How To Plan Funeral Services For A Loved One

When a family loses a loved one unexpectedly, they're often forced to plan the person's funeral services quickly. A funeral generally occurs within three to five days after the person dies, which doesn't give the family much time to handle matters. If you find yourself in this situation, you might seek advice to help you plan the funeral. Here is a guide to help you learn the steps to take when planning funeral services for your loved one. 

Consider their wishes

The best place to start with funeral planning is the person's wishes. What would your loved one want for their funeral? Do they even want a funeral? You'll have to guess if they didn't leave a will or instructions. You can ask other family members if they know what this person wanted. If you don't know, you'll have to do your best at planning a funeral you think they'd appreciate.

Visit a funeral home

Next, you'll need a funeral home. The funeral home will handle numerous things for you and instruct you about the steps of planning the funeral. The first thing they might ask is about how to handle the body. You can choose cremation or burial, but a burial costs more. If money is a problem, you might need to choose cremation, unless the person left instructions for burying them. The funeral home will lead you through the rest of the decisions.

Make the necessary decisions

Planning a funeral requires many decisions. For example, do you want to host the service at the funeral home or a church? Do you want music at the service? Do you have clergy for the services? You must make every necessary decision when meeting with the funeral director.

Ask for help

One final tip is to ask for help. No one should plan a funeral alone. It takes work, collaboration, and encouragement. Thus, you should ask other family members or close friends to help you, even if it's just to be there with you for support. Planning will be less challenging if you have people helping you with all the decisions and steps.

Plan your loved one's funeral by contacting a local funeral home

When you lose someone in your life, you might only have a few days to plan their funeral. Therefore, you'll need to choose a funeral home quickly. You can search your area for the best funeral home for your needs.

Contact a local funeral service to learn more.