Funerals are a time-honored way to mourn the passing of a loved one. Funerals allow surviving friends and loved ones to celebrate the deceased person's life while commemorating their death. However, planning one can be confusing if you've never done it before. This guide can help you plan a funeral service for your loved one:
1. Decide if you want your loved one to be cremated.
After a person passes away, their remains must be handled appropriately. Some people prefer to be buried intact, while others choose to take advantage of cremation. If your loved one did not specify their wishes, the choice will fall to you. Cremation is affordable for people on a budget, and it can be performed before or after a funeral service to accommodate viewing needs.
2. Choose the elements that will be included in the funeral service.
Funeral services are highly customizable. You can choose to incorporate a religious element into your loved one's funeral service if they were a person of faith. Deceased military members may be honored with a military funeral, and it's customary for loved ones to eulogize their deceased relatives during a funeral service. Choose the elements you would like to include in your loved one's funeral ceremony.
3. Purchase a casket or urn.
Caskets and urns are special containers that are used to hold and display the remains of your loved one. The type of container you need will depend on your plans. People who choose to include a viewing ceremony in the funeral service will need to purchase a casket. If you plan to have your loved one cremated, you can opt for an urn to hold their cremains. The funeral home will return your loved one's ashes to you in a receptacle, but people who decide to keep their loved ones' ashes may prefer a more decorative container.
4. Choose a final resting place for your loved one.
You'll also need to choose a final resting place for your loved one. They may have made arrangements before their death. Many people choose to have their bodies buried in a cemetery and they may want to be placed next to family members. Further, ashes can be buried or interred in a tomb. You'll need to make these decisions before the funeral service since the choices you make will affect the schedule on the day of the funeral. If you choose to have your loved one buried in a cemetery, you can have the funeral service performed at the gravesite rather than in a chapel.
Contact a company, such as Shepherd Funeral Home, for more information.