Throughout the planning, your funeral director will respect the family's wishes. The visitation and funeral can be a valuable experience as it meets the religious, social, and emotional needs of the mourners. The funeral arrangement particularly gives friends and family a meaningful way to express themselves.
The Visitation
Assisted by your funeral director, you will decide the time, place, and type of visitation.
He or she will help you arrange a large or small service, according to your wishes. The visitation is usually held at the funeral home. During visitation hours, your funeral director will assist you in receiving callers.
The Service
Most funeral homes offer a chapel or another appropriate setting for the service to provide comfort, beauty, and reverence. You may also choose to hold the service at the family church, synagogue, or other suitable location.
If you are not affiliated with a church or synagogue, but desire a religious service, your funeral director can suggest a clergy. He or she can also recommend non-traditional alternatives that maintain the funeral's positive values and dignity.
The Tribute
You may consider what kind of tribute you wish to make. A suitable tribute might include a eulogy or personal remark by either the clergy or a close personal friend. Biblical passages, favorite poetry, or other appropriate readings may be chosen. You may also wish to include music for its beauty and symbolism. Your funeral director will assist you in all your decisions.
If the deceased belonged to a fraternal group or similar organization, associated rituals may be available for the family's use before the service or incorporated into other funeral preparations. Your clergy can advise you, and your funeral director will know whom to contact for these arrangements.
Flowers and Flags
The family may choose to place a floral spray on the casket, which should be delivered just before the visitation period begins. Your funeral director can advise you, or you may prefer to contact a favorite florist. The caskets of veterans may be draped with an American flag, which your funeral director can obtain without charge from the Veterans Administration. After burial, this flag is presented to the next-of-kin.
Casket Bearers
You and other family members will select casket bearers. Either your funeral director or a family member will notify them. Sometimes honorary casket bearers are also chosen-not to help carry the casket, but to honor the memory of the deceased.
The purpose of a funeral is to celebrate a life well-lived. Choosing the right casket is just part of the funeral experience, but it can be one of the most overwhelming given the sheer number of options available. Every family's budget and traditions are different, so be open with and trust your funeral director to help you make the right choice for your family.
Although not required by law, you may choose a burial vault: a sealed, warranted, and lined outer receptacle used in cemeteries for underground interment. Your cemetery or memorial park may require outer burial containers, as they help preserve the property's beauty. They also help reduce maintenance costs by supporting the weight of the earth and of heavy equipment that may pass over the grave.
