Planning a Funeral: Important Steps to Follow

Planning a funeral can be difficult. This is especially true for people who’ve never had to plan one before. Not only does it require a significant amount of time, but it’s also emotionally demanding. On top of all of this, funerals can be very expensive, which means you have to be extra careful and vigilant during the planning process.

If you’ve recently lost a loved one and are ready to start planning the funeral, then this guide has a handful of steps for you to follow. These steps will make the entire process much easier for you to handle. 

As soon as you’re ready, you can begin with the first step directly below.

1: Arrange a Funeral Guestbook

One of the most important factors in any funeral is the guestbook.

A funeral guestbook allows the attendees to sign their names so that the grieving family can keep an official record of who attended.

Nowadays, most families are choosing personalized guestbooks that include photos, anecdotes, and memories of their loved one. Commemorativecremation.com sell funeral guestbooks that will allow you to do this, too. It will help to add a much greater personal touch to the funeral.

2: Choose Between a Burial or a Cremation

When it comes to the funeral, you need to choose either a burial or a cremation. Sometimes, the deceased individual will have made it clear beforehand which they would prefer. However, if yours hasn’t, then you’ll need to make the decision. It’s worth mentioning that burials are almost always the more expensive option; in the case of a cremation, the ashes are then returned to the family afterwards. You can have the ashes placed in an urn, cremation jewellery, or whatever you wish.

3: Calculate the Costs

As mentioned in the introduction, funerals can be very expensive. Naturally, this can make the planning process a little more stressful.

A range of costs need to be covered, from the coffin and hearse to the funeral director’s fee. There’s also the cost of the post-funeral reception, which is discussed in step 5 below.

The key is to tick the boxes that you want and can comfortably afford. For example, limousine transport is fairly common in modern-day funerals, but not all families can afford this, so it’s important to establish your priorities.

4: Make a Guestlist

Another important step is deciding who you’re going to invite to the funeral. Usually, this will consist of immediate and extended family members as well as close friends and colleagues that were a part of your loved one’s life. Make sure to send out funeral invite cards with plenty of time detailing the location and time of the funeral.

5: Choose a Post-Funeral Reception Location

Lastly, you’ll need to choose a post-funeral reception location. Every family is different when it comes to the reception. Some use social clubs, whilst others choose pubs or restaurants. Ideally, you should go with the option that your loved one would appreciate the most. For example, if they had a favorite restaurant, then perhaps you could book some tables there for your funeral guests.