When a family member passes away, your life quickly becomes filled with making funeral arrangements. If the person hasn't prebooked a service, your first priority is to find a funeral home that can hold a service that suits your needs and budget. Because this endeavour can occasionally feel overwhelming, your best approach is to browse various funeral homes online, see what they offer and then speak to a representative to ask a series of simple—but important—questions.
How Long Have You Been In Business?
Asking this question at the start of your conversation can go a long way toward helping you select the funeral home, as well as making you feel you've made the correct decision. A funeral home representative should give you information such as the age of the business, whether it's locally owned, the experience level of the funeral director and the associations to which the funeral home belongs.
What Types of Funeral Packages Do You Offer?
Because many people are too grief stricken to plan every minor detail of a funeral, it's common for funeral homes to offer packages at various price points. Depending on your budget and your expectations of the service, you can look at the standard packages and find a suitable one. For example, one package might include two visitation periods and a traditional service a day or two later, while another one might be simpler, with strictly a service.
I'm On a Budget. How Can I Lower My Costs?
There's no harm in discussing some areas of the service that you can omit, especially if you're on a budget or the person who has passed had expressed wishes for a simple service. There are numerous ways that you can reduce the funeral bill, including buying a simple casket instead of an elaborate one, skipping the embalming process and opting for a cremation instead of a traditional burial. For choosing a casket, for example, ask the funeral home to provide you with a detailed list of the available caskets and their prices.
I've Heard About the Option of Memorial Services. How Do They Work?
Memorial services are a popular alternative to traditional funerals. It's often appropriate for a memorial service to be held up to a year after a death, and while you can hold this service in several locations, it's ideal to book the service at a funeral home and let the staff take care of planning the event. Memorial services can include a variety of elements, including various speakers, video tributes and refreshments; if this option appeals to you, see if the funeral home (such as Serenity Funeral Service in Edmonton) can accommodate you.
Share26 May 2015
Hi everyone, my name is Sari Blakenship. My first time visiting a funeral home was an extremely comforting experience. Although I was blindsided by the death of my loved one, the funeral director helped me through the planning process without taking advantage of my grief. I was allowed to work at my own pace to cope with the grief in a healthy way. I was never rushed or pressured, despite the necessary timeline. Whenever I couldn't move forward, the funeral director held my hand and offered words of comfort. I would like to share each step of the funeral planning process to help others through this difficult process. Planning a funeral takes a lot of thought and time during a particularly difficult period. Please visit whenever you need a hand.