Are you preparing for the death of someone close to you?
Have you had a bad experience with the death industry and don’t want it to happen to your family?
Do you want to make a relative or friends death a real heartfelt appropriate celebration, not a tragedy?
Life, as they say, is a terminal illness. We can rant, we can rave, we can do whatever we like and it won’t make a bit of difference – it will happen to us all someday. Death and taxes are inevitable – yet why do we put so little thought into how we’ll address it?
Where There’s A Will There’s A Wake wants to answer your questions, help you think about what you might do, and help you plan for a celebration of life.
My name is Karin Slade and my companies Catering By Design, Funerals by Design,Sailing by Design and Heavenly Catering have placed me close and personal to the rituals and realities of death. My own experiences and those of many clients have given me the capacity to understand what we might need. My intention with this book is to share with others what we should consider when it comes to death.
Where There’s A Will There’s A Wake will open your eyes, alert you to the planning that is required and let YOU remain in control of a very personal circumstance.
This book is to support everyone in accepting that life is the dash between DOB and DOD (date of birth and date of death) thereby empowering people in owning your end of life choices.
Where there’s a will there’s a wake will break through the myths, establish what needs to be done and help you prepare a grand celebration of someone’s life in tune with yours or their last wishes.
My name is Karin Slade and I began Catering by Design in 1999 after travelling the world working in hospitality. My clients have included the French Prime Minister; the Chief Justice of Malta; Sir Colin Marshall and his wife from British Airways and James Strong and Geoff Dixon both past CEOs of Qantas. As well as hundreds of local families for christenings, birthday parties, weddings and wakes for up to 1000 people.
With over 30 years experience as an event manager and caterer in Australia, I now own four businesses: Catering By Design, Funerals By Design, Sailing By Design and Heavenly Catering, and I’m also a practicing funeral director.
In 2003 I experienced 8 funerals in 5 months amongst my immediate family and close friends. Looking back, I realised we were in a fog, had to make emotional decisions very quickly and then create an event with significance.
Since then, I have seen many others go through the same fog, stress and overwhelm, which is why I became a funeral director and created a specialised wake catering business, Heavenly Catering which understands and appreciates just what you may be going through.
I live on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia with my partner John. We are now empty nesters with our two dogs. I am passionate about being involved in my local community and giving back.
My mission is to encourage death education just like we have sex education or financial education. Talking about sex won’t make you pregnant, talking about death wont make you dead.
Let me know how best to support you. I am here to help, guide and hold your hand while we arrange the details. I’m good for a hug and tissue too.
Speaking Engagements:
* NSW Health – Palliative Care – Ryde
* NSW Health – Palliative Care - Mona Vale
* Tamworth Radio - looks like week of 2nd August 2021 – leading into Dying to Know Day
* Northern Beaches Prostate Cancer Support Group
* Maybrook Village Retirement Village – Cromer Heights
* Lunch and Bubbles – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Newport
* Northern Beaches Probus
* Inspiring women - Northern Beaches
