Organizing a funeral is an emotional activity and, in fact, such a daunting one. At such a trying time, there are many decisions to make, and it is not easy to know where to begin. Below is a very all-inclusive guide outlining the basic steps in making arrangements for the fitting funeral for your loved one.
1. Funeral Preferences
Knowing what the deceased wants is where the preparation of the funeral begins. Some people pass on their preferences in either verbal means or through will. If one cannot find a previous wish then it is a task for the family to decide if they are having a regular funeral, cremation, and a memorial service.
Consider the following:
Religious or cultural tradition: Some require some form of service or rituals or some form of interment.
Budget: Funeral costs can be varied. Setting your budget early may help guide such decisions.
Location: Choose between a funeral home, house of worship, cemetery and other locations in which the services will be conducted.
2. Choosing a Funeral Home
Among other important decisions one has to take is the selection of a funeral home. For others, a source of solace and counselling is your chosen funeral directors in that hour of needed solace. So, in making such a crucial choice take into account these factors: Research some reputable funeral home within the area and well reviewed positively.
Compare prices: Ask for a broad price list to compare the cost of services like embalming, caskets, and plots for burial.
Ask for packages: Most funeral homes package their service that includes most of the common requirements. This is less complicated when planning.
3. Selecting the Type of the Service
There are many types of funerals. Among them, there are a few widely known funerals that are:
Traditional funeral service: This type of service will include a viewing or visitation, a formal ceremony, and either burial or cremation.
Memorial service: This is carried out after burial or after cremation. It emphasizes the celebration of the life of the dead.
Direct burial or cremation: These are offered. These services do not hold a formal ceremony.
Green funeral: This is a funeral carried out through green practices such as natural burials.
You can include personal characteristics, like the favorite music, reading, or even video clips for the deceased.
4. Paperwork Preparation
Burials, as a rule, are not administrative and legal affairs. Prepare the following:
Death certificate: these are required for burial and/or cremation
Will: A will may contain funeral wishes.
Burial and funeral insurance: It pays for these
Permission for burial or cremation:
In most areas, these are required.
5. Arranging for Cremation or Burial
Decide if body is to be cremated or buried. If body is to be cremated,
Cemetery to be chosen: There has to be a choice for the burial plot or mausoleum space,
Choice of casket: There is simple, medium, and elaborate design,
Graveside ceremony: This might or might not be part of a more traditional funeral, or conducted separately.
If the body is to be buried then
Selection of the urn; one has to decide on a shape in which the deceased would have wanted
Where to Rest: Select either resting it at home or in columbarium and scattering the ashes in a significant
6. Related to Family and Friends
This is a section of planning on how to contact the family and friends of the deceased to organize the funeral. This is done as follows:
Obits. Find a hometown newspaper or other on-line listing with service info and obit for the deceased.
Contact in person. Call family members and close friends.
Social network. Post message about the service on those sites to expand audience.
7. Preparing for the Service
Help officiant, the funeral director and/or family plan the service. The most important are listed below;
Eulogy: They can narrate who will give a eulogy or share memories concerning the deceased.
Music: Decide on hymns, songs, or instrumental pieces
Readings: Decide on religious texts, poems, or personal writings.
Flowers and decorations: Come up with those that suit the preference of the deceased.
8. Cost Control
Costs always tend to increase at funerals, and as such, demands cost control. In some of them include;
Solicitation for mode of payment: Some funeral houses are slowly requesting for mode of payment
Use insurance: Find out if the deceased had life or funeral insurance
Find resources: Organizations that can be useful in mitigating the cost: Charity and Government Programs.
9. Grief of the Living Family Members and Associates
Since one needs to grieve, one needs to care about the living. Identify the means of taking care of the grieving family members and friends as follows:
Share material on counseling or support groups
Make memory helpers: Keep photo albums, memorial cards or other reminder of remembrance.
10. Burial Procedures
There is much to consider after the funeral:
Letters of thanks: To thank all those who attend, guests and others involved.
Estate Administration: Completion of estate administration through probate and paying off outstanding obligations.
Honorary or In-Memoriam Gifts: Set up contributions in behalf of causes or charities that were of interest to the deceased.