Hi, I'm Gitte

Image of Gitte Monis

Brighton’s creative Humanist funeral celebrant.

- Creating memorable celebrations of life to match the life that was lived

Are you looking for an experienced funeral celebrant in Brighton who can create meaningful, personal memorials?

Get in touch for a free and non-binding chat to discuss your wishes.

- or read more on my website.

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How do you say goodbye in the most authentic way?

There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to funerals - just like every person is one of a kind.

No matter what kind of funeral you choose, I can help you create a funeral ceremony or celebration of life that includes all the right elements to honour the person that died - and none of the stuff that has no meaning or relevance.

The right funeral ceremony can bring people together thoughtfully and carefully create time and space to honour the person in a meaningful and uplifting way.

As a humanist celebrant, I can help you plan a personal and meaningful send-off - whether that’s a celebration of life in an alternative setting, a family-led funeral or an uplifting chapel or graveside service.

I work with families and friends to create funerals and celebrations of life that are fitting for the person and that feels right for those saying farewell.

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You don’t have to know exactly what you want for the service.

I will help you find out what feels right and what would work best.

I have made it my mission to embrace and offer all that is possible for a non-religious funeral or celebration of life.

I can give you as much support and guidance as you feel you need – from a gentle nudge in the right direction to a full or extended ceremony service.

With my experience in creating deeply personalised end of life ceremonies - from creative cremation services to non-traditional natural burials and ceremonies in alternative venues - I can help you plan an original and fitting send-off.

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If you do not want to follow the conventional structure of a funeral service, you are free to personalise in any way you choose. If you don't want restrictions on time, location or content, you can have a celebration of life in an alternative venue, such as the person’s favourite pub, club or outdoor space - with the coffin present - or separate the cremation or burial from the service (or direct cremation).

Gitte helped us create the most perfect service for our brother (52) who was taken way too early after a short battle with cancer. She spent so much time with us to get to know him and we had the most modern service imaginable. Nothing we wanted was a problem. Gitte spoke as though she’d known him all her life and it was beautiful. We finished the service sharing a glass of champagne with him and writing farewell messages all over his coffin. So very special, The venue at Modern Funeral Home was perfect and we managed to squeeze in 30 of our family and special friends. Thankyou Gitte and the team at Modern Funeral you all went above and beyond our expectations.

— Liz Sykes

From the moment I met Gitte I knew she was going to be a wonderful celebrant to conduct my brother's ceremony. She was kind, warm, compassionate and supportive throughout the whole process and there was excellent communication and quick responses to any queries or concerns I had. On the day, she conducted the ceremony with warmth, compassion, some gentle humour which helped everyone relax as we said our farewells to my dear brother Julian. She made the day go as well as it could and I will be forever grateful to her. Thank you Gitte X

— Linda Yeoman

Gitte wonderfully coordinated a wide diversity of inputs in the life celebration of my friend Charm. A ceremony planned with many viewpoints, organised by friends, inclusive of family wishes, with religious and non-religious aspects and a Zimbabwean perspective too. It was a wonderful service and fitting tribute, much appreciated by the 100 attendees. It would have been challenging, to say the least, to coordinate this without the guidance of a professional. I would wholeharteadly recommend Gitte's services, to bring together a fitting event, in my case, at a challenging time. Thank you Gitte!

— Justin Gyer

Gitte was the celebrant for my partner's funeral and did a brilliant job. At such a stressful time, she was calm, patient and helpful. She took time to listen to what we wanted and to learn about my partner so that when she conducted the ceremony, it really felt like she knew him well. She was very responsive to all our requests and questions, made suggestions when asked but respected all our wishes. Those that came to the funeral commented on what a great job she did. I thoroughly recommend her. She was compassionate as well as practical and made sure everything went smoothly on the day without being intrusive.

— Liz Coombs

Gitte held our hand as we worked with her to find a way to honour my Mother. The process and the event were so thoughtful and throughout she was supportive, working with us gently to make a restpectful and authentic celebration that we were so happy with.

— Gill Wildman

Really professional and personal service, Gitte took a lot of time to understand what we wanted and to get to know our loved one. The service itself was perfect and managed so well by the team on the day. Couldn’t recommend enough. Thanks again so much

— Janet Irwin

Thank you so much for bringing everything together on the day with your sensitivity and warmth. You helped make a difficult day very special.

— Gabriel de Kadt

Gitte is a calm, supportive excellent celebrant.

— Mary Barnett

Image of Gitte Monis

Gitte Monis

Where I work

I am based in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, but I happily travel to meet you and conduct ceremonies in West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and London. For weddings, I'll go anywhere in the UK and world!

Fees from...

£350 for a a single-slot crematorium funeral or burial chapel service.

A double-slot crematorium funeral or burial chapel service from £450.

(There is an additional charge of £50 for a burial taking place in addition to a chapel service.)

Alternative venue celebration-of-life from £500.

(All fees are for greater Brighton & Hove area, and a small travel fee added for ceremonies further afield).

Fluent in

Danish, German, Norwegian, Swedish

How to contact me
Email

hello@ceremoniesbygitte.com

Phone

07977 496693

Website

humanist.org.uk/gittemonis

HUMANIST CEREMONIES™ is the network of more than 550 celebrants, trained by national charity Humanists UK to a gold standard to provide memorable and meaningful humanist ceremonies to non-religious people. Operating throughout England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, we deliver authentic, tailor-made and heartfelt ceremonies for life’s key moments. They are always inclusive and welcoming, regardless of the beliefs of those attending.

You can trust Humanist Ceremonies celebrants: We are DBS-checked, fully insured, and regularly peer reviewed for quality assurance. We are committed to a code of conduct, and have a transparent and robust complaints process in the rare case of a problem. We all pay a monthly fee to Humanists UK to further support the work of the charity, and are part of a regional network for like-minded celebrants for support and learning.

Humanist funerals

Humanist funerals, memorials and ash ceremonies are a fitting way to honour a unique life with warmth, sensitivity and meaning, but without reference to religion or an afterlife. They put the story of the person who has died at the heart of the ceremony, paying tribute to them and the legacy they leave, and provide an opportunity to bring people together, not just to share sadness but to celebrate a life lived.