as necessary. Then I’ll collaborate with the funeral director and other relevant people to ensure that the ceremony is practicable.

Fifthly, I’ll meet with you via phone or video-chat, to have a read-through the ceremony, to ensure we’re all on the same page about all the arrangements.

Lastly, on the appointed day, I’ll arrive in plenty of time to set up, to meet you and to comfort you – and to deliver a ceremony that pays respect to your loved one in a way that you and those present will remember for a long time.

In Australia, a traditional funeral comprises of the following events:

• A visitation or a viewing
• A formal service
• A committal at the graveside
• A ‘bare cremation’, in which the body is taken from where your loved one died directly to a crematorium, to be cremated.

However, I can customise the process for you. You don’t have to follow any rigid format. That’s why it’s important to have a chat before you make any decisions. Give me a call.

Yes, I’m a full-time celebrant which means that I’ll most likely be available for the planning and delivery of the ceremony. Don’t worry, I’ll be there with you every step of the way through this difficult time.

You can reach out to me via an email or just give me a call. You can also fill out the contact form or chat live on my website. If I don’t answer immediately, I’ll call you back as soon as I’m able, to help you plan out the logistics of the ceremony

The short answer is ‘yes’ – but it depends on the venue where you want the ceremony to take place. Some may charge extra for having it on a weekend. Just for your information, my fees are the same, no matter what day or time of day you want the ceremony.