Essential Guide to Planning a Thoughtful Funeral Service
Arranging a funeral is not a simple exercise especially since it has to be done during times of grief. Nonetheless, with the help of certain people and proper planning, it is possible to guarantee that the funeral would reflect the life of the deceased appropriately.
A good funeral also brings solace to the family and friends and is the best way to honor the demise of a loved one. Below are some tips to follow to approach the planning process with special attention and care.
- Choose a Trusted Funeral Home
The first step towards planning a funeral is thus choosing the right funeral home. A good Funeral Home Director will explain the available choices and assist in making the appropriate choices that your family desires. Select funeral homes based on the services you want, their reputation, and how receptive they are to your requirements. The director can also assist in issues such as transportation of the body, embalming, and dressing of the body before burial or the service.
- Decide on the Type of Service
People can be buried in a variety of ways that suit them, so it is preferred that one chooses the service that best suits a deceased’s faith and character. Depending on whether you choose to hold a traditional religious funeral, a nonreligious service, or even a closed coffin funeral, liaise with the funeral director to make sure everything is done as it should. The funeral can be further customized with the use of readings, hymns, or eulogies that bring out the essence of the departed’s life, making it solemn and fulfilling.
- Coordinate Burial or Cremation Arrangements
Cremation or burial is another crucial decision that is made during funeral planning. It is the responsibility of a funeral director to explain the legal and physical possibility of each plan, in addition to the process of obtaining permits. If you decide to go with burial, you will have to choose a graveyard and tombstone; in the case of cremation, you can either choose a place to bury the ashes or opt for a cremation ceremony.
- Prepare a Guest List and Notify Attendees
One should prepare a list of people to invite and inform those who are expected to be present during the service. This could involve relatives, friends, co-workers, and other individuals who had a social connection with the deceased. Invitations for such a ceremony are usually provided by the funeral home director and this can also help in preparing for an obituary that will contain details of the service. It will give the bereaved individual confidence that their loved ones will be notified properly to help find closure during this sad time.
- Arrange for Grief Support Services
Funeral planning is most presumably associated with feelings of loss and sorrow. Grief support services are common in many funeral homes and can assist the remaining family members in dealing with their feelings after the funeral. In many cases, a compassionate funeral director also gives family and friends the help and information they need as they start to recover from their loss.
