Vanessa Ballard

A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO ORGANISING A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

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1. Make contact to see if I am available to conduct your loved one's ceremony.  Please indicate the date, time and location of the ceremony and I will give you a quote for my services.  I work with all funeral homes.

2. We will arrange a date and time to meet at your home or at a cafe.

3. To this meeting please bring a couple of photos of your loved one so I can get a mental picture of them. The photos can be on your phone - I don't need copies.

4. We will discuss your loved one, what they were like and what they meant to you.  We will look at the ceremony itself, who might speak, music and audio-visual requirements, arrangements for the wake, if you are having an Order of Service printed etc.  I will provide music ideas, humanist readings and poetry along with bible scriptures and prayers, and you can choose what best suits your loved one according to their beliefs.  I will also provide tips for writing the eulogy.

5. After our meeting I will email through the Run Sheet which outlines the plan for the ceremony.  Although you might not have locked in all speakers or made a final decision regarding music, it is still helpful to have a plan to work towards.  Once the Run Sheet is finalised I will forward it to the funeral arranger so that they are clear on the proceedings.

6. I will then email a draft of the funeral ceremony itself.  This document is like a script and contains all that I will say during the ceremony, including the welcome, introduction of speakers, collective farewell and closing words. 

7. You will have the opportunity to make changes to the draft or you can ring through changes and I will make them.

8. On the day I will arrive 20 minutes beforehand to liaise with family and funeral director and assist with any last minute arrangements.  When you are ready to begin I will lead the gathering in a warm, fitting and respectful celebration of life.

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