From Funerals to Farewells: How Language Shapes Our Grief

Words matter.They’re the way we make sense of things too big to hold.And when it comes to grief, the words we choose shape the way we experience it.

That’s why more and more people are moving away from the word funeral — a word heavy with formality and tradition — and embracing terms like farewell, memorial, or celebration of life.

Because language doesn’t just describe how we grieve. It guides it.

The weight of old words

The word funeral carries centuries of meaning. It’s solemn, structured, familiar — a word that has held space for generations of mourning.But for some, it also feels distant. Too formal. Too prescribed.

There’s a quiet rebellion in the modern shift toward softer language.Not to erase tradition, but to make room for personal truth.When we call something a celebration of life, we’re not denying the sadness.We’re simply remembering that love still exists in the same breath as loss.

Grief in translation

Every culture, every community, has its own language for goodbye. In some places, people wail; in others, they sing.In some homes, mirrors are covered; in others, candles burn through the night.

Each expression is its own translation of grief — a way of saying we remember, we honour, we still belong.

The words we use in ceremony — farewell, service, celebration, remembrance — carry invisible threads that tell the story of who we are and what we value.

When we choose them intentionally, we begin to shape the kind of healing we need.

The softness of “farewell”

"A farewell feels different to a funeral. "

It’s less final. More relational. It suggests that love doesn’t end — it changes form.

When a family tells me they’d like to hold a farewell, it often comes with a sense of relief. It feels gentler. It allows for laughter, for colour, for storytelling.

That single word shift opens the door to something more human — a space where both tears and smiles belong.

Here in Perth, I see this shift playing out every day — families choosing words that feel lighter, warmer, and more real. Perth farewells often happen under open skies or near the water, where stories and laughter flow as freely as tears. The words we use — farewell, gathering, celebration — mirror the spirit of this place: open, grounded, and quietly brave.

The courage in re-naming

Re-framing our language around death isn’t about trend; it’s about courage. It’s an act of reclaiming something that belongs to all of us.

Words like celebration, farewell, and honouring remind us that death is part of life — not its opposite.That we can mourn and celebrate in the same breath.That remembering can be both painful and beautiful.

Language gives us permission to hold those contradictions without apology.

From Funerals to Farewells in Perth — How Language Reflects Our Changing

GriefAcross Perth and WA, more families are moving away from formal traditions and toward language that feels authentic. “Farewell,” “celebration,” and “gathering” are words that hold both grief and gratitude — a reflection of modern love and modern loss.

What we call it matters less than why we gather

At its heart, whether you call it a funeral or a celebration of life, the purpose is the same:to gather, to remember, to give shape to love.

The labels simply help people find the kind of ceremony that fits them best.What matters is that it feels real.

Because when people come together — to cry, to laugh, to breathe in memory — they’re participating in the oldest language of all: connection.

A living language

Grief evolves. So does language.And that’s something to celebrate.

Each generation finds new words for the same ache — words that reflect their way of loving, their way of healing.

So maybe the shift from funerals to farewells isn’t about rejecting the old.Maybe it’s about expanding it — finding words that meet us where we are now.

Because...

"When we change the language, we change the story.And in the story we tell, love always finds its way to the last line."

FAQ

Why are people using the word “farewell” instead of “funeral”?

It feels more personal and less formal. Many Perth families now prefer “farewell” or “celebration of life” because it reflects love, story, and individuality.

Does changing the word change the ceremony?

Often, yes. When we change the language, we open space for new meaning — laughter, storytelling, music, and warmth alongside sorrow.

Can I hold a farewell or celebration of life in Perth?

Absolutely. Perth has beautiful spaces — from beaches to gardens and halls — where modern farewells honour love in their own authentic way.

Link to

→ The Quiet Power of Saying Goodbye Your Way

→ The Rise of Eco and Outdoor Farewells

If you’re looking for a celebrant to help honour someone you love, I’d be honoured to help you find the right words.

— Carina Quinn | The Wordsmith CelebrantCreating modern, heartfelt celebrations of life across Perth.