The death of a family member is one of the most challenging experiences anyone will go through. When a person dies, their survivors must make “final arrangements” for the deceased so that the rest of the family can properly mourn and celebrate their lives.
Final arrangements are made when a family is going through an emotional, stressful, and hectic time. It is common to be overwhelmed with relief and sadness during this time.
The passing of a loved one is an emotional time, especially when decisions are made regarding costs and procedures. It can be helpful to understand your options and then approach the funeral home of your choice prepared. Consider keeping this ultimate funeral guide in mind as you prepare for such a time.
What is a funeral?
A funeral is a ceremony celebrating the life of a person who has died. Funerals usually include a ritual that involves prayers, wailing or singing, and offerings of food and drink to the deceased.
Funerals can be held in churches, mosques, or synagogues (funerals with religious observances). They can also be held without religious observances (called secular funerals).
In some religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, funerals are essential to the death process. The primary purpose of a funeral is for people to say goodbye to the person who has died and pay their respects.
Funerals usually involve some religious or spiritual service, which may occur in a church or other building used for worship. The service can be followed by burial or cremation. It depends on the wishes of the deceased’s family and their beliefs about death.
What are the benefits of having a funeral?
The main benefit is that it allows you to say goodbye correctly. This can be difficult after a sudden death, when there may be no time for goodbyes and the family is still in shock.
A funeral allows friends and relatives to gather together in one place, sharing their memories and saying goodbye to the person who has died. It also allows them to talk about their feelings with those who have shared their lives with the deceased.
People often find comfort in being surrounded by family and friends at this difficult time. The funeral service can be a way of bringing them all together again, so they can share their thoughts and feelings and support each other through their grief.
Funerals are also an opportunity for people who don’t know the deceased personally. However, they were also affected by what happened to come together.
Live in a small community where everybody knows each other well. It might be easier for people to come together at a funeral after they’ve already been able to say goodbye informally during a wake or to view before the service takes place (although this isn’t always possible).
Ultimate Funeral Guide
Determine the type of funeral you want to have.
Funeral services are among the most personal of life’s experiences. Even though you may have a general idea of what you want, many decisions must be made. The following guide will help you make these decisions and the arrangements for your service.
The first thing to do is determine what kind of funeral you want. There are two basic types: traditional funerals and simple burials. A traditional funeral includes an open-casket viewing at the funeral home, followed by a service at a church or a funeral home chapel. A simple burial is exactly what it sounds like — a direct burial without any ceremony or viewing.
If you want a traditional funeral, you will need to decide whether to have your loved one embalmed or not, as well as what type of casket or container (such as an urn) will be used for their remains after burial or cremation. If your loved one has made advanced arrangements with us, we can perform embalming and cremation at no additional charge.
Make a list of essential people in the deceased’s life.
This list should include immediate family members and close friends who can give you information about your loved one’s history and last wishes.
Next, you’ll want to call or visit any friends or family living far away. You might also consider contacting local funeral homes and cemeteries so that they can help with arrangements.
Create a spreadsheet that includes all their contact information and other relevant details about them (such as whether or not they were married). This will help you keep everything organized and make sure nothing is overlooked.
Contact everyone on your list and let them know what’s happening with the estate. This will give them time to get their affairs in order so they can attend any memorial services or viewings before burial or cremation arrangements begin.
Get everyone together for an informal meeting after all their personal affairs have been handled (i.e., paying off debts and taxes). At this point, it’s time for everyone to come together with their ideas about how best to honor your loved one by honoring what they wanted during this process.
Start pre-planning and purchasing services from a funeral home.
Pre-planning is a critical step in the process of finalizing your end-of-life arrangements. As part of pre-planning, you can name a funeral home to be an agent of your wishes and oversee the arrangements. You also can secure funds to cover the costs of your funeral, burial, or cremation.
You may want to visit several different funeral homes to compare prices, services, and philosophies. Make sure you find out what happens if the funeral home goes out of business, who owns the building and whether there is an association with other funeral homes that would allow them to continue providing services.
If you don’t want to buy directly from a funeral home, consider purchasing your pre-need benefits through an insurance company or bank. The advantage of these options is that they are often inexpensive and typically offer some guarantee should anything happen to the provider. You could still get buried or cremated.
If you feel uncomfortable buying such a product on your own, ask your financial advisor or accountant for advice on how to structure it as part of your overall financial plan.
Write an obituary and death notices for the deceased.
First and foremost, the obituary or death notice is a tribute to the deceased person. It is essential to be respectful of the family and friends of the deceased.
The obituary should include basic information about the deceased, such as their name, age, date, place of birth, educational background, and accomplishments. The obituary can also have a photograph or a sketch of the person’s face.
In the first paragraph of your obituary, write a brief description of the deceased. Include the person’s name, age, and any notable accomplishments or experiences in their lifetime.
In the next paragraph, write about when and where the death occurred. If there were no witnesses to the event, you could include details of how they were found after death.
In the third paragraph, describe how people were affected by this loss. Did friends and family members know each other? Did they have any shared memories? Were they close?
In the fourth paragraph, write about any funeral plans that have been made for this person. In what ways will people be able to honor this person’s memory?
In your final paragraph, write about how you would like others to remember this person—what qualities they had that should be recognized? What kinds of things did they enjoy doing?
Plan a visitation or wake.
Planning a visitation or wake is a difficult task. You want to celebrate the life of your loved one, but you also want to make sure that the event is appropriate for all who attend.
The following tips will help you plan a visitation or wake:
- Ask friends and family members what they need. Some people may want to be alone with their thoughts and memories; others may wish for companionship and support from loved ones. If you’re unsure what people need, ask them directly.
- Make sure the room is comfortable for everyone attending the service. Guests should feel free to move around as needed during a visitation or wake, but it’s best if they can sit down comfortably and talk with one another when possible.
- Provide refreshments such as coffee, tea, and water, so guests don’t have to leave if they get hungry or thirsty during their visits with family and friends who are mourning the deceased.
Plan the funeral ceremony itself.
The funeral ceremony is a time to pay tribute to the deceased, and it is essential to make sure that this tribute will be meaningful for those attending.
The funeral director can help you plan the service by suggesting readings and music appropriate for the occasion. If you have family members or friends who would like to say a few words about their loved ones, they can share memories at the service or read them during the reception after the service.
You may also want to include a video tribute of your loved one’s life or photos of them throughout their lifetime as part of your funeral service.
Planning a memorial service or celebration of life can be just as crucial as planning an actual funeral. This gathering allows family and friends to gather together and remember their loved ones while celebrating their life.
A celebration of life may occur any time after burial, but it is often held within two weeks after death so that everyone has had time to grieve before coming together again.
The type of celebration will depend on how the deceased person lived their life, such as volunteer work, community involvement, religious beliefs, or hobbies they enjoyed.
Arrange for transportation of the deceased’s body.
Transportation is one of the essential things that you need to consider when planning a funeral. The body could be transported by airplane, car, or limousine. If you plan a small service, you can opt for a small car accommodating two to four people.
You can opt for a limousine if you want to send your loved one off with a bang and style. But this will cost more than what you would have planned for it. You should also consider that if any other guests would like to attend your funeral, it will be easy for them to take public transport from their homes.
It is important to remember that there are many types of transportation services available in your area, so you must find out what they offer before deciding on one. Some people prefer cremation services, while others prefer burial services.
If you have decided on cremation services, then you should know that there are also different types of cremation services depending on your personal preference.
Prepare memorial cards, thank-you cards, and other items in advance.
Write a list of who you want to thank. Make sure it includes everyone who gave you a gift or made an effort to come to see you get married. You can even have people who couldn’t attend but still wanted to congratulate you on your big day.
If you’re planning to send thank-you notes after a funeral, write them immediately. You’ll want enough time to send the notes within two weeks of the service. But don’t wait too long because they should be sent within two months of death.
If you’re not sure how many people will attend the funeral or what kind of gifts they’ll bring, consider doing an online registry with a site like Amazon or Target so guests can order something from it instead of getting something from home.
Keep track of all the gifts your family receives so you can thank everyone who sends them later (or send them thank-you cards). Prepare memorial cards, thank-you cards, and other items in advance. Purchase these items before the wedding, so they’re ready for mailing after the honeymoon. This will also save time and money in the long run instead of buying them as needed.
Create a schedule for when each person should receive their note from you and assign each person’s card to someone else on your team so that they know who they need to contact next when sending out notes on behalf of their relatives or friends.
Where can you get the best funeral services in Singapore?
Care Bereavement Services is one of the best funeral services in Singapore. We provide a wide range of funeral services for the bereaved family and friends.
We understand that losing a loved one is a challenging time for everyone. Our objective is to make it easier for you to manage the practicalities by helping you with all aspects of your arrangements.
Our team of professionals is committed to providing you with excellent service. We offer friendly, compassionate, and sensitive assistance throughout every step of your journey with us.
We will be there for you and your family when you need us most – during what can be a very stressful time. A death in the family can leave people feeling bewildered, devastated, and confused about what steps they need to take next.
At Care Bereavement Services, we are here to help you through this challenging time so that you can concentrate on grieving and dealing with your emotions.
Conclusion
Grieving families often overlook funeral planning, but it’s a valuable opportunity to carry out what you started in the living person: love and respect. Planning your funeral can be a helpful, though sad, task. It can help you determine what kind of service will bring you comfort and peace and help you decide on the type of legacy you would like to leave.
