ABOUT
I’m Nicola Dela-Croix and I’m a Funeral Celebrant...
During the last decade I’ve created and led hundreds of tailor-made funeral ceremonies, celebrating the lives of unique individuals.
My work encompasses all ages and circumstances – I’ve helped husbands say farewell to their wives, supported young mothers as they lay to rest their sons, and helped daughters share memories of their fathers. I’ve met families struggling to make sense of illness, accidents and suicide; sat with terminally ill patients, listening to their life stories...
So now you might be thinking – “that’s a depressing job!” But it’s not. It’s the most fulfilling, uplifting, life-affirming work I’ve ever done and I’ve had some enjoyable jobs in my time, including 15 years in magazine journalism. Yes, being a celebrant has its sad moments, of course. But it’s not depressing. And that’s because each ceremony I do is a celebration of life – individual, joyful and unique in its own way, just like the person being remembered.
I do the work I do because I passionately believe that everyone deserves a funeral ceremony that is unique to them, tells their own personal story, and provides comfort and meaning to those left behind. Death is a fact of life for every single one of us – the most significant fact of life – but also the hardest to come to terms with. So I treat all my families with warmth, care and sensitivity, and do my best to deliver ceremonies which exceed their expectations. This is reflected in their feedback to me.
“The whole service was a masterpiece of planning, timing and, above all, feeling. Our friends and family felt so much part of it. And our son would have loved it. You did him proud. It takes a special kind of person to do what you do. I don’t think you could have got it more perfect. ”
Alongside my work as a Funeral Celebrant, I’m also using my knowledge and experience to encourage people to think about their own funeral ceremony – to play a part in deciding how they are remembered when their life draws to a close. Not an easy task as we live in a society where death is still seen as ‘taboo’. But by taking the mystery out of funerals and becoming more involved in their creation and delivery, we can ensure that each of us has the uniquely personal ceremony we deserve. And the more we play our part in that process, the more aware we become of our own mortality, and the more we appreciate the precious life we have. All of this is captured in Celebrate Your Life – a practical guide to creating your own truly personal funeral ceremony. And within my Manifesto for Life – 10 ways mortality awareness can help us lead happier, more contented lives.
WIth the ceremonies I create, the products I offer, and the beliefs I share, I’m proudly breaking taboos by taking the fear out of funerals and showing how we can all reap the benefits of making friends with our mortality. You can find out more about my ceremonies and if you’d like me to help you say farewell to someone special, please do contact me.
Nicola
