Have you planned your funeral? This is not a question that you expected to be asked today, was it?
The fact of the matter is that everyone will die at some point. All of us hope that our lives will be long and fulfilling and free of pain and struggling, but the inevitability of death will catch up with us all at some point and we must decide what to do about that.
Getting a Funeral Director on Board
While planning the actual date of your passing is not something most of us can or want to do, there are so many options around planning a funeral that it can feel overwhelming at first. One of the most useful things you can do is contact a funeral director company such as exithere.com. These are friendly and approachable funeral directors who will be able to answer your questions and help you plan the day that you or your loved one will want.
Even if you do get a funeral director, there are various things you will need to think about. Here are a few to get you started:
Pick a venue
You may wish to have your funeral held in a church, or go for a more humanist version such as a woodland. Don’t forget, you’ll need a venue for the wake such as a village hall or a local rugby club.
Decide on a date for the service
Most funerals are held within a few weeks of your passing. You’ll need to decide how close you want your funeral, but it can be hard to pick a specific date. Once you have passed though, this is something your friends or family will need to decide on.
Choose Between Religious and Non-Religious
There are generally three types of funeral — religious, humanist, and civil. Humanist funerals have no religious overtones, but civil funerals may do, outside of the confines of organized religion.
Pick Your Coffin
Do you want to be buried? You’ll need to decide what kind of coffin you’d like. Choose from all kinds of materials and environmental factors here to get the coffin you will be happy with.
Which Music or Readings?
There are a huge selection of music and readings. Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On or Christina Rosetti’s Remember Me poem, are popular at funerals, for example. The best advice here is to pick something meaningful for you.
Arrange funeral transport
There are many ways to arrive at your chosen venue. This could be in a subtle hearse, or going out in style with a full horse drawn carriage and a biker entourage. This is a great way to inject some personality into your funeral!
Organize the Wake
Do you want a wake? A wake can be a lovely time for long lost family and friends to catch up and share stories from the happier times with you, but they do take some extra organizing.
Flowers or Donations?
Many people choose to forgo flowers for donations to a charity, but you’ll need to decide which charity you would choose.