How to Plan a Funeral Or Celebration Of Life

Planning The Funeral Or Celebration Of Life

There are things that need to be done immediately after a death has occurred, but planning a funeral or celebration of life takes time, and you only get one chance to get it right. That is not supposed to add pressure, but rather just remind you how important the task of planning a funeral or celebration of life is. It is commonly thought that funerals are for the living and their purpose is to bring people who knew the deceased together to give and receive support. Funerals aren’t just for the immediate family, they are for all of the people whose lives were touched by the person and need to be planned according to the impact they had while they were alive.

Think Outside of the Box

It’s important to remember that a funeral can be anything you want it to be. It can be done traditionally with a visitation, perhaps with a cremation urn or casket present. It can be a grave-side burial service at a cemetery. It can be a celebration of life with clinking glasses, shared stories and laughs. It can be a combination of any of these.  Know that the options are endless. You can do anything when you are planning an end of life service, so think outside the box and dream up something that will help celebrate, memorialize and commemorate the life that was lived.

01 Where

Decide on the location of the service. It can be in a church, funeral home, cemetery, private residence or other significant place for the family. And the best part is that no matter where it is, a trained funeral professional can help you bring it to life.

02 When

Traditionally, visitations and gatherings are held in the afternoon and evening followed by a funeral in the morning and early afternoon. However, depending on venue and your preference - you are free to schedule when you want. 

03 Who

This is important. Who do you want to be a part of the service? There is clergy, the officiant or celebrant, pallbearers and speakers who all need to be chosen as participants. Then you need to think about who you want to attend the service. 

04 What

Planning the actual contents of the service and the flow of the event is extremely important, and your chosen funeral professional will assist you with this. What music do you want to be played? WIll people read scriptures or share stories? Will the body or urn be present? What hobbies, interests or memorabilia do you want there for people to see? All of these are key decisions to make it as unique as them.

05 How

Will you notify people? There are many more options available to today’s families that make it easier to notify people. Will you post the obituary in the newspaper and online? Will you notify people via email, phone, social media? Maybe there are other ways you need to contact people. In order to ensure good attendance, get the word out as soon as possible to allow people to make the proper arrangements. 

Looking for Inspiration?

If you have never planned a funeral or celebration of life before, it can be a difficult process to navigate. The hardest parts are knowing where to start and making sure you have no regrets! This is why we've compiled stories, examples and ideas from thousands of families and funeral professionals to give you the inspiration you need. Just remember that funeral professionals can help you bring any of these ideas to life, so just know that there we are here to help.  
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