WEST MALLING FUNERALS

I am a funeral celebrant living in West Malling, Kent and I work with families in Kings Hill, West Malling and the surrounding areas such as Wateringbury and Offham but much further afield too. I create beautiful celebrations of life for local people who have been greatly loved and deserve the best send off possible. There are various funeral options in and around West Malling that you may or may not have considered. The most local crematorium is Vinters Park in Maidstone, but there are others that you may want to consider - there is a much newer crematorium at Sevenoaks called Bluebell Cemetery (not to be confused with Medway Crematorium on Bluebell Hill) which is set in and amongst a woodland and is bright airy and has longer ceremony time than many of the other local crematoria.

There are however other options besides crematoria to hold a ceremony which you may want to consider.
There are some lovely venues on our doorstep.

If you would like a peaceful natural burial site, you should visit Eden Valley near Edenbridge or River View Natural Burial Ground near Sittingbourne - they are so calm and beautiful and you can take as much time as you would like to hold a ceremony on the site. Trees are planted to create a woodland memorial and the remains literally become one with the earth. 
Outdoor Memorial in Kent
Why not consider as an alternative, a small, private or unattended cremation at the crematorium for the immediate family, this can be held before or after the ceremony with all the guests and is a lovely way to say goodbye in a beautiful venue such as Bradbourne House in East Malling, Kentfield Estate in Offham or even in a lovely private garden.

​The benefits are that you can have an unhurried ceremony with all the guests staying in the same place for the wake, so no travelling between the two events. You can cut the costs of flowers, cars, pall bearers and chapel hire and instead put the money towards the venue that you are hosting the ceremony or the catering. 
Bradbourne House Bespoke Funeral in Kent
Bradbourne House Funeral in Kent
Bradbourne House Memorial in Kent

HOW TO ORGANISE A FUNERAL IN WEST MALLING

If you have the luxury of time to plan ahead before your loved one passes away, you can reduce the stress by making some  decisions in advance. I would advise looking into your options beforehand (I know it's not always something we get the chance to do, and sadly, we often have to make these decisions while we're in the midst of grieving) as any planning you manage to do in advance will make things easier when it comes to making final decisions, so drop me an email as soon as you can.

Talk to your local Funeral Celebrant

Decide who will lead the ceremony - this could be a Funeral Celebrant like me or a religious Minister, you could even run the ceremony yourself - but remember there is a huge emotional load involved with a funeral ceremony for a loved one and extra pressure on the day, so you may want to employ a professional to guide you through the experience. I can write a beautiful script that is meaningful - it can capture the very essence of the life we are celebrating with plenty of smiles and laughter as well as tears. If you are choosing a Celebrant - look at the reviews and the website and get to know the Celebrant's personality and previous experience - are they professional, is this someone you can relate to? 
Give me a call or drop me an email through my website or check out my social media. I live in West Malling and lead funerals over a large geographical area. I create really bespoke ceremonies which take plenty of time to prepare but we will celebrate that person completely - it is all about them and you being able to say goodbye in a way that is appropriate for you. So give me a call and if you are local, maybe we could meet up for a chat.

Choose your Funeral Director carefully

You should visit local Funeral Directors and get a feel of whether they are right for you - some are very old fashioned and others are much more forward thinking and modern in their approach.

Make sure that you would you trust them to care for your family and offer the best service for you. I can help to signpost you to Funeral Directors that might be appropriate for your needs.
Outdoor funeral by lake in Kent