Celebration of Life

A Celebration of Life Ceremony is a non-religious service which allows for family and friends to pay tribute to the life of their loved one who has recently passed away. Celebration’s of life allow for family and friends to say goodbye and honour their loved one’s legacy, in an alternative way to a traditional funeral.

The service is unique and personal to celebrating the personality and life that your loved one has lived. Family and friends are invited to share happy memories, stories and poems which resemble their loved one who has recently passed. The service consists of music, eulogies and different speeches which positively reflect on the life your loved one has lived.

The service usually takes place after a public reposing in either our funeral home or a house. For example, a public reposing could take place from 5:00pm – 6:30pm in our funeral home, with the celebration of life service commencing at 6:45pm. The services usually last about 45 minutes, but we are fully flexible about altering the time to meet the needs of your family.


We have a fantastic team of Celebrants which we use for our celebration of life services. Our celebrants will meet with you either in your house, or in our funeral home, to discuss how you would like the service to be carried out and to get an insight into your loved one and their life lived. Alternatively, families often designate a family member or close friend to lead the service, meaning they will introduce and instruct people to speak at different times, or a member of our team here at Irwin’s Funeral Home can lead the service.

Often the lid of the coffin is closed that evening, with the burial or cremation taking place the following day. Celebration of Life services can also take place earlier on in the day, with the burial or cremation taking place the same day.

Celebration of life services can be livestreamed through our Facebook page if requested.