4 Traits to Look for in a Funeral Celebrant Brisbane 

A funeral should offer a fitting farewell to your loved one and a true representation of who they were as a person, so how do you pick a Funeral Celebrant in Brisbane to conduct the service? 

A Funeral Celebrant’s role cannot be underestimated. They tend to be the one writing and presenting the service, and thus have the ability to influence how the funeral – and your loved one – is remembered.  

Below we discuss the role of Funeral Celebrants in more detail, share four (4) traits to look for when you’re talking to any potential candidates and the names of some of the trusted Brisbane celebrants we work with.  

What does a Funeral Celebrant do? 

A Funeral Celebrant will officiate a service and as a consequence they have the largest speaking role on the day.   

It is their goal to compose and deliver a service which accurately captures the life and personality of the deceased, connects with those who attend, and provides ample opportunity to say goodbye.  

In order to put a meaningful service together, they will work closely with family members and friends of the dearly departed.  

Their role can include: 

• Meeting with family and or friends to understand who the deceased was and what details about their life should be shared during the funeral service.  

• Writing an accurate and meaningful service. In some cases, they may prepare and deliver the eulogy. If you will be writing the eulogy, we’ve shared some tips here.  
• Liaising with the funeral director and loved ones about the order of service. They may help to plan poems or readings.  

4 Traits to Look for in a Funeral Celebrant  

A person who can compose and deliver a personalised, meaningful and accurate service will need to possess the following characteristics:  

1. Empathy  

It can be very difficult to discuss death, and talking to a friend or relative directly after their loved one’s passing and organising a service that paints a memorable and accurate picture of them requires understanding, empathy and good listening skills.  

2. Organisation  

As funerals tend to take place within a few days of a person’s death, being organised is important as the celebrant doesn’t have a long time to discuss the service with the family and put a fitting service together. 

3. Reliability 

Due to the typically short time frame discussed above, reliability is also critical as you want to trust that the celebrant will stick to their commitments, such as attending any meetings, answering your questions and of course being well-prepared and ready on the day of the service.  

4. Qualifications/Experience 

Leading a funeral service that honours a person appropriately takes confidence and experience.  

Having been through the proper training and taking part in services will mean that they will be better equipped to answer queries before the service and officiate the funeral with poise and respect. 

Our Recommended Celebrants

At Anton Brown Funerals, we have a few celebrants who we highly recommend, including, Rod Schafferius, Carolyn Symes, Wendy Staines and Peter McCarthy. 

Our Funeral Directors will usually get a feel for the family at the arrangement and put them in touch with the celebrant who we believe is the best fit.  

Families are also more than welcome to use their own celebrant or family member/friend to conduct the service.  

If you have any further questions about the celebrants we recommend or a Funeral Celebrant’s role please don’t hesitate to contact us today on (07) 3217 3088.