Your Perfect Goodbye
Helping you create your loved-one's final farewell
Funeral Celebrants
Our Philosophy
My young daughter asked me once, "Mummy, what do you do for a job?" I thought about it for a moment then replied "I tell people's stories and help their loved-ones say goodbye."
We believe everyone deserves a meaningful farewell and so we do whatever we can to help grieving families achieve that for their loved-ones. A funeral service is an important and challenging occasion - it's not like a wedding or a christening, you can't do it again if all doesn't go well. Which is why it's so important to know what your choices are and to feel comfortable with the options you are given.
When you choose your Funeral Director and begin to make choices about the service you want, they are likely to ask what style of service you would prefer. That usually means whether you wish to have a Religious or Non-Religious (often referred to as 'Humanist') style of service. However, for many people in the UK, the choice is not so simple. Many of us, whilst not regularly attending a church, would still consider ourselves if not Christian then at least spiritual.
The style and content of your chosen service should reflect your own beliefs and lifestyle, and we work closely with our families to ensure that's exactly what happens. And in addition to helping with the eulogy or address itself, as well as officiating at the service (literally, standing at the front and speaking for / alongside you), we are also very happy to help with all aspects of the service, including the overall format, music choices and suggestions for readings, where desired.
We liaise closely with your Funeral Directors at every stage to ensure all your wishes are communicated and acted upon and are even happy to help with the printed Order of Service, if you need it.
On a personal level, Caroline and I have been good friends for almost 30 years and have worked in many roles and situations together, which makes us as close to interchangeable as it's possible to be. We share a love of cats, a sense of humour and a strong commitment to supporting the families we are privileged to meet and are both often invited back to look after a family for a second, third or even fourth time, when life continues to deliver its cruel blows. Over the past years, we have been honoured to lead almost 3,000 services between us and have treasured every opportunity to make a small difference to those families' toughest days.
If you are planning a service, either for a loved-one or your own (being prepared!), we hope the information provided in this site is helpful and informative. If you can't find the answer to your question, feel free to get in touch and ask - we'd be happy to help if we can.
Mia Creely
Mia Creely
Our
Team
Dr Caroline Clegg
Mia is the founder of Your Perfect Goodbye and has many years' experience as a Funeral Celebrant.
Having worked independently for a great number of Funeral Directors in and around Greater Manchester since 2013, Mia's relaxed, friendly style and attention to detail have made her popular with families and Directors alike.
Mia is a Christian with a background in the Church of England, Methodist and Baptist churches but does not 'do sermons'. Instead, her approach is a more relaxed and less traditional one, where the emphasis is placed on sharing the life of your loved-one, reflecting their beliefs and / or yours.
Although not a Humanist, Mia is also happy to perform non-religious services without pressure to include any religious references or content.
Caroline is an experienced professional presenter with a highly successful and respected background in theatre and opera who, in 2014, began officiating at funeral services, on request.
Her calm and confident yet warm and personable manner help remove the stresses and worries associated with your funeral service. With many years' experience organising and speaking at important events, your service is in safe hands with Caroline as your Officiant.
Like Mia, Caroline also has a Christian faith but you still have absolute choice in the format and content of your service.
Whether a prayer is required or not, your loved-one's story will be told faithfully and compassionately, in a way that is the most meaningful for you.
We believe very strongly that you should be able to have the service YOU want, whatever your background or beliefs.