The Complete Guide to Planning a Funeral

The average cost of a funeral is around $7,848. But, of course, some people spend much more than this, while others spend much less.

Planning a funeral is something that many families are forced to do in a matter of days, as deaths often occur out of nowhere. However, you can plan a funeral ahead of time to eliminate the stress of rushing through the plans.

Whether you’re planning a funeral in advance or right after your loved one dies, you might need some tips to help you complete the proper steps.

If you need some tips and advice about planning a funeral, you can read this guide, as it explains the vital steps you must take when planning a funeral.

Choose a Funeral Home

As you try to determine how to plan a funeral, choosing a funeral home is the best place to start. A funeral requires a funeral home’s services, and a funeral director can assist you with the plans.

When choosing a funeral home, you’ll want to stay local. However, you may also want to select the one you’re familiar with or that your family prefers.

Once you select one, you can contact the funeral director to confirm that they can handle the funeral services. If they can, they’ll schedule a meeting with you for that day.

You can attend this meeting alone or bring other relatives or friends with you for support and assistance.

Determine the Person’s Desires

In the meantime, you’ll need to determine your loved one’s desires for their funeral. The best way to do this is by reading their will if they have one.

A person’s will typically states their funeral desires. If they don’t have a will, some family members might know what the person wanted.

It’s essential to aim for the type of funeral the person wanted, so you should carefully consider this before making funeral plans. There are many types of funerals and options, but the person might have specific wishes.

For example, does your loved one want burial or cremation for their body? This decision is a major one you must determine before selecting a route, but there are also other major decisions to make.

Another example is the type of funeral service. For example, would they want a funeral service now or a memorial service later? Would they prefer to show their body or not?

Figure Out the Financial Details

Another vital part of planning a funeral is determining how to pay for it. As mentioned, a typical funeral costs nearly $8,000. Do you have a way to pay for the funeral costs?

You can begin by asking the funeral director, “how much does a funeral cost?” Then, the director will give you options and prices.

If you have a strict budget, the director will help you plan a funeral you can afford. There are options for all budgets.

If you’re trying to figure out how to pay for it, you can consider using life insurance proceeds if your loved one had a policy. Other people use their own funds to pay for the costs.

Hire the Necessary People and Services

Once you make all the tough and necessary decisions, you may need to hire some people and services for the funeral. For example, funeral planning often requires hiring a minister to officiate the service.

Next, you might need to hire funeral transportation services if you need the body moved from one place to another.

Additionally, you might need to hire a flower shop to provide flowers for the service. If you’d like someone to sing during the service, you’ll need to contact that person to see if they’re available and willing to do it.

If necessary, you’ll have to decide some other things, such as which casket to choose. If you choose cremation, you’ll need to choose an urn.

Again, your funeral director can help you determine what decisions to make and ways to stick with your budget.

Gather Pictures for the Slideshow

One of the best parts of a funeral is the picture slideshow. The picture slideshow runs through the showing and visitation hours of the funeral. You can also play it before, during, and after the funeral.

Most funeral homes include picture slideshows with their services. However, you must gather the pictures and give them to the funeral home.

As you work on this step, you may want to ask family members to go through their photo albums to find the best pictures. You’ll want to capture the highlights from the person’s life.

For example, if the person was married, you can choose a few wedding photos. If they had children, you can include pictures with their kids. You can also choose photos of the person doing the hobbies they had.

Plan a Luncheon

Finally, planning a funeral often includes hosting a luncheon after the funeral services. The luncheon provides a time for the family and friends to gather together to share a meal.

You may need to select a place to host the luncheon and a caterer. In many cases, the person’s church or friends will prepare the food for the meal, but this varies.

A luncheon is usually an informal time when family and friends can visit and reminisce about the deceased person’s life. So, planning a luncheon is usually a great idea.

Planning a Funeral for a Loved One Is an Important Duty

Planning a funeral for your loved one is an important duty that you might have to do at some point. However, if you want to eliminate the work for your family when you die, you might want to start preplanning your funeral.

By preplanning a funeral, you can make all the decisions ahead of time and pay for the services, reducing your family’s financial burdens.

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