Funerals & Memorials
'Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.'
A true celebration of your loved one
When my father died in 2017, it was the most important thing in the world to me, to be sure that we gave him the kind of funeral that he deserved. Despite all the pain we were feeling, I was determined to make sure that the ceremony fully reflected the man he was and what he meant to us and to everyone who knew him.
I will always be proud of the fact that many people said afterwards that it was the ‘best funeral’ they had ever attended. That might sound strange to some, but the send-off we give to our loved ones is a vital part of the grieving and healing process and I believe that the memory of that final event in someone’s story should be just as precious as memories of their life.
This is why I am absolutely committed to helping you to create the best possible ceremony for your loved one, which will be as unique as they were. Almost anything is possible - please do not be afraid to ask.
A proper goodbye is so important
Although many of us have got used to funerals following a rather standard format, there are really very few restrictions about the content, format or style of the ceremony you can have. Obviously cremations and burials can only happen in certain places, but there is no rule that says you must have the funeral/memorial ceremony at the same time or place; no rule about the type of music or readings you can include and no rule about what can be said or what people should wear.
Many families were unable to have the scale or type of ceremony they really wanted for a loved one during the restrictions associated with Covid-19 and will want to put that right, now that we are allowed to gather together again. Also, the increasing popularity of ‘direct cremation’ plans means that more people are deliberately choosing not to commit their families to arranging or attending any kind of formal funeral, but some may still want to get together to remember that person, no matter when or where that might be – it is important to feel we have said our goodbyes and honoured the person we have lost in the best way we can.
To say that we were pleased with the work that Sarah did for us, is to under-estimate exactly what she achieved. For a start she was meticulous with her research, liaising skilfully with each party involved, and was not in the least perturbed by the amount of material she had to fit into the Crematorium’s timescale. She managed to weave the information that we gave her in such a way as to give a totally true picture of my late husband’s life, capturing the very essence of his personality and sense of humour. This meant that people were enthralled from the minute that she took us on “the journey” , as she embroidered his life achievements on a blank canvas which gave us a clear picture of the man he was. We thank Sarah for all her hard work which helped to make the day memorable for all of us.
Sandra
Service Type: Funerals & Memorials
Sarah Hall was the perfect Celebrant for my father’s funeral. We’ve had so many comments about how she captured Dad’s essence completely. We cannot thank her enough for all her diligent preparation and sensitive guidance throughout, culminating in what was a fabulous celebration of his life.
Sophie Horne
Service Type: Funerals & Memorials
We chose Sarah as our Celebrant because we had known her since childhood, and she had also known our dad. This was very important to us because we also wanted someone that we could trust with our fondest memories.
Sarah gave us the time and space to collect our greatest memories and she was able to convey the true person we were celebrating. People have told us that felt it was a genuine representation of the man our dad was, genuine and lovely.
She supported us with ordering our celebration and worked with our funeral director. Although we will miss dad and losing him leaves a great hole in our lives, thanks to Sarah’s style and warmth we can truly say, his service was a celebration of his life and provided comfort rather than sadness
Paula Black
Service Type: Funerals & Memorials
My Fees
Crematorium ceremony – £220. If you are using a funeral director, my fee will form part of their final bill
For an independently-organised funeral or memorial event, I charge from £250, depending upon the amount of content and planning needed.
In both cases, this covers:
- A meeting at your home or other mutually convenient location, to talk about the person you have lost and to discuss your thoughts and ideas about the ceremony.
- Help with choosing music, readings and any other elements, if needed.
- An initial draft of the eulogy (if required), followed by revisions, as necessary. I am also happy to proof-read and/or give advice on eulogies or other pieces written by friends or family members, if this is helpful.
- Liaising with the funeral director/crematorium/burial site, to ensure everything is closely coordinated and exactly as you want it.
- My travel costs (within 30 miles of Haywards Heath).
Please note that there is no charge for the funeral of a baby or child.
Want to know more?
I would love to help start creating something really special for you.
