When you’re tasked with funeral organising, it can feel daunting especially when dealing with emotions like grief and sadness. It’s important to seek help if you are struggling as you’ll want to consider things like organizing the funeral, what will be involved, how the bill will be met and who will be invited.

Asking yourself some questions before you begin can help you plan with confidence and peace of mind.

Did the person who died tell you what they want or leave instructions in their Will?

Do they want to be buried or cremated? Do they want their ashes in an urn or scattered somewhere special?

What kind of coffin they want? Do they want an environmentally friendly burial?

How will you pay for the funeral? Did the deceased make their own arrangements? Is there a pre-paid funeral plan or burial insurance?

Do family members and friends have a special wish? Do they want to read, play a particular piece of music, or carry the coffin? If there is no formal instruction, the executor named in the Will or those arranging and paying for a funeral will make the decisions.

Who can help?

You can ask family members and friends to help you organize the funeral. Some people will want to be able to help and be involved. Other people may not feel comfortable or feel they can help with this.

Inviting family and friends

As well as contacting friends and family members about the funeral you can also place a death announcement in the local newspaper. You might prefer a funeral director to do this for you. For Billericay Funeral Directors, visit a site like https://www.bennettsfunerals.co.uk/essex/funeral-directors-billericay/

When you tell people about the funeral:

include the date, time and place of the funeral or memorial service

Include any instructions about flowers or donations to charity

Paying for a funeral

It’s important to think about how the funeral will be paid and how much it costs. Don’t ever feel pressure to organise funeral services that you cannot afford. At such a sensitive time, the last thing you need is a funeral that you will struggle to afford at a later date.

Choosing a coffin

A wide variety of caskets are available from a variety of places. Ask if the casket is suitable for burial or cremation before buying. Costs can vary greatly, so be sure to check the price list as well.

Many people will use traditional coffins. You may want to:

buy it from a funeral director

commission one from a carpenter

buy one online

build one yourself (if you have carpentry skills required).

Alternative Coffins:

Should you prefer an alternative coffin, or the deceased stated a preference, there are a wide variety to choose from. You can also decorate this yourself. You may also wish to consider the use of a burial sheet and have no casket at all, although only a few of these can be used for cremations.

Several alternative caskets can cost as much as, or even more than, a traditional coffin so check prices before buying one. They can be made of:

wool

woven willow, bamboo, rattan and other natural fibres

cardboard, which is a lot stronger and more interesting than you might imagine.