The Ultimate Guide to a Celebration of Life Eulogy

Are you grieving the loss of someone dear to you? This ultimate celebration of life eulogy guide complete with eulogy example and prepared by me a funeral celebrant can help you. Learn how to write a heartfelt tribute speech  to honour and commemorate your loved one’s life.

Before we proceed, please accept my condolences for your loss. As a funeral celebrant having lost both parents myself, I understand this experience. I offer non-traditional funeral services to help families celebrate the remarkable lives of their loved ones.

What is a celebration of life eulogy? It’s a non-traditional funeral speech that highlights your loved one’s unique life. It honours and remembers the person who has passed, and can be given by a celebrant or family member. See the step-by-step celebration of life guide, and example…

 Celebration of Life Eulogy Guide | Example

 

black funeral celebrant London reading the celebration of life eulogy of Owen If - Stereo MC's drummer.
Funeral celebrant London – In commemoration and loving memory of Owen If

Why are sorrow and loss challenging?

In 2015, my mum Josephine Jean passed away, and I wrote a tribute speech. Coping with unexpected loss raises many questions: How do we move forward without anger? How do we cope with bereavement? How can we balance grief with happy memories? What goes into writing a celebration of life eulogy? And where should one begin? Well, start by researching how to write a eulogy. Get help from a funeral celebrant. I created a timeline of memories about my mum. My family and I chose to hold a non-traditional funeral; celebration of life (cremation. It was led by a Christian priest, with me, my aunt and brother officiating a semi-religious service.

celebration of life eulogy
Remembrance ceremony.

My mother

My mother was remembered as a devoted mother, grandmother, and sister. This eulogy served as our final tribute to honor a remarkable life. As the funeral celebrant, it provided solace during a challenging period. Use my eulogy speech example, it’s a proven way to create a great a tribute speech to express your feelings. Also, I’ve bundled together a collection of reassuring resources, other useful tools about writing eulogies and a eulogy example. Here we go…

Celebrate life with a great send off on their final journey

Ask yourself questions to prompt memories

Modern heirloom books have 35 questions designed to help recall memories of loved ones for legacy stories, eulogies, or tribute books. Use these prompts as inspiration when writing or sharing about someone you’ve lost. Source: Modernheirloombooks.com

Be inspired

If you’re writing a tribute speech and find it hard to focus, organise your eulogy as follows: 1. Introduction 2. Life Story 3. Personal Anecdotes 4. Lessons and Legacy 5. Conclusion. Use a photo of the deceased to help centre your thoughts and refer to example resources for guidance. Writing a eulogy allows us to say a meaningful final goodbye. Source: www.legendurn.ie

Celebration of life eulogy songs

Celebration of life eulogy songs can support individuals experiencing grief by helping them manage intense emotions. Music helps us honour the memory of our loved ones, offering a personalised approach. Grief may include difficult feelings related with loss. This can be significant for those who had close relationships with the person.

vibrant spring tulips blooming outdoors during a spring marriage proposal in Amsterdam
Photo by Szafran

 

Difficulty with reading eulogy

You may find it difficult to give an eulogy during a pre-death party or funeral service. So, make sure you have a support person who is ready to step in and give a helping hand. Let them stand next to you when you read the meaningful tribute speech, if needed. Otherwise, call upon an officiant / celebrant who is happy to read the eulogy on your behalf.

Don’t be afraid to feel

In addition, keep your personalised eulogy to a reasonable length. This ensures the funeral is exclusive and individual. Let your tribute mirror the individual’s principles, beliefs and morals. Moreover, represent you and your family in a way that feels manageable to everyone. Your eulogy is an important contribution at a memorial service, too. Make it a meaningful tribute speech!

Don’t Get Lost For Words

Are you lost for words, can’t think or feel like you are confused? Contact a celebration of life officiant. I’m sure they’ll help you find a beautiful personal gesture to resonate your true emotions. Create the right tone and feelings to express in your speech. Get constant access to handy and helpful set of words –  www.yourdictionary.com

Don’t Feel Alone

If you having a really difficult time feel lonely or unheard, find out why. There are many emotional stages of loss and grief. Please seek help for some consoling and understanding of what you are going through. www.family.custhelp.com, is a helpful place to guide you to move forward after the death of your loved one. In confidence, of course.

Do your research

Another thing, for a one-of-a-kind and colourful eulogy you need to do some research. As I mentioned earlier, use my tribute to my mother. Or get inspired by other eulogies, quotes, poems and templates online. These resources will help. You don’t need writing expertise to express your feelings. Highlight your loved one’s life in a distinct way and create a memorable day with this eulogy speech example.

Keep a notebook and pen

To write a meaningful funeral tribute speech or not to write, that is the question. Make it easy on yourself, always carry a notebook and pen. Otherwise, use your trusted smartphone and record your thoughts. Be inspired by anecdotes, past events and special memories of your loved one that can hit you anytime. And with that in mind, you’ll reflect on the personality of the dearly departed person. Even better, focus on their beliefs, values and the impact they made on your life. It will be an unforgettable eulogy and funeral service.

Keep everyone in mind

Perhaps you are anxious about delivering your eulogy? Or you don’t like to speak in public? Well, practice reading it aloud in front of a mirror. Take your time, take deep breaths and if the tears flow take a moment. You don’t have to be a key-speaker or officiant to deliver a meaningful speech. When the time comes to say goodbye your words will flow with ease.

Make it one of a kind

And there’s more, writing, drafting and delivering an eulogy doesn’t have to be difficult. In truth, it’s a beautiful short story, a brief biography about your deceased loved one. And the golden rule is, to keep the audience in mind when composing your meaningful funeral tribute speech. Also, family and friends can support you with writing an eulogy during your time of mourning.

Plan your celebration of life eulogy speech

What is a celebration of life well lived? Simply put, it’s a tribute ceremony to draw comfort, celebrate and acknowledge a loved one’s death, their life, accomplishments, achievements and their wins. You can include readings, poems, music and have a sing-a-long to mark their passing. This is the perfect way to give them a good send off!

Set a goal before writing a celebration of life eulogy

Set your goal before you write a meaningful funeral tribute speech or eulogy. Perhaps you feel that you don’t have much to say. But it’s not true, write down your emotional heartache and express yourself with a pen or computer. This way you or a celebrant can deliver a sincere message.

funeral ceremony meaningful tribute speech
Celebration of life officiants create heartfelt funeral tribute speeches. Funny funeral poems and uplifting verses for a celebration of life. Source: www.funeralguide.co.uk

Share and Trust

Officiants help you create a beautiful celebration of life script and heartfelt funeral tribute speech. It can be told by a devoted husband, mother, daughter or other member of the family is extremely inspiring, heartfelt and moving. I was so impressed and comforted; I had to use the poem for my mum’s funeral ceremony too. Got to carolmike25.blogspot.nl

Seek Counselling

Do you feel at your wits end writing a meaningful funeral tribute speech or eulogy example? Are you unable to cope? Do you disconnected, lost and overwhelmed? Look, you’ve  experienced a life-changing event and may need a space just for you. You may like to speak with a qualified Humanistic-Integrative Counsellor or living funeral planner about what is worrying you. Talking therapy helps!

Take time to grieve

Are you worried about crying while reading your eulogy? Well, that’s normal. Of course, you want to deliver it well. So, don’t worry, with your heartfelt words, you’ll transform a bereavement into a special farewell. Similarly, a written eulogy allows you to grieve in a natural way. It helps others as well in their time of need, too. Writing celebration of life eulogies are a great way to support one another.

Tell insightful stories

In addition, if you find it difficult to write an eulogy, use remembrance poems. In fact, tell happy stories, start with the lighter stuff and keep it inspiring (if you can). Writing something short and sweet for the memorial service enables you to say a personal last goodbye. Actually, make it relevant to you and deliver the ceremony that you want. It’s a formal expression of praise and a beautiful gesture to say goodbye.

Vondelpark
Celebrate a life well lived and the light we carry. It’s magnified and distorted through the lens of grief! Grief is love no place to go..

The book of condolences

Whether you have a living funeral, burial or cremation the book of condolences from Joincake.com helps you find appropriate wording for your eulogy. Make writing a testimonial easier. It is a great resource for inspiration, if you are lost for words. Create reassurance and peace of mind!

Take time to write the eulogy

How long does it take to write a eulogy? And how long should a eulogy be? Most celebration of life eulogies are between five and ten minutes in length. So, take as long as you need to choose the words that express your feelings and the departed loved one’s history. Recall funny moments to tell people about.

Write in the morning or nighttime

Are you a morning person? Do you like getting up at the crack of dawn? Well, after a good night’s sleep you’ll have a clear head to jot a few key phrases down. Your celebration of life eulogy speech or heartfelt funeral tribute reflects your loved one’s life, character and origin story. In fact, your heartwarming speech will be in honor of the person who has passed away.

Write Anecdotes

A celebrant for living funerals golden rule is: ‘It’s not what you say, but how you express the words you choose’. These elegant titles for a memorial, funeral ceremony or celebration of life eulogy, are extremely useful. However you would have to spend a little bit of money to receive well written title for your order of service program.

living funeral ceremony
Eulogy example | celebrant for living funerals | meaningful tribute speech echoes the pain, loss, joy and memory of a deceased loved one.

Write daily

When will your loved one be cremated or buried? Begin now editing this eulogy speech example template. Otherwise, start writing a beautiful tribute. Eulogies for secular funerals can take a while to compose. So, write daily and don’t feel intimidated by the act of writing about memories. Use all the strength within to put together a story and a fond farewell to treasure for always. Write a tribute speech now!

Write the eulogy with ease

Who is the person you are eulogising? Do you feel that you are not a writer? Have you ever written a tribute in praise of a person before? It’s a fact that, crafting an eulogy or heartfelt funeral tribute comes easier to funeral celebrant’s than others. But don’t let it put you off. You want to give the person who has died a good send-off. With your moving words the celebration of life becomes an extra special moment and a dignified farewell.

Use music, prayers & readings

During a pre-death party or a loved ones music can be a personal and special way to say goodbye. It’s not a requiem mass (funeral mass with a holy communion). Weave the deceased favourite songs, prayers, hymns and readings into your written tribute to make a musical eulogy.

Celebration of Life guide and officiant delivering a eulogy at a Non-Traditional Funeral in amsterdam
Heartfelt Funeral Tribute Speech – A Non-Traditional Funeral Celebrant Service – Dorytha Pang-Atjok

My Mum’s Celebration of Life Eulogy Example

Finally, arranging a pre-death party or funeral service without a sermon isn’t easy. However, an alternative celebrant-led funeral with no religious context may be the option. The light my mum carried was bubbly, feisty, funny and colourful. In 2015 her abundant life was drastically shortened by the debilitating effects of vascular dementia.

Maybe, like me, you’re battling with turbulent waves of overwhelming feelings and emotions: heartache, disbelief, regret, sadness, physical symptoms and possible anger.

To write a tribute speech fair-welling my mum was a very upsetting time. I mourned the thought of never being able to embrace or speak to her again, leaves me feeling devastated. She was my best friend. Questions come into play at this sad time.

So, get a picture of the deceased person and stimulate your imagination. This way you’ll put them at the heart of the eulogy. So, use my tribute speech in praise of my mum; a life to be celebrated and remembered. Feel free to adjust the template, so that it sounds like your own voice. Wishing you well during this difficult period. Take care!

 

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2 Comments

  1. Sondra Silvestri

    Thank you for insight. I’m not a writer and have no idea where to begin. I just learned my husband has 1-3 months left. So I need to start crafting as soon as possible.

    • Clover Jean

      Dear Sondra, Thank you for taking the time to read my article about my deceased mum and writing a celebration of life eulogy. I’m sorry to hear that your husband has 1 – 3 months left. It’s very sad news, so let me wish you much strength and comfort during the crafting of a heartfelt and unique eulogy. If I can be of further help, I’m here for you. All the best.

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