Goodbyes That Honour the Real Person
Honouring Life, Not Tradition
When someone you love dies, their farewell ceremony should reflect who they truly were – not who tradition says they should have been. The terrible dad jokes they told, the garden they loved pottering in, their kindness, their humour, the way they made people laugh, the values they lived by.
I create funeral and celebration of life ceremonies that focus on the wonderful presence someone had in people's lives, not just the sadness of loss. Heartfelt, honest ceremonies where the ceremony brings out their personality, their love for life, how wonderful they were as a father, brother or grandpa, and where guests leave thinking their life was honoured.
Funeral
services
Heartfelt
Personal
Types of Ceremonies I Create
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Traditional Crematorium Services
Respectful, personal services in crematorium chapels that honour your loved one authentically while working within their time constraints.
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Celebration of Life Ceremonies
Held weeks or months after the cremation/burial, these give families time to plan something that truly celebrates the person – often in meaningful outdoor locations with no time limits.
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Natural Woodland Burials
Eco-friendly burials in beautiful woodland grounds or wildflower meadows, often followed by celebrations in natural settings. This is something I'm particularly passionate about.
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Internment of Ashes
Meaningful ceremonies when scattering or burying ashes in places that mattered to your loved one – gardens, woods, beaches, favourite spots.
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Memorial Services
Ceremonies held significantly later to mark anniversaries or gather people who couldn't attend the initial funeral.
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Direct Cremation with Later Celebration
Your loved one is cremated simply and privately, then you plan a full celebration of life at a time and place that suits everyone – giving you freedom to create exactly what feels right.
Who I Love Working With
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Families Wanting Joyful Celebrations
You want to celebrate the person's humour, hobbies, passions and the joy they brought, not just focus on loss and sadness.
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Eco-Conscious Families
You're seeking natural burials in woodland or meadow settings, biodegradable materials (wicker, cardboard, wool, bamboo coffins), and ceremonies that honour someone's environmental values.
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Non-Traditional Preferences
You'd like guests to wear colour instead of black, to play unconventional music, to include laughter alongside tears, to celebrate outside in nature, to break from traditional funeral norms. That’s perfectly fine and I'd love to help you to do that in a way that’s meaningful to you.
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Diverse Beliefs
While I follow Buddhist practices personally, I respect all faiths and am happy for these religious elements alongside non-religious celebration when that reflects your family's mix of beliefs.
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Meaningful Outdoor Celebrations
You want the ceremony in a place that matters – so a favourite allotments, walking routes, beaches, woodland, gardens – not necessarily a crematorium or funeral home, I am there! If you are scattering ashes in public areas, venues, etc then you will also need to gain permission to do that.
Supporting Life’s Most Significant Moments
What Makes My Approach Different
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Celebrating the Whole Person
Yes, we acknowledge loss and grief. But we also celebrate terrible jokes, gardening obsessions, the way they danced, their kindness to strangers, their legendary Sunday roasts. The real person, you loved dearly, and who is fully honoured.
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Natural Burial Passion
I'm deeply committed to greener and more eco-friendly options. I can work closely with woodland burial grounds like Tithe Green Natural Burial Ground in Oxton – peaceful, beautiful resting places surrounded by wildflowers and nature.
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Buddhist-Informed Compassion
My meditation practice and Buddhist beliefs give me a calmness and presence that families find reassuring during such difficult times. I sit with grief compassionately without needing to rush or fix it.
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NHS End-of-Life Experience
My years working in NHS end-of-life teams, heart failure services and palliative care mean I truly understand what families are experiencing and how to support them with genuine empathy.
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Honest Storytelling
I'm not afraid to include the complicated parts if that's what honours the person honestly. Not everyone was perfect, and sometimes acknowledging struggles or challenges is part of telling their real story.
Honouring Every Story
Every Laugh
Beautiful Ceremony Possibilities
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Crematorium Services with Heart
Even within crematorium time constraints, ceremonies can be deeply personal, filled with meaningful music, honest stories, appropriate humour and genuine emotion.
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Outdoor Celebrations of Life
Gather at a beach where they loved walking their dog, an allotment where they grew vegetables and made friends, their favourite pub garden, or woodland where they found peace.
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Natural Burial Ceremonies
Gather in wildflower meadows or under trees, use biodegradable materials, create living memorials where wildflowers or trees grow in their memory.
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Memory Sharing
Guests share their own memories and stories during the ceremony, creating a fuller picture of the person's impact on many lives.
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Living Memorials
Guests take forget-me-not seeds home to plant, creating gardens of remembrance. Or families plant trees that will grow and provide habitat for wildlife.
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Personal Symbolic Acts
Releasing balloons (biodegradable), lantern lighting, favorite items displayed, music that really mattered to them, dress codes that reflect their personality.
Venues I Love Working With
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Tithe Green Natural Burial Ground (Oxton)
A stunning woodland and wildflower meadow burial site I visited and fell in love with. They offer natural burials, internment of ashes, and have "The Keep" – a handmade structure built from British trees where families can hold memorial services and warm themselves by the fire. Environmentally friendly, peaceful, aligned with my values completely.
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Crematoriums Across Our Region
I work respectfully within crematorium settings, making the most of time available to create ceremonies that feel personal and meaningful.
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Meaningful Outdoor Locations
Anywhere that mattered to your loved one can become a ceremony space – beaches, woods, gardens, parks, allotments, favourite walking routes.
Unforgettable Moments
Tailored to You
What's Included
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£200-£250
- Compassionate consultation to learn about your loved one
- As much time as you need to share stories, show photos, talk about who they were
- Support choosing poems, readings and music that fit them
- Beautifully crafted ceremony script honouring their life honestly and warmly
- Unlimited support throughout the process – call or email whenever you need to talk
- Liaison with funeral directors to ensure everything runs smoothly
- Ceremony delivery (25-30 minutes as a guide for crematorium, flexible timing for celebrations of life)
- Digital copies of ceremony materials afterwards
Working
together
How We'll Work Together
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Initial Contact
When you're ready, reach out by phone or email. We'll arrange a time to talk when you feel able to.
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Getting to Know Them
We'll meet (in person or via video if that's easier) and you'll tell me about your loved one. I'll ask lots of questions, look at photos, hear stories. This usually takes 1-2 hours and is often therapeutic for families.
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Crafting Their Ceremony
I'll write a ceremony that captures who they really were – their personality, their impact, their humour, their kindness, their quirks, what made them them.
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Your Review & Refinement
I'll send you the script to review. We'll make any changes needed until you feel confident it honours them properly.
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Coordination
I'll liaise with funeral directors, venues, anyone else involved to make sure everything flows smoothly on the day.
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The Ceremony
I'll deliver their farewell with warmth, respect and the right balance of sadness and celebration. Families often say afterwards they felt held through the ceremony.
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Afterwards
You will receive digital copies of everything. I'll check in a few weeks later, and I'm always available if you need anything else.
Common Questions
How soon can you meet with us?
Usually within 2-3 days of you contacting me, often sooner if needed. Funerals typically happen 2-3 weeks after someone dies, giving us time to create something meaningful.
What if we don't know what we want?
Can we include religious prayers or readings?
What's a natural burial?
Can we have the ceremony somewhere other than a crematorium?
How much does natural burial cost?
What if we cry during our meeting?
What People Say
She leads with kindness, authenticity, and emotional intelligence
It is an honour to offer this testimonial in support of Debbie as she begins her journey as a celebrant with Dragonfly Ceremonies. She is warm, intuitive, deeply empathetic, and has a rare ability to make people feel truly seen and heard. What truly sets Debbie apart is her character – she understands that ceremonies are not just events, they are milestones, memories, and moments that stay with people for a lifetime. Clients will feel supported, understood, and celebrated throughout the entire journey.
Your writing poetry is absolutely outstanding
Your careful attention to detail is evident throughout, and it's clear that you devoted a great amount of attention and time to shaping a ceremony that feels both heartfelt and profoundly meaningful. The tone of your writing is consistently bright and full of warmth. You've captured their characters with great sensitivity. You have created a ceremony that feels joyful, sincere, and deeply moving.
You have a natural, warm and absorbing voice
From day one, your passion and drive to nail this Celebrancy gig were just so evident. You've worked tirelessly to develop and perfect your writing skills and to inject your personality and that of your couples. You have a natural, warm and absorbing voice that makes people want to listen more, and it's clear you have a knack for connecting with people – that's just gold in our world of celebrancy.
Debbie is compassionate and empathic and I would highly recommend her.
From start to finish, the care and thought Debbie puts into a ceremony is exceptional. Her writing is warm, thoughtful, and beautifully crafted, capturing the story with great sensitivity and heart. Every element feels meaningful and carefully considered, creating a ceremony that is both moving and memorable. I feel that Debbie truly listens and supports the families she works with throughout the process.
No two ceremonies are ever the same
Dragonfly Ceremonies
Ready to Create Something Magical?
I'm here when you need me, ready to listen and support you create a farewell that truly honours your loved one.
📞 07773 020286 ✉️ dragonflyceremonies@hotmail.com