Email - funeralcelebrantmark@gmail.com
Phone - 07950 136 608
Warmth
Integrity
Celebration
Mark strikes a balance between compassion, craft and creativity. The eulogy he wrote for my Mam, captured the essence of her life and the way she was loved. Truly memorable.
– Kerri O’Brien
Welcome
My name is Mark Reid.
I'm a funeral celebrant, based in Gloucestershire.
My path to creating funeral ceremonies and writing eulogies began when I had to do this for members of my own family. I found this deeply rewarding not only for myself but for the family and friends who inevitably experienced our shared funerary rituals as a beginning to the path of loss, grief and acceptance as well as the celebration of a life.
From these personal experiences I decided to train and become a professional funeral celebrant under tutelage of ‘The Celebrant Circle’ and gained my qualification in 2025.
Losing someone who has been part of our lives is painful; there’s no denying this. And when loss is profound, we might experience this as a kind of ‘darkness’. But there is also light in this necessary rite of passage. In remembering those who have passed, in celebrating their lives and what they meant to us through ceremony, words and music; we honour the essence of who they were and the effect they had on our lives. It can be about expressing our loss as well as our gratitude for the privilege of having shared a life with them.
Funeral Ceremonies
Funeral Ceremonies
Honouring Lives
I can provide a Funeral Service to honour the life of your loved one.
Initial Phone Call
This call is to discuss your initial needs and to arrange an in person visit.
Home Visit
During this visit we will talk about your loved one. This conversation is important because it allows us to get to the heart of who your loved one was and what experiences shaped their life. We will talk about what they loved and inspired them, relationships with family and friends and significant events that coloured the lived experience of their life. I believe a good eulogy is more than a factual list of dates and qualifications, but we will discuss these things; sometimes evoking a time and a place that was inhabited by someone also reflects something of who they were. We will also plan the overall shape of the funeral ceremony.
Writing a Eulogy
From this time together, I will write a eulogy* for your loved one. Before the day of the funeral you will receive a copy of this eulogy to make sure you are happy with it and give your approval.
*I will not use any form of AI in the writing of a eulogy or any other aspect of the funeral ceremony.
Leading the Ceremony
On the day of the funeral, I will meet you at the venue and lead the ceremony we have planned. I will stay for the duration of our time at the venue until you are ready to proceed your post-funeral gathering.
Rite of Committal
If a cemetery burial is part of the funeral plan, I’ll travel independently to the cemetery after the main ceremony and perform a rite of committal at the graveside depending on what we’ve decided.
Cost
My fee for 2026 is £250 for a standard 20 min crematorium ceremony (£375 for a double slot of approx. 40-45 mins). I can also be available for interment of ashes. Please contact me for pricing on this service.
Your Ceremony, Your Way ...
Celebrating Lives
Once a body has been collected by an undertaker, people often feel like a certain path of decisions and expectations has been set in motion, which is understandable, we are after all, in a state of grief when this time comes and don’t always know what decisions we can and can’t be part of.
But it doesn’t have to be that way…
You are the direct representative of your loved one, you know them best, and you can have a say in the creation of a ceremony that represents who they were, and what they meant to you.
Or perhaps your loved one has left a Funeral Wishes document or created an End of Life Plan.
There is a surprisingly huge amount of flexibility when it comes to creating a funeral, indeed in most cases, you are only limited by your imagination and on occasion small logistical issues- often beyond your control.
A funeral doesn’t have to take place at a crematorium or funeral home, it could take place at a family member’s house or garden, at a local village hall or even a local sport’s club that your loved one was involved with. Any place that has some sort of connection to the person you loved has the potential to be a venue for a funeral.
I would be honoured to collaborate with you to create a bespoke ceremony that is crafted from the heart.
Please contact me if you would like to work this way.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after death does a funeral take place?
While there is no statutory deadline for a funeral to take place, a funeral is generally arranged within 7 to 14 days of death, though depending on circumstances this can take longer. Factors which can affect when a funeral is held include coroner’s reports, issuing of death certificate and even the logistics of attendance by family and relatives.
What is the difference between a Funeral Celebrant and a Funeral Director?
A funeral celebrant is the person who works with the family of the deceased to create then lead the ceremony for your loved one. In most cases they will write the main eulogy and can also advise on readings and musical tributes within the ceremony. A funeral director, sometimes referred to as an undertaker, is in most cases the person who collects and cares for the body until the time of the funeral. They are also involved in most of the logistical considerations of a funeral, including but not limited to; ordering a coffin, arranging the burial or cremation and related paperwork, providing transport and bearers, flowers and printing the orders of service.In most cases once a celebrant has been booked, they will liaise with the funeral director and crematorium to ensure continuity.
Who makes the funeral arrangements?
The next of kin, in most cases, has authority to make the funeral arrangements for their loved one. In cases where a person has documented their funeral wishes, you will have a guide which can help the planning of arrangements. If the deceased has left a will then the executor is responsible for ensuring any funerary requests are honoured.