How to plan a funeral
Planning a funeral – whether it’s for a loved one or pre-planning for yourself – can be emotional. Whether you’re wanting to ensure a loved one’s wishes are followed or looking to plan a celebration of life that truly reflects you as a person, the overall task can feel daunting.
At Fiesta Farewell, we believe that every goodbye should feel personal and meaningful. Remember, a funeral or celebration of life doesn’t have to follow a strict script – it’s a celebration of the lost life and can be as formal or relaxed as you or your loved ones wish.
In this article, we outline the step-by-step process of planning a funeral to help make it a little easier for you and help you make decisions about the type of funeral you’ll be planning.
Step 1: What kind of funeral do you want to plan?
The first step is to decide on the type of funeral to plan. If your loved one has created their funeral wishlist, this information should be easy to find. The type of funeral is personal, and can include:
- A traditional funeral service with a formal structure
- A celebration of life with music and stories
- A direct cremation with a wake
- An eco-friendly woodland service or natural burial
- A relaxed outdoor farewell in a garden or other special place
Step 2: Where do you want the funeral to take place?
Traditionally, funerals take place in a church or crematorium, but it’s becoming more common for people to choose an alternative location that feels more personal. These may include:
- A favourite park, beach or garden
- A community hall
- A pub function room
- At home or in the garden
- A natural burial site
The most important things to remember when choosing the location is that it’s big enough to accommodate the number of guests attending and should be easy for them to travel to.
Step 3: Consider the order of service
A funeral can follow any structure you wish, but here are some key moments to consider when planning the order of service:
- Welcome or opening words
- Personal tributes and stories
- Music, poems and readings
- A moment of reflection or farewell
- Closing message or celebration of their life
Step 4: Make it personal
Here are some ways to add personal touches to a funeral or celebration of life:
- Play their favourite music
- Display photos of every stage of their life
- Choose a theme or colour that was special to them
- Have a memory book where people can add their stories
- Decorate the venue with some of their personal items
Step 5: Book the suppliers you need
Source the best suppliers in your area to help your day run smoothly and go exactly as planned. The funeral suppliers you may need include:
- Funeral directors
- Celebrants
- Florists
- Coffin and urn suppliers
- Funeral cars and hearses
- Venues
- Musicians
Do you need help planning a funeral or celebration of life?
At Fiesta Farewell, we’re here to help you plan a funeral for a loved one or plan your own celebration of life. Complete with a directory of trusted funeral suppliers and handy guides, we are dedicated to making the funeral planning process as seamless as possible.
