What to Send to a Funeral Instead of Flowers

July 5th, 2017
What to Send to a Funeral Instead of Flowers

What to Send to a Funeral Instead of Flowers

Funeral displays and condolence flowers have traditionally been the most popular item to send to a bereaved family. Floral arrangements send a message of love, support, and condolences—and the gesture is appropriate both at the funeral and at home. Even if you do not live close by, you can still be a part of the funeral by sending flowers for display. (more…)

What To Do on the Anniversary of a Loved One’s Death

June 28th, 2017
What To Do on the Anniversary of a Loved One’s Death

What To Do on the Anniversary of a Loved One’s Death

Almost anyone who has experienced loss will tell you that holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries tend to be some of the hardest moments to get through. While everyone else is out celebrating and enjoying themselves, you are mired in memories and the painful reminder of your loved one’s passing. In fact, if your loss was recent, these days have a tendency to feel incredibly burdensome at a time when they should be anything but. (more…)

Cheap Funeral Flower Alternatives

June 16th, 2017
Cheap Funeral Flower Alternatives

Cheap Funeral Flower Alternatives

As traditional signs of bereavement, sympathy flowers make a great gift to a grieving family in the midst of funeral planning. Your added touch will help make the memorial service beautiful, and will serve as a visible banner to guests of how much the deceased meant to you. So, too, can the flowers go on to be donated to a favorite charity or taken home as a reminder—a gift that continues giving after the body has been laid to rest. (more…)

Maintaining the Right Funeral Planning Expectations

June 12th, 2017
Maintaining the Right Funeral Planning Expectations

Maintaining the Right Funeral Planning Expectations

Because funeral planning is your final farewell to a loved one who helped shaped your life, you may have high expectations when it comes to the service. It makes sense that you’d expect perfection—after all, you are paying thousands of dollars in funeral costs for a one-day event. You have family members and friends flying in from far away to attend. And you have a funeral director to oversee the details to ensure that nothing goes wrong. (more…)

Memorial Photo and Urn Tributes

June 8th, 2017
 
Memorial Photo and Urn Tributes

Memorial Photo and Urn Tributes

Funeral planning tends to be an event that involves all of the body’s senses. From the sounds of hymns playing in the background to the scent of funeral flowers wafting in the air, a funeral is a time when we are forced to acknowledge all the things that make us human and alive: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Perhaps that is why so much emphasis is put on funeral flowers and sympathy floral displays. Not only do these fresh blooms provide a lovely scent, but they provide a colorful, unforgettable setting to an otherwise somber day. (more…)

Ringing Church Bells at a Funeral

June 5th, 2017
Ringing Church Bells at a Funeral

Ringing Church Bells at a Funeral

Although it is not as common in funeral planning today as it was in centuries past, funeral bells are still sometimes played to signal the passing of a loved one. This gesture of respect and mourning is meant to signal to entire communities that a funeral is taking place, and that a moment of silence and/or respect is appropriate at that time. (more…)

Buying Specialty Burial Garments

May 30th, 2017
Buying Specialty Burial Garments

Buying Specialty Burial Garments

No matter where you are doing your funeral planning or what type of interment you choose, the funeral director will eventually ask you to choose a burial garment for the deceased. Although you can decide to bury or cremate a loved one without any clothes at all, instead opting for a burial shroud, most people prefer to have the deceased dressed in some kind of outfit. This is generally a requirement for an open casket burial, and favored among families struggling with their loss. (more…)

What You Should Know About Embalming

May 27th, 2017
What You Should Know About Embalming

What You Should Know About Embalming

Embalming has long been an issue under consideration by funeral homes, the Federal Trade Commission, and the newly bereaved. A costly (and often unnecessary) procedure, embalming gets quite a bit of backlash from critics—but that does not mean it has no place in today’s funeral industry. Before you decide if you’d like to have your loved one embalmed, consider these facts and regulations. (more…)

Checklist: How to Choose a Funeral Home

May 23rd, 2017
Checklist: How to Choose a Funeral Home

Checklist: How to Choose a Funeral Home

When a loved one dies, the first decision you will be asked to make is what funeral home you would like to take care of the body. It might seem a bit overwhelming to choose a provider while you are still reeling from your loss, but sooner is better when it comes to planning a funeral. You only have about three to seven days to make all the final decisions, so spending a few days deciding on a funeral home can consume a substantial chunk of that time. (more…)

What to Write in a Funeral Announcement

May 19th, 2017
What to Write in a Funeral Announcement

What to Write in a Funeral Announcement

Soon after the funeral planning begins, you will want to place (or send) a funeral announcement. Like an obituary, this item is a way of notifying the public of a loved one’s passing and details of any arrangements you are making on his or her behalf. Unlike an obituary, a funeral announcement does not delve too deeply into personal or private information. In this way, you can maintain boundaries while still honoring the deceased. (more…)

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