Insights on planning a budget-friendly outdoor funeral from Louise C. Smith, funeral celebrant based in Cheshire, speaking on the Dying to Go Green Podcast.
A meaningful funeral does not have to be an expensive one. Whether you are planning ahead for yourself or arranging a farewell for someone you love, there are ways to keep costs down without losing any of the things that matter most: the gathering, the stories, the ceremony, and the chance to say a proper goodbye.
Louise C. Smith, a funeral celebrant based in Cheshire with many years of experience, joined the the Dying to Go Green Podcast to share her thoughts on planning a budget-friendly outdoor funeral that is both affordable and genuinely meaningful. Her insights challenge some common assumptions about what a funeral has to look like and what it has to cost.
The real concern with low-cost funerals
Direct cremations, where the body is cremated without a funeral service, have grown significantly in the UK in recent years. They are often the most affordable option and are chosen by many people who want to spare their family the cost of a traditional funeral.
Louise understands the appeal, but she has a concern.
“In all honesty, in the funeral industry at the moment my biggest concern is not the rise of direct cremations, but the amount of people who are missing out on quite a healing part of the grieving process by not having any sort of ceremony.”
She also points out that people planning their own funerals in advance often focus on saving their family money, without fully accounting for what the people left behind will need. “They’re not necessarily, in a lovely humble way, realising that people are going to need some processing. You have been very important to them.”
The good news is that keeping costs low and having a meaningful ceremony are not mutually exclusive. With a little thought, you can have both.
Separating the committal from the ceremony
One of the most useful things Louise explains is that the burial or cremation does not have to happen at the same time as the ceremony. These are two separate things and treating them separately opens up a great deal of flexibility, both in terms of cost and in terms of what the day can look and feel like.
A simple committal (burial or cremation) can be done at low cost – either unattended or attended by close family only. A separate ceremony, held wherever feels right, can be held to gather, grieve, share stories, and celebrate their life.
“There really aren’t any restrictions on how you want to celebrate somebody in memory or in celebration with a ceremony.”
She gives a recent example of a funeral ceremony she conducted in Scout hut, which was about £30 to hire. This was separate to the committal element, and all happened on a similar timescale as you would have a ‘normal’ funeral. The only difference was that the person had already been cremated the day before. “It’s really not as complicated as people might think,” she adds.
Where can a celebration of life be held?
When there is no coffin present, the ceremony can take place almost anywhere. A park, a garden, a woodland, a favourite pub, a village hall, a beach. The venue does not need to be licensed or formal. It just needs to feel right.
Louise is particularly warm about budget-friendly outdoor funerals. “I think getting people together outdoors is a really memorable way of celebrating the life of somebody. And I think there’s something about being amongst people outside that has quite a healing quality to it.”
She also reflects on what being with others in grief actually gives us. “Grief is a very lonely feeling. But there’s something in seeing that other people care about the person that meant so much to you, that can just add some solace in the difficult times. And when you get people together and share memories, even if those memories aren’t your own, you’re filling in more of that person’s story.”
For those drawn to natural burial, Louise describes a woodland funeral she conducted for a man who walked miles every day and found real comfort outdoors. Each grave was marked by a sapling.
“Just that idea that he’s becoming a part of the nature that he loved, I know brought a lot of comfort to everyone who was there that day.”
Do you need a funeral director?
A funeral director is not a legal requirement, though most families find their support valuable for the practical and logistical side of things. Louise suggests speaking to one early, even if you are planning a low-cost funeral, simply to ensure the celebration of life stays on the agenda.
“I think it’s worth mentioning, if you’re going through a funeral director, that you would like to get people together, if only just so that it crystallises it in your mind. Because it’s one of those things where if you don’t put a date in, the time just flies.”
She notes that funeral directors can offer simple, low-cost committals, giving families a local, affordable option, while keeping things personal. And if one funeral director does not seem to understand or support what you are looking for, it is absolutely fine to speak to another.
What does a celebrant do – and do you need one?
A funeral celebrant writes and leads the ceremony, but their role starts before the day itself. They meet with the family, listen to stories and memories, and turn all of that into something shaped entirely around the person who has died.
Louise describes those early meetings as some of the most important work she does. “I find that the meetings that I have with the family are as important as the funeral itself. The grieving and the celebrating is all kind of rolled into one in a celebrant service.”
She is also clear about the practical value of a celebrant when you are planning a low-cost ceremony yourself. “While I absolutely would say, even if a load of you just get together in the park, there is something to be said for coming to a celebrant who can think about the logistics so that you don’t have to, to organise what are often quite scattered thoughts.”
That includes practical details people may not think about, like sound. Outdoors, without the right setup, not everyone will be able to hear. A celebrant who is experienced in outdoor ceremonies will already know how to handle this.
You can contact a celebrant directly to plan a celebration of life, independently of any funeral director. The two processes can run alongside each other without complication.
“I think it’s worth mentioning, if you’re going through a funeral director, that you would like to get people together, if only just so that it crystallises it in your mind. Because it’s one of those things where if you don’t put a date in, the time just flies.”
Key takeaways
- A low-cost funeral and a meaningful ceremony are not mutually exclusive.
- Separating the committal from the celebration of life gives you far more flexibility over where, when and how the ceremony takes place.
- A celebration of life can be held almost anywhere: outdoors, in a pub, a garden, a village hall or a Scout hut.
- Outdoor settings can be particularly healing, especially for those who loved being in nature.
- A funeral director is not required for a celebration of life, but if you’re using one for the committal then it’s wroth telling them this is something you would like so the ceremony does not get overlooked.
- A funeral celebrant can handle the logistics and structure so that you can focus on remembering the person you loved.
- Even a simple gathering with someone saying a few words can make an enormous difference to the grieving process.
Looking for a funeral celebrant or a natural burial ground near you?
Search the Dying to Go Green directory to find natural burial grounds and eco-friendly funeral suppliers across the UK.
Listen to the full podcast episode and more at dyingtogogreen.buzzsprout.com