A funeral officiant structures the service and leads the ceremony. People sometimes refer to this person as the funeral celebrant. While wedding officiants need legal recognition to oversee a wedding, funeral officiants face no such requirements. Anyone can serve as a funeral celebrant, making it crucial to choose the right person to honor the deceased and ensure a smooth service.

What Are Your Choices for Officiants?

People often choose religious or spiritual leaders as funeral officiants. However, if your family or the deceased do not follow a religion, you might not feel comfortable with a pastor or priest. Funeral homes might have an ecumenical or non-denominational funeral director who can officiate the service.

Another option is allowing friends or family members who have public speaking experience to lead the funeral if they feel comfortable doing so. However, it can be challenging to officiate a funeral for someone you care about, as emotions can run high. The ULC has several ministers who also officiate funerals.

What Type of Service Do You Want?

Many churches offer a standard funeral service to guide the ritual. Discuss the type of service you want with potential officiants. Choose an officiant who will collaborate with you to create a ceremony that suits the deceased and your family.

The officiant does not have to personally know the deceased. A professional officiant can ensure a seamless service by introducing speakers and friends of the deceased who will address the more personal aspects of the service.

What Questions Can You Ask a Potential Officiant?

People often spend weeks interviewing wedding officiants, but you might not have that luxury when planning a funeral. Here are some questions to ask the celebrant so you can learn more about them and how they can help you:

• What types of services do you offer?
• How much assistance do you provide in planning the service?
• Do you offer sample readings or help with music?
• What resources do you have for the service? 
• Do you provide audio or visual technology?
• Do you help coordinate with the venue?
• Will you support our preferences, even if they don't align with your beliefs?
• Can you provide a eulogy if needed?
• Are you available on our date of service?

As you discuss the service with the officiant, you'll likely have more questions. Don't be afraid to use this time to remember your loved one and start the grieving process. Being authentic with your officiant can help you create a service that honors the deceased.

How Much Does a Funeral Officiant Charge?

Experienced funeral officiants might charge between $200 and $500, but there is no standard fee. Some officiants may ask for a donation to their organization instead of payment.

Friends and family members might offer to officiate the funeral. Do not assume that they will provide their services for free. Although having an open conversation may feel awkward at the time, you should always clearly discuss payment expectations ahead of time to avoid any issues later on. Having a professional officiant who can lead the service and keep it on track can be worth the expense.

Ensure You Feel Comfortable with the Officiant

It's crucial that you trust your officiant so you can comfortably let them take charge during the service and allow your family to focus on the grieving process. Your officiant should spend time with you, getting to know the deceased through your perspective. You also want to feel comfortable discussing any potential issues about the funeral with the officiant. You're placing significant confidence in this person to conduct an honorable service. Ensure the officiant deserves that trust before hiring them.