How to Plan a Funeral: The Necessary Steps You Must Take

Funerals are far from fun. But they’re essential components of the grieving process. More than 19,000 funeral homes are in operation, and each home answers 113 calls every year.

These statistics about funerals may make them seem easy to plan. In reality, involving yourself in how to plan a funeral is a difficult process. You need to work with many people and make some tough decisions to plan the right occasion. 

What should be the first thing you do during the funeral planning process? What kinds of funerals can you plan? How can you put your plan into motion? 

Answer these questions and you can create the perfect funeral to commemorate your loved one’s life. Here is your quick guide.

Read the Will

Your loved one’s will may provide some details about funeral planning. You should go and read the will to see if it does. If they attach a funeral checklist or express their wishes for their funeral, you should follow their instructions. 

But you can still use the will even if there are no explicit instructions for a funeral. Your loved one may have written about who should get their home. Consider arranging your funeral at their home, as it will personalize the occasion. 

You can also contact the beneficiaries and ask them about their thoughts on the funeral. Some of them may have experience with planning a funeral, so you can let them take charge.

Figure Out How to Pay

Your loved one may have some money set aside for their funeral. They may have a savings account for it, or they may have bought funeral insurance. You can use this money for the occasion. 

But your loved one’s arrangements may not cover everything. You may have to pay for sending funeral flowers or invitations. You can pay out of pocket, or you can talk to a funeral home and buy a funeral package that covers everything.

Find the Right Type of Service

There are a few types of funerals you can examine. A traditional funeral involves a visitation where the body is present. A service with religious sermons, eulogies, and songs then follows, concluding with the burial of the body. 

A traditional service is good for a religious or conservative person. You can modify the funeral however you would like while still respecting religious traditions. Some people find a visitation morbid, so you can have a reception with family members instead. 

Most traditional burials use a coffin. You can substitute the coffin for a shroud, which will allow the body to break down immediately. You can also choose cremation, and you can keep the ashes or scatter them. 

A secular funeral can include eulogies, poetry readings, and musical performances. If a funeral would be too morbid, you can choose a celebration of life. Family members and friends can gather together to share stories and do something productive in honor of your loved one.

A memorial service can occur with or independently from a funeral. Many people hold a memorial service months after the funeral so people who couldn’t make the funeral can gather together. Attendees can share a meal with each other, look at photographs of your loved one, and grieve together.

Talk to a funeral director so you can work out the details of the occasion. If you are planning a secular event, you can talk to a funeral celebrant. 

Contact the Attendees

Before you send out funeral invitations, you should let people know about your loved one passing away. You should give close friends and family members a phone call or meet with them face-to-face. If this would be too overwhelming, you can divide the task up amongst several people. 

You can place an obituary in the local newspaper to let distant family members and work associates know. Newspapers offer guides on how to write and submit an obituary, so follow the one that your local newspaper has. You can include a blurb at the bottom for where the funeral will be. 

Once everyone knows, you can send out funeral invitations. You don’t need to write at length. You can give the attendee information about where the funeral will be and how long it will take. 

Some people like to bring flowers or gifts to someone’s family. If you don’t want this, you should mention this in your invitations. You can ask attendees to donate to charities in your loved one’s name in lieu of flowers.

Plan a Reception

A reception is an opportunity for family members to get together after a funeral. You are not required to run a reception, but it is a very good idea. It gives family members an outlet and lets them catch up with each other. 

Figure out where you want to run the reception. It can be in someone’s house, or it can take place at a restaurant or reception hall. 

You can serve snacks, drinks, or full meals. Let the reception run for a few hours to give people plenty of time to talk to each other.

Understand How to Plan a Funeral

Learning how to plan a funeral can be difficult, but it’s necessary. Go to your loved one’s will, follow any instructions they leave, and talk to the beneficiaries.

Find a way to pay for everything and then pick a funeral you want to run. You can get support from a funeral director or celebrant. 

Let everyone in your loved one’s life know about their death as soon as possible. Then send out invitations and allow attendees to attend a reception. 

You can break each of these steps down individually. Read more funeral planning guides by following our coverage.