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Tips for Delivering Your First Funeral

celebrant training funerals Apr 24, 2023
 

It’s one thing to train as a celebrant. It is quite another to go out into the world and take on your first paid funeral job. What if it goes horribly wrong? What if I forget their name? What if I get sick the day before the funeral? There are so many worries and intrusive thoughts you can get before your first ceremony. This is normal. We have all been there. 

To offset this, we reached out to our supportive Celebrancy Facebook group and asked them what tips they have for new celebrants delivering their first funeral. 

We hope this helps to alleviate some of your fears and brings you new confidence. 

Prepare, prepare, prepare

Carol, a trained celebrant in our group, says preparation is the key to success when delivering a first funeral. She said, “Read the eulogy to fluency. Check the music is in place. Always arrive early”. You should never feel caught off guard, so make sure you prepare for every outcome. Make sure, as well, when reading your eulogy, that you read it out loud and at a slower pace, so that everyone can understand. 

Time for a tongue twister!

If you don’t know that Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, it’s time to get familiar. Our celebrant Simon said, “Turn up early and do some mouth stretches and tongue twisters”. This will help to prevent you from becoming tongue tied, or getting your words mixed up. Your voice will also project further and more confidently if you do lots of speaking in advance. Even if you feel nervous on the inside, it won’t reflect on the outside!

Take your time

When we feel nervous, it is tempting to rush. If this is your first time standing in front of a crowd and delivering a eulogy, you might speak too quickly to try and get it done with. Our celebrant Jo says, instead, make a conscious effort to speak more slowly than is comfortable. 

Try to enjoy it

You became a celebrant for a reason. Try to remember what that reason is. You are about to play a meaningful role in another person’s life, and this is something to be proud about. Try to enjoy the moment, and this will help you to relax more and deliver the funeral with more confidence and fluidity. 

Train with us

The best way to prepare for a funeral is to do your celebrancy training with ICPC. A big part of our training is writing and delivering a eulogy, as well as becoming familiar with the processes and rituals commonly found in funerals. 

We offer residential training in the stunning Yorkshire Dales, as well as a choice of two celebrancy qualifications. 

Read more about celebrancy training here.