Melissa Jane Ceremonies

11/12/2025

✨ Christmas Memorial Service. A Truly Special Evening ✨

This evening, I had the honour of joining Reverend David Busk in leading a Christmas memorial service organised by William Peacock & Sons Funeral Directors. Although I have been a celebrant for five years, this was the first time I’ve ever been part of a service quite like this, and it was truly something I will never forget.

The chapel looked absolutely beautiful. Huntingdon Crematorium’s staff had decorated it with festive garlands and softly glowing candles, creating the perfect setting for a gentle and heartfelt evening of remembrance.

One of the most moving moments of the service was the Roll Call. Sara from Peacocks and I read aloud the names of those we remembered this evening. When the final name was spoken, the lights dimmed, O Holy Night began to play, and each person lit a candle in honour of their loved one, and the chapel felt almost magical.

Thank you to everyone who came, and to William Peacocks for inviting me to be part of such a meaningful and moving service. 🕯️🌟

07/11/2025

Sometimes this role takes me to places I never expected.

Last week, I found myself in Loughborough, leading a service for a vibrant young woman. Her family and friends arrived in a colourful array of hats and outfits which was a beautiful reflection of her spirit. It was an honour to hold that space with them and to help shape a farewell that felt 'just right' for her.

And in the coming weeks, I’ll be travelling to Colchester Crematorium to support another family as they say their goodbyes.

Although most of my work is here in Cambridgeshire, every service is unique and sometimes that means stepping a little further afield. No two days are the same, and that’s one of the many reasons I feel so privileged to do what I do.

If you, or someone you know, needs support in planning a heartfelt and personal farewell, whether near or far, I’m always here to help. 🤍

03/10/2025

I was really touched after this morning’s service to receive the most wonderful compliment from the Manager of The Gables Care Home in Chatteris, who told me I was the best celebrant she’d ever heard and that the service was absolutely amazing.

Coming from someone who has attended many services, those words truly meant a lot.

I never take such feedback for granted, every family, every goodbye, and every story deserves to be treated with care and heart. I’m just so grateful to be trusted to help make those moments meaningful. 💛

01/09/2025

✨Sometimes, words stay with us long after we first hear them.

At a recent service, I was asked to read this beautiful passage from The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I found the sentiment touching, as did many of those present, because it captures so honestly what grief can feel like.

“ I miss him. I know in my head that he has gone, but I still still keep looking. The only difference is that I’m getting used to the pain. It’s like discovering a great hole in the ground - to begin with you forget it’s there and keep falling in. After a while, it’s still there, but you learn to walk around it.”

Grief doesn’t disappear. Instead, we slowly learn to live alongside it. ❤️

09/08/2025

Direct Cremation and the Importance of Goodbye

As funeral traditions evolve, more people are choosing a direct cremation, a simple, unattended farewell. While this may honour an individual’s wishes, it can sometimes leave family and friends without the closure they need.

If you choose a local funeral director to carry out a loved one’s wishes for a direct cremation, there can still be the opportunity to say goodbye.

A celebrant can attend with a small gathering of family, speaking words of farewell and offering the comfort that comes from marking their passing.

Sometimes it’s these moments, however small, that help us begin to heal. 🌿

01/08/2025

“The Next Place” - A Poem of Peace and Hope

I read this poem at a service today, after suggesting it to the family during our conversations about their loved one. As soon as I shared the words, they felt right. His sister shed some tears and said it was beautiful. Sometimes, the right words find us when we need them most.

This is The Next Place by Warren Hanson, a truly beautiful reading. I hope it brings peace to you too. 💛

29/07/2025

Last week, just hours before a funeral, I received a phone call from the granddaughter of the gentleman who had passed away. She had just gone into labour!

There was a flurry of phone calls between the funeral directors, the crematorium and the music company, and a livestream was arranged so that she and her partner could watch from home.

As the ceremony began, I gave them a mention, waved to the camera, and wished them all the very best for the arrival of their new baby.

Today, I heard from the funeral director that the very next day, they welcomed a baby boy into the world 😊

A reminder that even in the midst of loss, life finds a way forward.

24/07/2025

The presence of a baby or young child at a funeral can bring an unexpected lightness to the room.

I recently led a service at Fenland Crematorium, and during the reflection music, the sweetest baby girl sat down in the sunlight that had flooded the centre aisle of the chapel.

She was holding an order of service as if reading it, while the music played gently in the background. It was such a heartwarming sight, a quiet and beautiful reminder that even as we say goodbye to one life, we are always making space for another.

Moments like that stay with you. 💛

15/07/2025

Some people stay with you.

Today I led a funeral service for a gentleman whose wife's service I also took, only a few months ago.

Over that time, I’ve grown close to their daughter and I truly hope our connection continues beyond the chapel doors.

After the service today, I was invited to join the daughter and the family at the wake. It was lovely to sit and chat with them in a more relaxed setting. I heard stories, saw their smiles, and got to be part of a little bit of lightness after a very emotional goodbye.

In both ceremonies, I was able to include words from Winnie the Pooh — beautiful words that bring comfort and calm.

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
Those words feel especially true today.

15/07/2025

✍️Writing a Eulogy or Tribute - Even When You're Grieving

Writing a eulogy or tribute can feel overwhelming, especially when you are grieving. But it doesn't have to be perfect, it just needs to be real.

Here are three tips if you've been asked to speak at a funeral.

🕊Start with one story.
Think of a moment that captures their spirit - a holiday, a saying they always used or something that made people laugh. Stories bring people closer than lists of facts ever can.

💛Speak from the heart.
It's ok to be emotional. In fact, it's expected. Just say what you feel, whether a sentance, a memory or a poem that resonates with you.

🌿Keep it simple.
You don't need to cover their whole life, just share the parts that mattered most to you. There's no right or wrong way to remember someone you love.

And, if it feels too much, that's okay too. Someone else, including myself, can read it for you.

You're not alone in this.💛

10/07/2025

Some interesting comments here. 💬

Remember that ALL local funeral directors can, and will, book direct cremations, keeping your loved one local and offering families more choices.

Even after a direct cremation, there are many ways we can still say that last goodbye, at the scattering of ashes, an ashes internment or holding a separate memorial service in a more relaxed venue.

Goodbyes can take place anywhere, not just at the crematorium 💛

07/07/2025

Music connects us across time, space and memory.

I’d love to hear yours — it might just inspire a future service 🎶

05/07/2025

Sometimes it’s the stillness just before a service begins that reminds me how important this work truly is.

Every ceremony I write is personal, written with care to honour a unique life and the love that surrounds it.

📖 Do you ever reflect on what you’d like said at your own farewell? It’s a tender thought, but one worth having.

02/07/2025

🌿✨My Website Is Now Live ✨🌿

I'm so pleased to share that my brand-new website is now up and running!

It's a space to learn more about me, the services I offer, read kind words from families I've supported and get in touch with ease.

Every ceremony I lead is personal, heartfelt and created with care. I hope this new site reflects that.

Thank you for all your support so far - I'd be so grateful if you'd take a look and share the site with anyone who might need a celebrant they can trust. I'd also love your feedback too!

📍www.melissajanecelebrant.co.uk
🧡Melissa Jane - Celebrant

01/07/2025

A lovely message from a recent service

19/06/2025

What lovely people Scott Robert Lilley-Creedon and Katie are at Serenity Funeral Service Ltd. Warm and welcoming, helping to make grieving families feel at ease in their care.

It was lovely to welcome Melissa, Funeral Celebrant, to the office today. Always a pleasure to have a chat and catch up. We’re looking forward to working alongside Melissa soon to help deliver truly personal and bespoke services to the families we care for 💜 Melissa Jane Ceremonies

19/06/2025

🌿 This morning, under blue skies and the warm sunshine, I led a burial service for a special baby boy.

The setting was peaceful and calm, the kind of quiet warmth that nature sometimes gives us in moments of deep sorrow.

It was, of course, an incredibly difficult day for the family. As their celebrant, I’ve walked alongside them from our first conversation to the heartbreaking final goodbye. Helping them to honour and love their little one through carefully chosen words, moments of stillness, and support that is never rushed.

This is the hardest kind of farewell and, as a mother myself, it’s something I feel deeply.
It’s important to me that no parent in this position should ever have to think about costs. That’s why I never charge a fee for services involving babies or children. The care, the time, the attention to detail, it’s all given with the same devotion as any ceremony I lead. But solely from the heart.

Sending strength and love to all those who carry little ones in their hearts today. 💛

18/06/2025

🌟 Exciting news! 🌟
I'm thrilled to share that a brand-new website for my celebrant services is currently in the works!

This space will be a place where you can find out more about the ceremonies I offer, read kind words from the families I've worked with, and get in touch with me easily. Whether you're planning a funeral, memorial, or celebration of life, I hope the new site will make things just that little bit simpler and more personal.

I can’t wait to share it with you soon - watch this space!

29/04/2025

Being a self-employed funeral celebrant can be difficult at times when trying to maintain a work/life balance.

However, on admin days like these, the balance seems pretty perfect!

14/04/2025

This Wednesday evening I shall be joining a panel of other funeral professionals to answer questions from the public at the event 'With the end in mind' in Ely.

I’m delighted to share that Melissa Jane Ceremonies will be one of the speakers at our ‘With The End In Mind’ Q&A Evening Event … which is happening this Wednesday!

Melissa who works as a funeral celebrant also has many years experience working within the funeral world so I am sure she’ll
have so much knowledge to share with us ❤️

With Ely Funeral Service , Elizabeths florist and Fenland Crematorium

22/03/2025

Whether you embrace tradition or celebrate individuality, there are so many beautiful ways to say a final goodbye to a loved one.

Today's service was unique for a lady who loved leopard print. The chapel was filled with bold and vibrant animal prints—even her coffin reflected her signature style. To honour her love of horses, a stunning horse-drawn carriage carried her on her final journey.

I couldn’t resist getting into the spirit of the day, wearing a leopard print skirt in her memory. It was a powerful reminder that funerals can be as colourful and personal as the lives they celebrate.

22/03/2025

Receiving messages like this means the world to me—it reminds me why I do what I do.
Thank you to this wonderful family for allowing me to be part of such a meaningful farewell. 🌿✨

13/03/2025

There are times in my work that remind me just how deep and delicate the role of a funeral celebrant can be. Today, I was asked to lead a service for a family facing unimaginable loss—one of many occasions where I have been entrusted with the most sensitive and difficult of goodbyes.

Over the last 5 years, I have been honoured to stand beside families grieving tragic losses, including the loss of children, those who left this world too soon, and those whose passing was sudden or unexpected. Each time, I am reminded of the immense trust placed in me to bring comfort, to find the right words when none seem enough, and to hold space for love, grief, and remembrance.

To the funeral directors and their staff who seek me out for these services, and to the families who allow me into their lives at their most vulnerable moments—thank you. It is a privilege I never take lightly.💙

08/03/2025

What Does a Funeral Celebrant Do? ✨

When we lose someone we love, we want to say goodbye in a way that truly reflects them. That’s where I come in.

As a funeral celebrant, my role is to create and lead a service that is personal, meaningful, and respectful of the family’s wishes. Whether it's non-religious, includes spiritual elements, or blends different beliefs, I ensure it feels right.

💬 I spend time with families, listening to stories and memories, so I can create a service that captures the essence of the person they’ve lost. 📖 I write and deliver a eulogy (or support a loved one in doing so), help choose readings or music, and guide everyone through the service with warmth and care.

🌿 A funeral should be more than just saying goodbye—it should be a moment to celebrate a life, share memories, and find comfort together. If you ever need someone to help honour a loved one in a way that feels right for you, I’m here to help. 💛

08/02/2025

✨ A Week of Gratitude and Personal Requests ✨

This week has been one to remember. I’m feeling moved by the personal requests I've received from families who have trusted me with their loved ones' services.

It started with a gentleman approaching me after one of my services, telling me how lovely he thought the ceremony was and that he’d like me to take his when the time comes. Such an unexpected and heartfelt compliment!

Then, a funeral director I haven't worked with in a while reached out because a family I had previously worked with specifically asked for me again. Then, a request from one of my regular funeral directors followed, as someone who had attended a recent service I led also asked for me.

The week finished on a special note when I traveled to London to take a service for friends of my family. They were so pleased with the funeral I did for their uncle last month that they asked me to take their mum’s service too. And just as I was on my way home, a friend reached out asking me to take her dad's funeral in a few weeks.

It’s incredibly humbling to be chosen by so many families, and I’m so grateful to be able to support them during such personal times. 🙏

31/01/2025

Moments like these remind me why I do what I do. Knowing I've provided even a small measure of comfort during such a heartbreaking loss is truly rewarding. It's so nice to receive beautiful feedback 🥰

30/01/2025

Being a funeral celebrant is such a rewarding and meaningful role. I feel incredibly privileged to help families celebrate the lives of their loved ones, particularly during some of their most challenging times.

Of course, there are moments that are especially difficult, such as when I'm asked to lead services for children or babies. These moments can be deeply emotional, and they remind me just how precious and fragile life is.

It's in these moments that I'm reminded how important it is to prioritise self-care - both for myself and anyone in a role like mine. Taking time to recharge ensures that I can continue to offer the compassion and support these families truly deserve.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve these families, and for the reminder that caring for ourselves helps us care for others.

24/12/2024

🎄As the year draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the funeral directors who have trusted me to support families during their most challenging times.

To each family I've had the privilege of serving this year, thank you for allowing me to honour your loved ones.

Wishing you all a peaceful and comforting Christmas filled with cherished memories and moments of joy. 🌟

11/12/2024

Recently, I had the privilege of leading a beautiful internment of ashes for a vibrant lady who was so deeply liked and loved by many. It was a true celebration of her life, held outdoors in the presence of her family, friends and even some of their beloved dogs 🐾

With a heartfelt reading from her sister, music that reflected her personality, and a joyous sing along to Fairytale of New York, it was a touching and memorable tribute. 💖

This service was a reminder that funerals and celebrations of life don't always have to follow the traditional path. Sometimes, they take place in separate settings, allowing families to create moments that truly reflect their loved one's spirit.

If you're looking for a way to make your farewell as unique as the person you're honouring, I'm here to help. 🌿

04/12/2024

This morning, I had the pleasure of attending a lovely coffee morning hosted by one of the fantastic funeral directors I regularly work with. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with fellow celebrants, share stories, and learn about each other's unique journeys into this profession.

I even had the chance to reconnect with some familiar faces I hadn't seen in a while and meet a few new ones, all while enjoying some much needed downtime away from writing scripts and eulogies.

It's always so inspiring to spend time with like-minded people who are just as passionate about creating meaningful and heartfelt services. Moments like these remind me how important it is to step back, share experiences, and support each other in this rewarding yet emotionally demanding work.

Here's to more mornings like this - filled with community, connection, and a good cup of coffee and slice of cake ☕ 🍰 ✨

07/11/2024

Yesterday I took an emotional service for a family who lost mum and dad within just days of each other. Both parents had lived a long and happy life but the loss of losing them both was profound and many tears were shed.
The family's wish was to have one service, honouring and remembering them both, as individuals and a couple, who shared over 7 decades together.
It was a beautiful and heartfelt send off and a privilege to help the family say their last goodbyes.

" Together they lived, together they loved, and together they will be remembered."

07/08/2024

It's always lovely to receive a hug from a family member at the end of a service and to be told your words were just perfect ☺️

20/07/2024

One of the prettiest and most peaceful parts of a cemetery I've ever seen. To see the ages on these stones is both saddening and humbling. I took a few minutes to sit on the bench in the sun and as I did, a fox ran up a line of graves, paused in front of me, gave me a quick look, then continued to run through the graves. 🦊 Wish I'd been quick enough to snap a photo of her 😍

14/07/2024

More people are choosing direct cremations, finding comfort in their simplicity and respecting the wishes of their loved ones. However, some families still wish to come together to remember and celebrate the life of their loved ones.

Today, I had the honour of leading a beautiful celebration of life for a wonderful lady whose family opted for a direct cremation. Her loving daughters gathered family and friends for a heartfelt ceremony that truly reflected her spirit.

The ceremony was filled with touching moments. Her daughter gave a poignant tribute and, along with 2 of the granddaughters, performed a moving rendition of 'The Lord's My Shepherd'. We shared stories, read meaningful poems, and joined together in song. To finish, we raised a toast in her honour, celebrating her life and the memories she left behind.

It was an afternoon of smiles, love and remembrance. These moments remind us of the importance of coming together to celebrate the lives of those we have lost.