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Funerals

A celebration and reflection of life

When a loved one passes, making the decision on how to say goodbye can be quite difficult.

Part of the issue is that the deceased may have left instructions for their family telling them that they don’t want a fuss, or incur a cost for their family by having a funeral service. For the family keeping costs down is also a serious consideration especially if there is no insurance cover or limited Government support through MSD to cover all the costs for a funeral.

But saying goodbye is important in terms of the grieving process. A service is important for those who are grieving because it brings a sense of closure and gives family members a chance to move forward individually and together, it’s almost like a cleansing. I often tell families that Funeral Services are for the living; because it is at that time we come together to: grieve and cry, to laugh and celebrate our departed one’s life.

After 25 years as a Celebrant I have developed different alternatives to help families through this difficult time. You can choose a Service that best suits your budget and at the same time brings a sense of closure and assist you with the grieving process.

The following relate just to the type of service you might want and the costs involved. It does not include the other costs that you incur and discuss with the Funeral Director.

Traditional Funeral Ceremonies

A full funeral Service normally takes place with the deceased’s body present – so it occurs before a cremation or burial.

In this alternative I meet with the family and together we plan the Service you need. Often there is music, perhaps a photo slide show, poems, tributes and eulogies. I help and advise the family, but the final decisions are theirs to make.

This sort of Service can include any number of mourners depending on the Government Covid levels. This type of service might take 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on all the variables the family add in.

A full Service would incur my Celebrant Fee of $400 (plus a $50 transport cost out of Tauranga) just for the Celebrant. The family would negotiate with the Funeral Director all other costs for the Funeral.

Memorial Ceremonies

A Memorial Service occurs once the deceased has been cremated and the body reduced to ashes. A memorial Service can be held following a burial but time and/or distance prevents mourners from being present. This is very relevant in these Covid times.

 

The Celebrant Fees are exactly the same as the Services I provide listed above

Definition of terms

  • A Funeral Service is one where the deceased’s body is present at the service. It occurs before burial or cremation
  • A Memorial Service occurs once the deceased has been cremated and the body reduced to ashes.. A memorial service can be held following a burial but time and/or distance prevents mourners from being present. This is very relevant in these Covid times.
  • A Committal Service is a very simple short Service, typically with few mourners present.
  • Cremation is where the deceased body is reduced to ashes and the body is not buried. Families can keep the ashes, scatter the ashes or bury the ashes.
  • Burial is where the body is laid to rest in a cemetery or some such legal place. The term interred is often used.
  • Embalming is a process where a specialist prepares the body so that it does not decay. This has to happen if the family take the body home for more than 24 hours. It should occur if there is more than a 3-day delay between the time of death and the final farewell.
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