Emily Choy & On Sum Funeral Services Melbourne

About On Sum

Emily Choy has more than two decades of funeral and celebrant experience in Melbourne, including funeral planning, ceremony presentation and communication with families. From the first phone call, she personally learns about the family's faith, culture, wishes and budget, and continues to follow the transfer of the deceased, funeral proceedings, cremation or burial, documents and ceremony arrangements.

Emily also has an earlier background in counselling. That experience shapes how she listens to families in grief, pays attention to detail and helps prepare a farewell that reflects the family's wishes.
Australian registered celebrant · Registration No. A08263

Emily ChoyMore than two decades of funeral and celebrant experience in Melbourne

We first listen to the family's situation, then contact the hospital when required, arrange the transfer, plan the funeral and explain the fees and next steps.

We communicate in Cantonese, Mandarin or English so relatives of different ages and language backgrounds can understand the arrangements.

Our Commitments

Personal Follow-up

One person remains familiar with the family's circumstances and continues to manage the important arrangements.

Respect for Every Faith

We arrange Chinese traditional, Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, Catholic and multicultural funerals.

Clear Communication

We explain services, funeral products, third-party charges and documentation so the family can make informed decisions.

Thoughtful Planning

We arrange a dignified farewell around the person's wishes, the family's needs, the venue and required procedures.

Email On Sum

Farewell at ease. Contact On Sum directly when you need to discuss funeral arrangements.

Listening First, Then Guiding the Ceremony

Emily came into funeral and celebrant work after an earlier background in counselling. After formal celebrant training, she gradually built practical experience in both funeral planning and ceremony presentation.

Over the years, she has worked behind the scenes and on the day of the service: understanding the family's needs, preparing the ceremony content, coordinating the funeral proceedings and making sure the same person remains familiar with the case.

What Emily values is “Farewell at ease”: helping the departed leave well, and those who remain say goodbye well. A suitable funeral is not only a procedure. It is also time for the family to remember, give thanks and say goodbye.

In 2018, SBS Chinese interviewed Emily in “Australian Story: Celebrant Emily Choy”, recording her experience and reflections as a celebrant in Australia.

Read Emily Choy’s interview story →

Chinese funeral chapel and floral tributes arranged in Melbourne

Emily Choy presenting the Perfect Ending seminar in Melbourne

Chinese and Taoist funeral chapel setting in Melbourne

Who families speak with: Emily Choy supports families in Cantonese, Mandarin or English and remains involved from the first conversation through the funeral arrangements and ceremony.

Experience families can verify

Emily is an Australian registered celebrant, registration A08263, and has more than two decades of funeral and celebrant experience in Melbourne. Her earlier counselling background shapes a calm, listening-first approach. In 2018, SBS Chinese interviewed Emily about her work and the importance of helping the departed leave well while those who remain have the opportunity to say goodbye well.

On Sum Funeral Services is an active Australian business, ABN 17 722 115 706. The website links directly to the Australian Business Register record, the independent SBS interview and the Google Business Profile.

What personal follow-through means

Funeral arrangements involve information from several organisations. Depending on the circumstances, these may include a hospital, aged-care home, doctor, coroner, cemetery, crematorium, church, temple, airline or receiving funeral provider. Emily helps the family identify what must happen first, records the decisions already made and explains which matters can wait. This avoids asking a grieving family to decide every product, ceremony detail and document during the first call.

The family can discuss the person who has died, the preferred language, faith or cultural traditions, cremation or burial, likely attendance, venue, flowers, music, photographs and budget. On Sum then coordinates the agreed arrangements and provides an itemised written quote. Third-party requirements and charges are identified separately wherever possible.

Respecting different generations and beliefs

Melbourne families may include Cantonese-speaking elders, Mandarin-speaking relatives and younger family members who mainly use English. Some relatives may value traditional customs while others prefer a simpler contemporary service. On Sum does not assume that every Chinese or Asian family wants the same ceremony. The starting point is what the family wishes to retain, who should lead the service and how each generation can understand the plan.

Independent information and contact

Families are welcome to ask questions before deciding. For immediate assistance, call 0421 793 263. For non-urgent enquiries, use the contact page. The postal address shown on the website is a mailing address and is not a visitor office.

Last reviewed: 24 August 2026.

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