Funeral and Memorial Services
Funerals: a celebration of life
The passing away of someone close to us is one of our most moving experiences, and it is natural that we wish to recognise these, our deepest feelings, in an appropriate service.
As your funeral/celebration of life celebrant, I will come and meet you and your family/whanau to listen with empathy about the life of your loved one. This will assist us to create a service that reflects your family’s wishes and to plan the service with you in a way that remembers and honour’s your loved one in a personal way to your family.
Sharing your loss with family and friends and others in the community will provide you support from people like you – those who miss and will always remember your loved one.
For more information about when someone dies, you can visit:
What you need to do when someone dies | New Zealand Government (www.govt.nz)
I am a member of Celebrants Aotearoa, and therefore undertake ongoing professional development.
Celebrants Aotearoa – Celebrants Association of New Zealand.
I work closely with your funeral director and because I belong to a network there is the added benefit of support and shared knowledge. Celebrants Aotearoa has close links with the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) and we believe this connection enhances the service we give to our clients.
Recently we were lucky to have Phillipa officiate at the funeral service of our much loved daughter. During a time where emotions were high, Phillipa was a breath of fresh air. She worked with us in a much needed, kind, calming and professional manner. She was empathetic, really listened and even had us laughing. She made herself available for the time needed. We never felt rushed and following our initial meeting we were very confident that she understood what the family needed to turn a very sad time into a celebration of a special life. She advised us on areas we were unsure of and collated our thoughts into a beautiful presentation.
Phillipa assisted us on the day, followed up after and was so patient, adapting quickly to last minute programme changes, keeping us on track.
We highly recommend Phillipa as the perfect person to assist with your funeral needs.
Memorial Service
This ceremony is held after the body has been buried or cremated and can take place any time after the death, giving you more room for creativity. This is because your family can take more time to plan a ceremony and decide how you want to pay tribute to your loved one.
I will help you to prepare a service that remembers and honours your loved one.
Memorial services may be held in any location and often the venue has some personal significance, such as a favourite beach, a park, or family home, in fact I remember celebrating a young man’s life in the stunning Lake Sylvan Forest, others have been at the clubrooms of their favourite sports (Golf, tennis, bowls etc), I’ve stood on mountain tops above Queenstown and in areas where the loved one used to hunt and/or fish.
As your celebrant, I will come and meet you and your family/whanau to learn about the life of your loved one and to plan the service with you in a way that remembers and honour’s your loved one in a personal way to your family.
There is no formal structure to a memorial service – let me help you to prepare a service that you know your loved one would be proud of.
Please contact me to talk about your funeral or memorial requirements.
Testimonials
