David Somerville Independent Celebrant Reviews 116

We had David as the celebrant at our brother Andrew’s funeral in November 2025. From the moment we met David we knew straight away he would deliver what we asked of him. Professional, personable and made us feel like he knew our brother Andrew which made it feel so special for us. We would 100% recommend him. We couldn’t have asked for anyone better. Thanks David we were so lucky to have you deliver the service. Dawn and Debbie.

Dont know where to start... felt like David was an old family friend so comfortable to share our stories! The first draft captured my granda perfectly there was no need for any amendments! Even on the day David added a few extra lines that had the whole crematorium believe it or not in stitches! Was with us supporting us from beginning to end could not recommend this man enough!! Thank you David for everything xx

David is a truly wonderful celebrant. When my dad passed away the Coop funeral care put us b in touch with David to conduct his service. David came out to the house and listed to stories of dad to get a picture of the man he was. David is a great mix of professionalism and just a lovely person. He was so easy to talk to and made us feel at ease during a difficult time.
The eulogy he wrote for my dad was just perfect. He sent through a draft and it was no issue to change and tweak parts - this was also during the Christmas holidays which is so much appreciated!

After the service everyone commented on how great David was and how he brought dad’s stories to life and really caught the essence of who he was.
Could not have asked for a better celebrant!

A friend suggested David to me after I mentioned my disappointment with the celebrant provided by the funeral director. From our first phone call, I was convinced he was the right choice for my father's service. He visited my mother and me, took time to talk about my father's life, and truly listened. Two days later, David sent me a draft of the eulogy he had composed, and it perfectly reflected everything we hoped for—absolutely flawless and needing no changes. On the day of the funeral, his delivery surpassed all my expectations. Everyone present commented on the beauty of the service. Even the undertaker was so impressed that he immediately told his office they needed to enlist David, claiming it was among the finest services he had ever seen.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to David who conducted my dad’s funeral. From start to finish, he showed genuine compassion, professionalism, and an incredible ability to capture the true essence of who my dad was. The ceremony was beautifully written and delivered with such warmth that it brought comfort to everyone who attended.
David took the time to listen to our stories, understand our family, and craft a service that felt deeply personal and heartfelt especially as he was also conducting the service for his dear friend (my Dad). His calm presence on such an emotional day made all the difference, and he guided us through the process with kindness and care.
We are so grateful for the respect and dignity David brought to the day. It was a beautiful tribute to my dad, and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better to lead it. Highly recommended.

David did a fantastic job with my fathers funeral on the 16th Dec 2025.
His support throughout my loss of my father and the patience with adding things after the initial meeting. David explained how the funeral was going to be ran was in contact with the eulogy pretty quick. I would recommend david to anyone as he is one genuine, funny amazing man. I couldn't have had a better celebrant. Fanstastic throughout. Thank you!

David did a magnificent job of being Master of ceremony at Dads funeral.
From minute we spoke on the telephone & visiting my home, he was empathetic, patient,
spent time listening,
embracing the mood in the room with warmth & sensitivity using skill, expertise & wealth of knowledge to go gather key facts of dads life.

The Eulogy was as if he known Dad for years. I felt Dad was in the room, agreeing, smiling, appreciating all the quirky one liners, with David pausing & raised eyebrow to allow subtle suggestion that let friends & family would interpretate in their own way.....
Perfection, I could not have asked for anything more. I truely wish everyone had the privilege of knowing David..

David conducted a beautiful eulogy for my uncle. He listened to our family wishes and captured the most perfect service and we could not be more grateful. We as a family would highly recommend David. He attended our family home at such a difficult time and showed such compassion and patience. Thank you

David was very professional, when he came to my home to find out about how my mum lived her life he took away all the information he had gathered, made a beautiful eulogy for the day of my mums funeral. I could not recommend him enough. As hard as it is to loose a loved one, David with his beautiful words, made me feel at ease and comforted. He truely is amazing at what he does.

David was recommended to me by a friend when I mentioned I wasn't impressed by the funeral director's celebrant. From the moment I first spoke to David on the telephone I knew he was the person I wanted to conduct my father's funeral. He came and met with my mother and me, spent time with us and we spoke about my father's life. David left and contacted me two days later with a draft of the eulogy he had written. To say I was blown away was an understatement, he captured absolutely everything we wanted and there wasnt a single change! On the day of the funeral his delivery was beyond anything I could have hoped for. Every person in attendance said to me what a beautiful service it was. He also got the highest praise from the undertaker who after dropping the family off went straight to his office and said we need David on our books, that is one of it not the nicest service he had witnessed as an undertaker!

We were so grateful for the beautiful eulogy David delivered for our mum – and at extremely short notice too. He truly saved the day, taking all the stress out of something we’d been so worried about.

David did everything we asked, including last-minute additions, and somehow managed to capture Mum’s spirit with such warmth, grace, and sensitivity. He got the tone spot on – gentle, heartfelt, and really personal. It genuinely sounded like he’d known her personally, the way he spoke about her with such care and affection.

So many people told us how moving and fitting the tribute was. In the midst of our grief, David created a moment of real comfort and connection. We’ll never be able to thank him enough.

We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend David to anyone looking for a celebrant who brings compassion, professionalism, and genuine warmth.

David was truly amazing! He showed great empathy with the family and friends. He managed to write and deliver the perfect service for my Dad. Everyone after the service came up to praise how well the service was done and picking out little points David mentioned to say "yep that was just him." David is truly amazing in what he does and is perfect to get the service who truly reflects your loved one.

David is the kindest most considerate person, empathy shines out of him. He showed an amazing ability, through gentle conversation, to gain an understanding of my mum to share with everyone at her service. His eulogy was full of warmth and love delivered with a truly personal touch so mindful of the loss our family had suffered. Friends and family commented on how beautiful the service was and how much they learned of mums life and passions, things they’d not known before. It was a very special tribute and I will be forever thankful to have had David as our celebrant.

We were so grateful to have David as the celebrant for our mum’s funeral. From the moment he met with our family, he listened with genuine care and compassion, taking the time to understand who Mum truly was — her warmth, her humour, and her love for her family.
On the day, David delivered a service that was both moving and joyful. He beautifully captured the essence of Mum’s life, bringing comfort not only to us as a family, but to the many relatives and friends who came to say goodbye. It felt like a true celebration of her life — personal, respectful, and heartfelt.
While it was of course a very emotional occasion, David’s presence, words, and delivery made it a memorable and uplifting tribute. We can’t thank him enough.

David was truly outstanding. At very short notice, he created and delivered a beautiful and heartfelt funeral service for our dear mum. He captured her personality and warmth perfectly, balancing the emotion with the right amount of lighthearted humour.
David was professional, respectful, compassionate, and showed great understanding throughout. My sister and I are so grateful for his care and attention to detail.

Thank you so much, David 💙

From the moment we met David, he put our family at ease. He took the time to truly get to know not just our dad, but also the relationship my mum, sister, and I had with him, as well as the impact our dad had on those around him.

David was incredibly patient with the three of us as we navigated our grief. He gently guided us through sharing our stories, and managed to pull out the most beautiful and meaningful parts of our dad’s life. We wanted the service to be a celebration, and that’s exactly what David created.

The eulogy was light-hearted, humorous, and deeply respectful. It perfectly captured our dad’s spirit, and David’s collaborative approach made it feel so personal and genuine. After the service, many people came up to us to say how beautiful the eulogy was, and that it was “so very Dad.”

We can’t recommend David enough. He was a steady hand and a kind heart during one of the most difficult times in our lives. Thank you, David.

David is a truly amazing Celebrant.
From our initial meeting at our lowest point he put me instantly at ease and even managed to get a few laughs also .
He captured my mums life perfectly really got a sense of what she was about.
Many of my family commented after service how great he was also
Would highly recommend.. David thank you again for everything

David conducted my grandfathers funeral service and it was honestly better than we could have ever imagined (given the circumstances). He spoke about my grandad as if he had known him for years and he even checked in with each member of my grandfathers family personally to offer his sincere condolences, it really was the most touching ceremony and celebration of my grandfathers wonderful life. I’d 10/10 recommend David for any future services, I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I eventually ever get married LOL. Thanks for everything David!

When my mum passed away recently, we were fortunate to be introduced to David. From the very beginning, he took the time to meet us in person, truly listened, and made a genuine effort to understand who our mum was and the life she lived.

David was incredibly patient, allowing us the space to share stories and memories, and helping us feel completely at ease during what was an emotional time. His kind and thoughtful manner made a difficult process so much more manageable.

In the days leading up to the service, David stayed in close contact, sharing the eulogy he had prepared and inviting us to suggest any changes or additions. We always felt heard, supported, and involved.

We wanted the service to reflect not only the sadness of our loss but also the joy, love, and humour that defined our mum’s life. David captured this perfectly. The tone of the service was exactly what we had hoped for — heartfelt, respectful, and uplifting.

After the service, we were overwhelmed by the number of people who came to tell us how beautiful and moving it had been, and how wonderfully our mum’s story had been told.

I would not hesitate to recommend David to anyone. He was truly exceptional.

When our mum passed away we were fortunate to be introduced to David by the funeral arranger. We had explained we wanted the funeral to be a celebration of her life. For people to feel able to smile and even laugh while expecting a few tears.
We met with David and he listened to our rambling stories of mum, not an easy task with 4 grieving daughters, and produced a eulogy which told her story with just the right level of humour and understanding. His help and guidance ensured that all our memories were represented in her story.
The number of people who approached me on the day, to tell me what a lovely service it was, is testament to David’s skill, compassion and professionalism. Thank you David.