Funeral Arrangements: A Complete Guide
A loved one’s death is a very stressful experience. The grief is immense, and there is a responsibility to make the arrangements for the funeral. Having a quick guide is of great help and makes this difficult time a little easier.
This article will give you the steps of the funeral arrangement, from the first call to the administrative and financial matters.
Making funeral arrangements
Here are a few steps to plan for the funeral of a family member or a friend.
1. First calls
Notify the concerned parties and get the deceased moved from the place of death.
2. Confirm transportation
With the first call, the transfer of the deceased to a funeral home or a similar facility is confirmed. In some cases, another transfer may be a requirement.
3. Pre-arrangements
Check if the deceased had prepared a funeral plan and they have left it behind. If a pre-arranged plan exists, it might specify the service provider that the deceased had selected.
4. Information for obituary
Compile the information for the obituary like date of birth, date of death, information about spouse and children, and any details about their work. You may search for some sample evocative obituaries to get some idea about framing the same
5. Selecting a funeral home
If the details are not in the pre-arrangement then, you need to find a good funeral home. The best way to do this is with a recommendation from a friend. Once you have a few names, call each service provider and discuss details like your requirements and the budget.
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6. Type of funeral
There are several types of services that you can hold, like traditional burial, green burial, cremation, and more. The funeral home or the funeral director can explain all these to you and help you decide. You may discuss the following questions with them:
- Will a casket be there? If yes, will it be open or closed?
- If you choose cremation, will the ashes be scattered? If you choose to deposit the ashes in an urn, will it be placed in a mausoleum?
- Will religious tradition be followed and respected?
- Will there be any contributions to charities?
7. Select a casket or urn
Once you select a funeral home, they will help you buy a casket or urn. If you find it convenient, you can also buy it from some other place. As per the rules, the funeral home must use the casket you get and they cannot charge you for the same. Depending on the material, finish, and design, the price of the casket or urn varies.
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8. Details of the service
Plan the details of the service like photos and displays, videos, post-service meals and memorabilia, song, or music that will play at the service. Clothing for the deceased and any heirloom or jewellery the family chooses to bury needs to be arranged.
9. Who will participate?
List down who will be the friends or family members who will serve as the pallbearers. Also, decide who will give a eulogy. Some people choose to depend on the clergy representative to talk about the person who died.
10. Transportation or conveyance
Arrange the conveyance or transportation for the family members to and from the funeral home. It is best to arrange this beforehand to avoid last-minute hassles.
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Selecting a funeral home
There are several things to be kept in mind while selecting a funeral home. The situation of losing a loved one is so delicate that you cannot focus on this task. Hence, it is good to either seek help from someone or prepare a checklist for yourself.
The most important factor is your comfort with the funeral home. If the deceased had a choice of the funeral home, then you must go ahead with them. This is the place where the life of a person will be celebrated. All loved ones will gather to pay their respect to the person who passed away. Therefore, the right selection of the funeral home is important.
Speak to friends and family for recommendations as it is an added layer of assurance. If you are looking for a reliable funeral service provider in Sydney, Paul Lahood Funeral Services is a well-known name. We are committed to meeting every family’s needs in a professional and dignified manner.