BRONWEN JAMES | CIVIL CELEBRANT
FUNERAL CELEBRANT
Several years ago I was at a funeral of one of my father’s best and life-long friends, Fred. Fred was a larrikin. He was the life of the party. He was a lovable rat bag who loved his sport and enjoyed a drink with his mates but you wouldn’t have known any of this from his funeral. Fred was well into his eighties when he died. He had been ill and would have hated being that way. That day the chapel was packed with friends and family who would have had an endless stream of stories to share that illustrated Fred in all his rouge-like glory. However, Fred’s funeral was a sombre affair with no glimpses of the joy and outrageous fun that his life had meant to all of us.
It felt as if the Celebrant officiating had simply inserted Fred’s name into the appropriate spot in one of her bog standard, pre-prepared ceremonies. I left the space feeling empty and angry. Surely this couldn’t be my final memory of this vibrant man who I’d known all of my life and surely there had to be a better way for this group of loving friends and family to celebrate Fred’s colourful life.
This is what inspired me to become a Celebrant.
More so than any other ritual, funerals are profound and defining. I believe they not only farewell the life-long relationship that you’ve shared with your loved one but also mark the beginning of a new relationship with them in a new form. They may no longer exist in the physical realm but they remain in your heart and your memories forever.
There are no hard and fast rules for a funeral ceremony and as such, you should feel free to do whatever you think is appropriate to truly represent your loved one, their personality and their life. After all, everybody’s life story is utterly unique and I will work with the deceased’s family members and friends to explore ideas to assist in making this defining moment as special as it can be - Dignified, authentic and enriching.
I have a particular interest in eco-friendly funerals and can connect you with the Adelaide funeral industry who are like-minded and sensitive to your philosophy and the ideals you envision. Although I am based in the Adelaide Hills, I have facilitated ceremonies throughout Adelaide and, indeed, all over South Australia.
On the day of the ceremony, I will bring my 30+ years of experience as a performer to deliver the ceremony with clarity and sensitivity. Equally, however, if you wish to undertake the majority of the facilitation yourself, I will help support you and the other presenters in this task.
I consider it an absolute privilege to work with families at this delicate time.
Get in touch today and let’s work together to create an authentic and honouring celebration.
Dearest Bronwen,
Thank you for your perfectly balanced and sensitive funeral service for Andrew. Many people approached to tell me how beautifully you spoke about him and how it gave his life dignity. I was so very grateful for your wise suggestions as we planned it together as it made a difficult process much smoother for me. Most importantly, I am extremely thankful that you were able to make the funeral a personal honouring and respectful memory for our girls of their Dad. xxxxx
Bronwyn
When our mother died a few months ago we chose Bronwen to be the celebrant for her funeral. Thanks to Bronwen our wonderful Mum was given the most beautiful send off. Bronwen immersed herself in the life of our Mum and created a superb and unique celebration of her life. It was everything that someone so loved, and so important in our lives, deserved, and more. Through the entire process Bronwen was deeply sensitive to our grief and supportive of what each member of the family needed to properly say goodbye. The highest praise we can give is that after the funeral, Dad asked Bronwen to officiate at his funeral when the time comes for him to join our Mum. Thank you so much Bronwen.
Gary
Look no further for the most genuine and authentic celebrant in Adelaide. Bronnie was the celebrant at my mother’s memorial and she made the whole process smooth and effortless. She gently guided me through the considerations that I needed to address and gracefully took charge when I needed help. The ceremony itself was everything I could have hoped for, and I attribute a large part of its success to Bronnie’s understanding of such a delicate time in a person’s life. If I ever get married, I have no doubt that as a marriage celebrant she would bring the same wisdom to another important time in our lives, that requires a perfect balance of presence and restraint.
Kate
Thank you so much. No-one could have done it better.