How to hire a funeral celebrant

The service is usually held in a service hall or a church as a way of saying goodbye to someone as a group. There is usually a schedule written out in the orders of service (a booklet that says what will happen and when) that lasts between twenty minutes to an hour. 

People say prayers, deliver eulogies, say poems or share videos in front of a group to say goodbye, honour and celebrate the life of the person who has died. The funeral director and their colleagues will then  move to be buried or cremated.

A funeral celebrant will organise face-to-face meetings where they can gently guide you to tell stories and share memories about the person who has died. They may also ask about the interests and beliefs of that person to build up a picture of the person in their mind. 

Funeral celebrants have experience of emotional situations, so it’s okay if you cry or feel other strong emotions when talking to them. If you decide you want a celebrant it’s a good idea to get in touch with one early on so they don’t go over any work you’ve already done. 

After the initial meeting you should expect several follow up meetings, calls or emails. The celebrant may suggest certain poems, songs or readings that they think reflect your loved one, or you can suggest ones yourself. 

They can then present their ideas for the service they’re designing for your loved one.

A celebrant can:

• Help you decide what the person who’s died would’ve wanted

• Suggest songs, hymns or poems 

• Plan the service 

• Write and read a eulogy

• Lead the service

• Manage the timings of the service 

Just because you have a funeral celebrant doesn’t mean you or someone else attending the funeral can’t play a role in the service. 

You can work with your celebrant to share the load, for example if you’d like them to do most of the speaking but a specific person to read a certain poem.

A funeral is not a legally binding event in the way that a marriage is which means anyone can organise and run the service. Deciding how religious you want it to be can help you choose who you want running it. Different types of people who can run the service are:

Humanist celebrant 

Humanist means based on humanity and reason, rather than religion, so a humanist funeral wouldn’t allow any religious acts as part of the funeral ceremony. 

This would suit someone who identified as an atheist and didn’t believe in any God. Specific humanist celebrants exist who specialise in this kind of service.

Civil celebrant 

Which could include hymns and readings, but also non-religious poems and stories. This might suit someone who identified as agnostic, which means they weren’t sure if they believed in religion. 

Lots of people who don’t identify as religious still find comfort in hymns or readings, so may want a few incorporated into their civil funeral. 

Religious leader

If the person who died was religious they may already have a relationship with a religious leader who could run the service. In different religions there are different conventions and traditions for how people run the funeral. They may always include a specific prayer or reading. 

The person who has died does not have to has been regularly religious to have a religious leader run the service. The Church of England will run a service for anyone who asks, and charges roughly £180 for this.  

Friend or family member

Sometimes people feel more comfortable having people they know running the ceremony. If an individual is comfortable public speaking, and confident they will be able to manage on the day, this can be a lovely way to remember the person who has died. 

People can even split up the role of celebrant and each take a turn speaking at different points. Or you can split the speaking between a celebrant and other individuals. This will take more preparation, so it’s important to consider if people can commit the time. 

To find a celebrant you can look through useful online lists or contact your local funeral director for recommendations. If you’ve ever been to a funeral where you thought the person did a really good job, get in contact and find out about the celebrant. 

Asking friends for recommendations if they’ve arranged funerals in the past is another great way of finding a good celebrant. If you’re arranging a funeral abroad and need an English-speaking celebrant, look at the government’s list of funeral directors in different countries.

• Listen with an aim to understand what you want 

• Gently guide you through the process

• Have good testimonials from people they have organised funerals for in the past

It’s really important that you feel confident in the person who is organising and running the funeral service. So make a list of potential candidates and then pick a couple of your favourites to meet.

• How many funerals do you conduct a week?

• Are you happy to include religious aspects like hymns?

• Are you happy to avoid all religious aspects?

• Do you have any testimonials from other people you’ve held funerals for?

• How can I contact you?

If you don’t like a potential celebrant or don’t think they’re the right person to perform the funeral that’s alright. Most celebrants won’t charge you for an initial meeting or phone call, but make sure you check beforehand. 

A celebrant should understand that this is an incredibly personal decision. As long as you let them know and don't waste their time, they should not mind if you choose someone else.

If a celebrant does have qualifications they could be: 

• Level 3 Diploma in Celebrancy.

• Wedding and funeral training. 

• MA in Pastoral Care. 

Or they could be a member of an association where they’ve had training or pay to be a part of such as: 

• The British Humanist Association 

• UK Society of Celebrants 

• Association of independent celebrants 

• Fellowship of Professional Celebrants

Someone doesn’t have to have any specific qualifications for funeral planning or for running a service. The key skills they need are to be good at listening and public speaking. 

You might find it reassuring that someone has qualifications or you may prefer to focus on the person themselves through looking at their website, reading testimonials or getting to know them.

The cost can vary depending on what type of celebrant you decide to go with and how far they have to travel. If you decide to get a friend or family member to officiate the funeral they may not charge you anything.

But it isn't the right choice for everyone. If your loved one was an active part of a religious community a religious leader might be more suited, or if they had specific instructions on wanting a brief, simple and cheap funeral it might not be the right choice for you.

If you are arranging a funeral and would like support in organising it, a celebrant can be a great way to manage the pressure and create a meaningful service.