Did you know you don’t need to use a crematorium chapel for a funeral service?

Many of us have attended funerals where, unless a particular faith is involved, the service takes place in the chapel attached to the crematorium. Over time, this has come to feel like the default, even the only option.

But it isn’t.

Funeral ceremonies are not required to be held in a crematorium chapel. They can take place almost anywhere. There’s a common belief that bringing a coffin into another venue is prohibited, complicated, or somehow illegal. This misunderstanding often leads families to assume that alternatives are too difficult to pursue.

In reality, most venues already have the practical accessibility required, even if they’ve never hosted a funeral before. What’s usually needed is a conversation. A thoughtful funeral director or deathcare worker will liaise with the venue, work through logistics, and collaborate with the wider community to make it possible. It can involve more creativity and care, but when a family’s experience is central to the values of the service provider, those efforts are willingly made.

I’ve supported ceremonies in community halls, private homes, parks, backyards, pubs, restaurants, clubs, and places in nature. Families have far more agency than they are often led to believe. Choosing a place of personal meaning, rather than a generic chapel, can profoundly shape the grieving process, grounding the ceremony in memory, relationship, and belonging.

For more ideas on ceremony hosting, check out my article Family-Led Funerals Article.

For a no obligation conversation around what is possible, contact me, Claire, on 0406 103 699