While you might have attended a funeral service at some point in your life, you might not have been involved in the arranging of a funeral before. If you have lost a loved one, the funeral is one of the most important things you will do as a final gesture to the passed friend or family member. But all the planning for the funeral can be overwhelming. You want everything to run smoothly and everything to be as stress-free as possible. But what exactly goes on at a funeral? Here is our guide to a typical funeral schedule to make everything as easy as possible for you when arranging a loved one’s funeral.
Before the day
You will be working with the funeral home on arranging all the important aspects of the funeral, so everything runs smoothly when the day arrives.
The grave is prepared
One of the first things that will happen in the run-up to the funeral is you will decide on a burial or a cremation . If you are going to choose the burial route, the decision will have to be made on where the grave will be. This important decision needs to be made within a good amount of time so that there is time to prepare the grave to the highest specification. Communicating all the details at least 48 hours before is required to ensure the grave is ready for the funeral. That way, the grave will be ready when the funeral day arrives.
A casket is chosen
You will also go through the difficult decision of the casket for your loved one. This is a personal decision, and only you can decide which one is right for your late friend and family member. There are so many different types with varying designs, styles and levels of affordability. You might want to consider ordering a burial vault at this time, which gives extra protection for the casket. This is all set up and arranged and can be personalized to your choosing.
The service is arranged
You will also need to make all the necessary arrangements for the service, so this runs accordingly. Whether you decide on a burial or cremation, the service will have to be arranged. You will need to decide on whether it will be at a church, a venue, or the graveside. From arranging the area to be set up with tents to planning out enough seating, these important details will have to be finalized. That way, everything can be arranged with good timing. You want to ensure all will run smoothly at the graveside or the cremation service.
On the day of the funeral
The service length differs depending on the type of service you want for your loved one. While the average funeral is 45 minutes, some funerals are only 15 minutes while others are over an hour and a half. While funerals differ depending on culture and religion, some aspects of a funeral stay the same.
Everyone takes their seats
With all the seating set up before the event, the funeral guests will arrive and take their seats for the service. They typically arrive around half an hour before the funeral service begins.
The casket will arrive
This will depend on the preferences of the family. If you are at a church, the casket will likely be brought down the aisle by the funeral home staff or the family. If the funeral is taking place at the burial ground, likely, the casket will already be there so family and friends can pay their respects before finding their seats.
The clergy or officiant begins the service
There will be an introduction to the service, with the clergy or officiant welcoming the family and friends to the sad occasion. They may say a few words about the deceased.
Readings will take place
Depending on whether this is a religious or non-religious service, this is a time when readings may take place from the bible or a psalm may be read out. For non-religious services, a poem or quote is likely to be read by a close friend or family member.
Stories about the loved one
Sharing moments from the deceased life is next to occur during the service. Whether this is by a family member or read out by the clergy, this gives an opportunity to remember the loved one.
Songs will be played
There will likely be songs at this point, whether they are hymns or pop tunes chosen by the deceased family members.
A conclusion to the service
This will then be the time for the officiant to conclude the service. They may say a final few words about the deceased before the chosen song begins.
The burial or cremation occurs
Depending on where the burial takes place, the casket then might be moved to the burial site. With the grave prepared, the family and friends may say a few words before the burial takes place. The service is again conducted by the officiant. The casket will be lowered into the ground (or the vault if you opt for one). If you have chosen cremation, the service will take place before the casket is taken away and the deceased ashes returned to the family within a short period.
After the service
When the service is complete, this is where the family gets an opportunity to celebrate their loved one’s life.
Attend a wake
Whether at a family member’s home or a venue, the wake occurs after a loved one’s funeral. This will be down to personal preferences, with some families preferring just a couple of drinks at a house while others host a large event celebrating the loved one’s passing. Food and drink are normally served, and the wake is normally for a few hours after the event.
Monuments and grave covers are ordered
After the day, you might want to order a monument for the grave. This shows who exactly is at the grave and is a beautiful way to add a photo and some special wording about the person you have lost. Some families also look at adding a grave cover, which can add special meaning to the grave. This will be fitted after the funeral and gives an additional area to display flowers and ornaments. It can also be personalized with wording for the loved one.
