Planning Ahead: Talking with a Director About Funeral Plans

Losing a loved one is an incomparably painful experience. Unfortunately, many surviving family members and friends rarely have time to process their grief. Instead, they are flooded with important decisions regarding the disposition of the body. If you have recently lost a friend or family member and are responsible for planning the funeral, you may be similarly overwhelmed. To make things less stressful, take a look below at a few key questions you should have in mind when discussing arrangements with funeral home representatives.

​What are the packages you offer, and what can I customize?

Funeral homes usually offer a wide range of packages. These are likely to include assistance with cemetery coordination and service planning but may also feature more extensive preparation services. Don't hesitate to ask a funeral home director if packages can be customized to suit your needs and the wishes of the deceased. Whether you opt for cremation and subsequent interment in a mausoleum, or a traditional burial with a grave marker and inscription, a funeral home should be able to quickly and clearly break down all costs of a customized package.

How exactly will logistics be handled?

The precision planning required of funeral logistics is not something to take lightly. As such, you'll want to feel confident that a funeral home has a detailed plan for how the deceased will be transported from their residence to the funeral home; the route and method of transportation for the casket on the way to the place of burial; and an exact schedule of all services to be performed once there. An otherwise nice memorial can quickly turn into a scheduling nightmare if these aspects aren't handled correctly, so it is vital that a funeral home be able to handle logistics without any issues.

What are the additional arrangements you can take care of?

After handling the most important parts of disposition, you'll need to make decisions about a host of other things. Floral arrangements will need to be carefully selected, for example, as will the music to be played. Any readings or video displays chosen to memorialize a loved one will also have to be facilitated, and an obituary — if you choose to have one published — will need to be written. Fortunately, a funeral home can answer all questions related to these arrangements, helping to take some of the stress away during a difficult time.