How to Organize a Traditional Funeral

Did you know that the average funeral home services 113 families per year? This amounts to more than two funerals per week.

While this may not seem like a lot, there is so much planning that goes into a funeral. Most funeral homes are small businesses and only have a handful of employees.

On top of the workload, this is also a stressful time for the deceased’s family. The funeral home works diligently to relieve this burden.

Read on to learn how to plan a traditional funeral. Explore funeral planning tips that will help make the process easier for your family.

Plan a Funeral

There are so many things to do before a funeral takes place. For starters, you have to select a funeral home to handle all the arrangements.

Once you have a funeral director, you can begin planning all of the small details. Items like floral decorations, music, and the guest list are all on the agenda.

There are big-ticket items to consider as well. The funeral director will help you pick out a casket or urn for the remains. This is likely to be one of the costliest purchases.

Additionally, you need to choose whether to have an open or closed casket. Some people are not comfortable with an open casket. Others want to have one final, intimate moment with their loved ones to say goodbye.

You also have to discuss burial planning. To plan a burial includes additional considerations. You now have to arrange for casket transportation, pick a cemetery, and find a burial plot.

Set the Agenda

It takes a lot of effort to facilitate funeral and memorial services. Once you prepare for the funeral, the next step is to execute it.

The first step is to send out information about the funeral. This will help you prepare to greet your guests. Funeral homes often print out pamphlets or brochures with details about the funeral.

Many families like to make photo boards. Here, they can honor the lives of their deceased loved ones and shine a light on the great relationships they had.

Traditional funerals typically include a eulogy. This usually comes in the form of a speech made by a loved one. Some families opt to bring in a pastor to eulogize the deceased or read passages from the Bible.

Once the memorial services are over, many people opt to have a burial ceremony. This takes place at the cemetery and is preceded by a funeral procession. Here a line of cars follows the hearse to the cemetery.

Your Guide to Planning a Traditional Funeral

You are now ready to plan a funeral. Planning it is half the battle. The more preparation you put in upfront, the smoother the funeral will be.

A funeral director will help you with the smallest of details. Even items like music and decorations receive attention.

While this may be a difficult time, there are resources to help you out. If you enjoyed this article about planning a traditional funeral, check out our blog for more great content.