For generations, a funeral was often defined by formality, by what was expected rather than what was felt. Today, we are witnessing something far more real. Funerals that are becoming true celebrations of life. Not celebrations in the sense of glossing over grief, but in honouring a person fully, their warmth, their humour, their flaws, their values, and the way they made others feel.
More than ever, the eulogy, often referred to as the tribute, matters.
In truth, it has always mattered. What has changed is our understanding of just how central it is, and our willingness to do it properly. For far too long, tributes were rushed or reduced to a list of dates and accomplishments. Lives were summarised rather than revealed.
Today, families are asking for more and rightly so, it is what everyone deserves. They want to hear the heart of their person. A thoughtful and creative tribute doesn’t just recount a life, it honours it. It gives voice to love, meaning, and connection, in a way that resonates with everyone present, that is so important, in fact it’s not just important, it’s imperative.
A eulogy should no longer be a simple chronology or a list of achievements, we have all sat in on those funerals and let’s be honest, it’s boring. While dates and milestones have their place, they do not capture a life. What families need and what mourners quietly long for is to hear who their person truly was. What defined them. What they stood for. How they loved, dressed and what their favourite scent was. How they will be remembered when the years fade. A carefully and beautifully written eulogy gives voice to character, not just history.
When this is done well, the impact reaches far beyond the service itself. A meaningful funeral sets the tone for everything that follows, the wake, the conversations, the giggles, the shared stories, and the gentle steps towards living with loss. It allows families to leave feeling held, understood, and proud. It helps create a sense of closure while also offering permission to move forward, carrying love and smiles.
This is where the role of the celebrant becomes vital.
To create a service that truly reflects a life takes far more than good intentions. It requires skills, deep listening, sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and the confidence to guide families through one of the hardest conversations they will ever have. It requires training. At the Academy of Professional Celebrants, this is what we pride ourselves in.
We believe that every family deserves the very best send off for the person they love and have loved for what feels like forever. Anything less simply isn’t good enough. That belief is the reason Stuart Logan founded the Academy of Professional Celebrants many years ago.
After more than twenty years in the industry, and having witnessed thousands of funerals, Stuart had seen first hand what happens when services are delivered without care, skill, or proper training. Too many poor celebrants, too many badly delivered eulogies, too many missed opportunities to honour a life well lived or indeed a life that has to be handled with the upmost care. His heart told him enough was enough.
So, he wrote the training from the heart. Training designed to raise standards, restore dignity, and put families back at the centre of everything we do. Since then, the Academy has trained thousands of celebrants who now give families exactly what they deserve, meaningful, personal, and beautifully delivered farewells.
It doesn’t just explain why funerals are changing, it shows you how to rise to that change with skill, compassion, and professionalism. It offers insight, structure, and guidance for anyone who wants to do more. For those who want to make a difference.
Being trusted with someone’s story is an honour. Telling it well, well that’s a duty.
Because when we get this right, we don’t just deliver better funerals, we help families begin the long process of healing, wrapped in respect, care, and love.
