FAQ

What are your fees?

For funerals our fees are handled by the Funeral Director. For all other ceremonies our fees are calculated once we know where the ceremony is going to take place so that we can estimate the travel and preparation time as well as the actual time researching and writing the ceremony for you.  Our fees would be agreed at the time of taking the deposit.

Can I pay in instalments? 

The deposit of 25% must be paid and any balance can be paid in instalments to be agreed from the outset and the total amount must be paid in full one month before the ceremony date.

What happens if I need to change the date of my ceremony? 

Changes to booking dates and times must be notified in writing and will be accommodated whenever possible but cannot be guaranteed.  If you decide to cancel your booking with us within 14 days of paying the deposit then it will be refunded in full.  After this time the deposit is non-refundable.  Cancellations closer to the ceremony date will result in charges as follows:

Within 3 months of the ceremony 60% fee plus travel and expenses

Within 2 months of the ceremony 80% fee plus travel and expenses

Within 1 month of the ceremony 100% fee plus travel and expenses

What happens if you are sick and/or can’t perform the ceremony? 

If, for whatever reason, we are unable to perform your ceremony we will do our best to find a suitable replacement Celebrant.  If we cancel and are unable to find a replacement, you will receive a full refund.

What happens when someone dies? 

If someone dies in hospital or in a hospice, a medical professional will be able to confirm the death. The next of kin will usually be allowed some time alone with the deceased before they are moved to the mortuary.

If someone dies at home and the death is expected, then you should inform their GP or if you don’t know who that is then you should call for an ambulance and on arrival a medical professional will confirm the death.

If someone dies at home or in a public place and the death is unexpected then an ambulance should be called, and the police will also attend. The police will inform the Coroner. A Funeral Director will then move the deceased to a mortuary. The Coroner’s office or Funeral Director will inform you of where the deceased will be taken. Once the Coroner is satisfied as to cause of death, they will issue a certificate allowing the death to be registered.

If you are the next of kin or the Executor of the deceased’s Will then you can arrange the funeral. The Funeral Director will help you with this. You must then decide whether you wish for the funeral to be held in a church, a crematorium, a woodland burial ground, or in a public cemetery. You can have a religious ceremony with a vicar, for example, or you can have a ceremony led by a Celebrant. You can use someone recommended by the Funeral Director or you can contact a Celebrant yourself. If you choose a Celebrant, such as Karen, they will arrange to visit you to learn about the deceased’s life. The Celebrant will support you throughout the process and help you to choose music, readings, prayers, or blessings to honour the life of the deceased, and they will conduct the ceremony for you.