What is a Funeral Celebrant, and what exactly do they do?

Planning a funeral can feel like a heavy task — especially when grief is fresh.
​Among the many decisions to be made, people often find themselves asking:
Do we need a celebrant?
Or even:
​What exactly does a celebrant do?
Let’s unpack this, together.

So, what is a funeral celebrant?
A funeral celebrant is someone who works with families to create and lead a ceremony that honours the life of someone who has died. Unlike a religious minister or a funeral director, a celebrant’s role is to craft and deliver a personalised, often non-religious (or blended), ceremony that reflects the unique values, beliefs, and story of the person— and the needs of those who are grieving. Although celebrants are usually non-denominational — they can include spiritual or faith-based elements if that feels right for you.

Celebrants often meet with families, gather stories and memories, help shape eulogies or tributes, and write the overall script for the ceremony. On the day, they act as a calm presence — guiding the flow of the service, holding space for emotion, and ensuring each element comes together with care.

Can anyone be a celebrant?
Yes — in Australia, there are no legal requirements for who can conduct a funeral ceremony. A family member, friend or community leader can absolutely step in and lead the service. That can be powerful and deeply personal, and for many people, that’s the right fit.

Still, many families choose to work with a celebrant — someone experienced in holding space for grief, listening deeply, who can provide structure, compassion, and clarity at a difficult time. A good celebrant helps bring calm, creates coherence, and ensures structure and story flow to help capture the true essence of your person.

Why work with a celebrant?
Some of the most common reasons families choose to engage a celebrant include:

Support with storytelling – When emotions are high, planning a funeral can feel overwhelming. A celebrant helps you find the right words to craft a eulogy or tribute that that is true to your person. A celebrant helps you find order, and shape — especially when you're not sure where to begin.

Personalisation - Celebrants help you move beyond the generic, drawing out what was meaningful and distinctive about your person — their quirks, their legacy, their relationships.

Calm on the day – Having someone steady at the front of the room managing timing, welcoming speakers, introducing music or readings — making space for emotion, can be a great relief.

Freedom and creativity – Celebrants often have a broad view of what a funeral can be — and can suggest options you may not have thought of.

Including ritual and symbolism – A good celebrant can help you think about how to weave meaningful, symbolic elements into the ceremony, which can be personal, meaningful, grounding and healing.

A funeral is a ritual — and rituals matterWe often think of rituals as religious, formal, or perhaps old-fashioned. But at their heart, rituals are intentional acts that help us mark significant transitions — and death is one of the most profound transitions we face. Not just for the person who has died, but for all who are left to grieve and continue.

Anthropologist Arnold van Gennep described rites of passage — including funerals — as unfolding in three key stages:
Separation – the moment we step out of ordinary time and acknowledge that a death has occurred. This might include the announcement of death, preparation of the body, or the gathering of mourners.
Liminality – a threshold space of uncertainty and transformation, where we are no longer who we were, but not yet who we will become. This is often the space held by the funeral ceremony itself — where grief is expressed, memory is shared, and meaning is shaped.
Reintegration – when we begin to return to daily life, changed by the experience of loss. In this stage, the person who has died is carried forward in memory, and mourners begin to integrate grief into a new way of being.

Funerals follow this shape: we gather in acknowledgement (separation), we honour and express (liminality), and we return, altered and connected in new ways (incorporation).

When we include symbolic acts — lighting candles, sharing flowers, writing messages, or placing personal objects — we give form to the intangible. These gestures become containers for our grief, our love, and the meaning we are trying to make. (See my blog post on specific ritual ideas)

So, is a celebrant necessary?
No. And that’s a beautiful thing.

You can absolutely do it yourself. You might want to. Some of the most powerful ceremonies include raw, imperfect, deeply personal contributions from family and friends.

But it’s also okay to want help — or to hand over the reins to someone who can hold the shape of the day while you focus on being present.

A personal note
I became a celebrant after working for years in education and advocacy — roles grounded in listening, holding space, and supporting people through big transitions. For me, funeral celebrancy is about quiet dignity, creative care, and helping people feel seen in their grief. I now help shape ceremonies that are thoughtful, authentic, and grounded.

Every family is different. Some want guidance, some just want someone to stand beside them. Some people love words, others prefer gesture, music, or silence. It’s an immense privilege to be invited into people’s lives and my role is to help find what feels right for you.

If you’re planning a funeral and you’re not sure where to start — or simply reflecting on what you might want one day — I’m always happy to have a chat.
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Sometimes, just having a conversation can bring a bit more clarity and calm.

Over to you
Have you been to a funeral that stayed with you — for good or not-so-good reasons?
What rituals or gestures felt meaningful?
Did someone close to you step into the role of celebrant? Or was it helpful to have a guiding presence?
Feel free to share in the comments — I’d love to read your reflections.