Planning a Burial Ceremony for a Family Member: A Few Considerations

Following the death of a loved one, family members are forced to struggle with finding a balance between mourning and planning a burial ceremony. Sometimes, the family members may opt to hire a funeral director to oversee the burial preparations. Other times, they may undertake the burial preparations themselves.

Getting a coffin and a headstone

Unless otherwise, a coffin and a headstone are some of the most essential aspects of a burial ceremony. Whereas the coffin may be generic and can be purchased later, there is a need to acquire a unique headstone. There are funeral homes that offer customized headstones in Salt Lake City at affordable prices. In some cases, the deceased family may also opt to purchase a customized coffin. In both cases, there is a need to place an early order to guarantee that they will be ready before the burial date. The two may be made in accordance with the deceased’s wishes if they had left behind a will. Otherwise, the family members will be expected to provide the designs and the information to be written on the headstone.

Timely communication

planning for a funeral

Following the death of a family member, the first thing ought to be establishing important dates and events and communicating them to the concerned members. This is to allow the deceased’s friends, associates, and family members to adjust their schedules accordingly. It is likely that some family members live in foreign countries. As such, they may need to make travel arrangements such as booking their flights. There are also other events that are held prior to the burial ceremony itself. Examples include viewing the deceased’s body and holding a requiem mass. All such information ought to be disseminated in a timely manner so as not to lock out concerned parties. The same applies to any unavoidable changes that are made to the previously designed program.

Legal requirements

Legal requirements often differ from one state to another. Thus, you need to research your state’s funeral laws. There are rules governing the planning and execution of burial ceremonies. There may also be licenses and other legal documents that a deceased’s family members ought to obtain prior to the burial ceremony. An example is the death certificate. State laws dictate the number of days following a person’s death, within which the death certificate must be filed. The deceased’s family members are encouraged to file the death certificate as soon as possible since it is paramount to holding a burial ceremony. The filing process also consists of a few steps. For instance, the death certificate consists of a medical section that requires to be filled by a doctor or qualified medical practitioner. It indicates the date and time of death along with the established cause of death.

When planning a burial ceremony, there are various aspects that need to be taken into account if the ceremony is to be a success. Early planning enables the organizing team to deal with any arising issues that may hinder, giving the deceased family member a decent send-off.

About the Author

Facebook
Twitter
Tumblr
Pinterest
Scroll to Top