Funeral Planning: Ten Ways to Make the End Easier
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What is Funeral Planning?
Funeral Planning is laying out the details for a funeral. Not one person wants to think about their demise, but death is a fact of life. There are two ways to go about funeral planning: Let your family handle the details after you are gone or Pre-plan your own funeral. Having dealt with both options, I can attest a pre-planned funeral is the only way to go.
This page will focus on making your own funeral plans. This ensures you get what you want in the end.
Most importantly, planning your own funeral eases the burden on your family, emotionally and financially.
This page will focus on making your own funeral plans. This ensures you get what you want in the end.
Most importantly, planning your own funeral eases the burden on your family, emotionally and financially.
Funeral Planning: Ten Plus Considerations
1. What do I want done with my remains?
You should first decide what you want done with your body. Remember you body is only a shell, it is not you. You will be held dear in the memories of your family and friends. Traditionally there are two things that can be done with your body: Burial or Cremation. Making this decision prior to your death gives you the choice. (For other green burial options you can visit my article Go Green Eternally: Green Burials, Sky Burials, Cremation, or Promessa.)
2. Determine your wishes
Funeral planning is not easy and should not be taken lightly. A funeral home can help you arrange many details, pick caskets, urns, vaults, and memorial packages. Once you make your choices you can make payment arrangements for your selections. Pre-paying for your funeral makes good financial sense as the prices of funerals, and everything that goes with them, go up on a regular basis. A pre-paid funeral will save your family the costly financial burden and lock in certain price points.
3. Pick your final resting spot
If you choose to be buried, you need a place to be buried at. You should investigate different cemeteries. You should walk the grounds and consider how they look now and how they may look in the future. Consider the grave markers. Some cemeteries only allow flush ground mounted monuments. Were you thinking of a raised marker? Look at the scenery. Is it appealing to you? Lastly, how accessible is this cemetery? Will your family and friends be able to visit you at will or is visitation restricted?
4. What kind of marker or monument would I like?
The cemetery staff can help you with plot availability, obtaining a marker, and answering any questions you may have about their facility.
5. If I choose to be cremated, what do I want done with my ashes?
If you choose to be cremated, is there a special place you would like your ashes spread? If you want your ashes spread, would you like a bench memorial erected near your spot? Would you like your family to keep your ashes in an urn with a memorial on the mantel? Do you want your ashes buried?
6. What kind of funeral services do I really want?
Do you want a visitation, a wake, a religious service, or a memorial reception in your honor? You could have a combination of two or all if you wish.
7. What do I want read at my funeral service?
Do you have any special phrases, poems, or scriptures you would like read at your service? You can also choose what you would like on your keepsake memorial card.
8. Is there anything special I would like included in my eulogy?
What about your eulogy? Have you considered writing your own? Are there any special facts about you that only you know? Once you are gone unless there is someone who knows everything about you, there may be some elements missing from your eulogy. By writing your own eulogy, you can include things about your family, parents, kids, spouse, or siblings. You can include any special interests, hobbies, or career choices. You can relay a special message to your loved ones. The possibilities are endless.
9. Don't forget your music style
How about music? Do you have a favorite song you would like played or sung?
10. Write your funeral plans down
In funeral planning you can prepare a list of things you would like. Add these items to your will, give it to the funeral director helping you plan your funeral, or file it where you know it will be found when arrangements are being made.
You should first decide what you want done with your body. Remember you body is only a shell, it is not you. You will be held dear in the memories of your family and friends. Traditionally there are two things that can be done with your body: Burial or Cremation. Making this decision prior to your death gives you the choice. (For other green burial options you can visit my article Go Green Eternally: Green Burials, Sky Burials, Cremation, or Promessa.)
2. Determine your wishes
Funeral planning is not easy and should not be taken lightly. A funeral home can help you arrange many details, pick caskets, urns, vaults, and memorial packages. Once you make your choices you can make payment arrangements for your selections. Pre-paying for your funeral makes good financial sense as the prices of funerals, and everything that goes with them, go up on a regular basis. A pre-paid funeral will save your family the costly financial burden and lock in certain price points.
3. Pick your final resting spot
If you choose to be buried, you need a place to be buried at. You should investigate different cemeteries. You should walk the grounds and consider how they look now and how they may look in the future. Consider the grave markers. Some cemeteries only allow flush ground mounted monuments. Were you thinking of a raised marker? Look at the scenery. Is it appealing to you? Lastly, how accessible is this cemetery? Will your family and friends be able to visit you at will or is visitation restricted?
4. What kind of marker or monument would I like?
The cemetery staff can help you with plot availability, obtaining a marker, and answering any questions you may have about their facility.
5. If I choose to be cremated, what do I want done with my ashes?
If you choose to be cremated, is there a special place you would like your ashes spread? If you want your ashes spread, would you like a bench memorial erected near your spot? Would you like your family to keep your ashes in an urn with a memorial on the mantel? Do you want your ashes buried?
6. What kind of funeral services do I really want?
Do you want a visitation, a wake, a religious service, or a memorial reception in your honor? You could have a combination of two or all if you wish.
7. What do I want read at my funeral service?
Do you have any special phrases, poems, or scriptures you would like read at your service? You can also choose what you would like on your keepsake memorial card.
8. Is there anything special I would like included in my eulogy?
What about your eulogy? Have you considered writing your own? Are there any special facts about you that only you know? Once you are gone unless there is someone who knows everything about you, there may be some elements missing from your eulogy. By writing your own eulogy, you can include things about your family, parents, kids, spouse, or siblings. You can include any special interests, hobbies, or career choices. You can relay a special message to your loved ones. The possibilities are endless.
9. Don't forget your music style
How about music? Do you have a favorite song you would like played or sung?
10. Write your funeral plans down
In funeral planning you can prepare a list of things you would like. Add these items to your will, give it to the funeral director helping you plan your funeral, or file it where you know it will be found when arrangements are being made.
Funeral Planning: A Picture Tribute
Start gathering images to memorialize your life. Give your loved ones the gift of a pictorial memorial. A memorial display will give family and friends a chance to remember your life and moments they shared with you.
Here's a photo memorial collage I created for my Father-in-Law.
Funeral Planning: Finding the Right Phrase
Funeral Planning: Some Music to Consider
Here are a few sites with song lists you may wish to browse.
Popular Funeral Songs and Music
Funeral Hymn Suggestions
Suggested Hymns and Liturgical Music for Funeral and Memorial Masses
Popular Funeral Songs and Music
Funeral Hymn Suggestions
Suggested Hymns and Liturgical Music for Funeral and Memorial Masses
Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
Funeral Planning: Music Considerations
Funeral Planning Guides, Kits, and Books
Funeral Planning Ebook Considerations
- The Funeral Planning Checklist
- This guide will assist you with information you need to know to plan your funeral: Who needs to be contacted, papers that should be gathered, estate planning, and what you need to do to ease the funeral planning burden.
Funeral Planning in the News
- Plans For Muslim Funeral Home in West County
- By Carlos Restrepo Adil Imdad, a Ballwin resident and member of the Daar-Ul Islam Mosque at the corner at Weidman and Manchester roads, talks about the need for a Muslim funeral home and his plans to build one in West County.
- Heart2Soul: the Online Funeral Resource for Consumers Announces New ...
- Whether planning a funeral or attending one, Heart2Soul can help." From learning about funeral traditions and etiquette to creating a community for sharing funeral information, Heart2Soul is a comprehensive resource for everyone.
- Why planning ahead can ease the pain
- Loved ones may also be comforted by the fact they know the funeral is exactly how the deceased wanted it. Those planning their own funeral will also often put away savings so their family and friends don't have to worry about how to foot the bill.
Some Lenses to Peruse
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EasyW
Oct 5, 2010 @ 10:15 am | delete
- Excellent lens with great information. Keep up the good work.
I invite you visit and rate my lens Sample Eulogy.
Thanks!
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Askyourquestion
Aug 12, 2009 @ 8:29 pm | delete
- What a great lens! You have compiled a lot of very helpful resources and videos here. When you have a chance, it'd be great if you'd stop by my lens, Die$mart and say hello.
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Go Back to...
- Funeral Planning: Ten Plus Considerations
- Funeral Planning: A Picture Tribute
- Funeral Planning: Burial or Cremation?
- Funeral Planning: How to Plan a Funeral
- Funeral Planning: How to Pay for a Funeral
- Funeral Planning: Planning a Funeral with Custom in Mind
- Funeral Planning: Planning a Catholic Funeral
- Funeral Planning: Planning a Graveside Service
- Funeral Planning: Arrange a Cremation Service
- Funeral Planning: Buying a Cemetery Plot
- Funeral Planning: Buying a Coffin
- Funeral Planning: Finding the Right Phrase
- Funeral Planning: Some Music to Consider
- Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
- Ave Maria (Female Voice)
- The Way We Were (Barbara Streisand)
- Dust in the Wind (Kansas)
- Funeral Planning: Music Considerations
- Funeral Planning Guides, Kits, and Books
- Funeral Planning Ebook Considerations
- Funeral Planning in the News
- Some Lenses to Peruse
- Like This Lens?
- Follow Me!
- Have Something to Add? Or Just Say Hey!
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