Celebrations of Life
A Celebration of Life - isn’t about saying goodbye. It’s a celebratory salute.
A moment to honour someone loved beyond words — not with hushed formality, but with light, laughter, and the kind of love that lingers long after the day is done.
A Celebration of Life is exactly what it says on the tin: a bold, beautiful tribute to a one-of-a-kind human. It’s about who they were, what they stood for, and all the joy they sparked in the world. No rush. No pressure. Just the space to gather when it feels right, in a place that feels like them.
Often, these ceremonies follow what’s known as a Direct (or Pure) Cremation — a simple, no-fuss option where there’s no service at the crematorium and no guests present. The ashes are quietly returned to the family, allowing you the freedom to plan something personal when you're ready. It’s gentle, respectful — and one of the most affordable options, with no funeral director fees, no hearse, no formalities. Just time and space to do things your way.
Because when you do gather — it should feel honest. Meaningful. Theirs. There are no rules here. No squeezing into pews if you don’t want them. No whispers. Instead there’s stories or music, hugs, and that one ridiculous anecdote they’d have wanted told.
Picture it: sunlight through trees, a beach they adored, their favourite song rolling out as smiles break through tears. A garden full of friends. Glasses raised. Bellies laughed. Hearts cracked open in the best kind of way.
These are the moments that stay with you.
Where grief and gratitude dance together.
Where guests leave saying, “That was so them — and I feel lucky to have known them.”
As your Celebrant, I bring heart, humour, and a deep love of storytelling. I’ll help shape a ceremony that’s personal, powerful, and packed with soul — whether that’s barefoot by the sea, under the stars, or anywhere their spirit still sings. Let’s celebrate them.
A Celebration of Life is not about mourning in silence… It’s about remembering in full colour. A standing ovation, overflowing with love.
Why I do this…
My Dad passed away over 10 years ago. His Funeral ceremony was beautiful in its own way — full of love and intention for this broad shouldered, beautiful souled, chunky calved, my Chateaunuef Du-Pape drinking hero and best friend.
I’ll never forget that quiet, heavy drive behind the hearse, the hush of the crematorium, the ache of grief pressing down on the room. It didn’t feel like us. It didn’t feel like him. I wish I’d known about Celebrations of Life then.
My dad was the life of the party. A surfer, through and through. He used to joke that when he passed away, we should tie him to his board and push him out to sea. We laughed at the time — but looking back, there was such truth in it. He was wild and free, full of heart and mischief. I smile at how we could have celebrated him with a gathering standing barefoot in the sand, playing his favourite Bruce Springsteen tunes, and letting stories and laughter drift out to the waves.
That’s what a Celebration of Life gives you:
Space. To feel what you need to feel.
Freedom. To honour them as they were.
Permission. To make the moment real, and beautiful, and theirs.
It lifts the weight of tradition and replaces it with something rich in meaning — personal, heartfelt, and full of light. It’s what I now feel called to create for others.
Ceremonies filled with soul. With story. With warmth.
If you’re drawn to a more traditional Funeral cremation ceremony, I absolutely officiate those too.
I treat every ceremony with the same care, empathy, and wholehearted warmth — whether it’s a classic service or a more modern Celebration of Life. My focus is always on creating something personal and meaningful, where love is honoured, stories are shared, and both joy and sorrow have space to breathe.