When it comes to funerals today, there are a lot of different options available. There are now live streaming funerals that can allow anyone who can’t attend the funeral to witness the entire service. It’s a great way for people who live far away to get to “attend” a funeral, even if they can’t afford to travel.
If you’re wondering about how much does a funeral cost, you should know that the cost of funerals depends enormously on what type of funeral you will have and how many people you expect to attend. If you need a very large room, this can cost more. Much of the cost of the funeral is the casket itself, so making a good choice there can save you a lot of money.
If you are getting an advanced funeral and cremation, the cost depends on the urn as well as holding the funeral proceedings. For a basic funeral service, the cost will be much lower than with an elaborate funeral. There are burial products that come in many different price ranges. While mourners are encouraged to buy more, it doesn’t necessarily make the funeral better. It may be just an extra expense at a time when you really don’t need a lot of heavy costs.
There’s no time worse than losing a loved one. During this time, it’s understandable to feel a wide range of emotions. This situation often becomes more emotional if the recently deceased didn’t have funeral plans in order. Unfortunately, statistics gathered from the National Funeral Directors Association’s 2017 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study found that only 21.4% of consumers had any funeral preparations in place. It often feels overwhelming to be in charge of planning a loved one’s funeral. For many, learning how to plan a funeral helps to make this process feel less overwhelming. Considering that, here’s a helpful guide for planning a loved one’s funeral.
Choosing Which Form of Disposition You Prefer
While planning a funeral, you’ll need to determine whether the body will be buried or cremated. In certain situations, the deceased person might have previously mentioned how they wanted this situation to be taken care of. If not, you or another family member will need to make this decision.
A survey from 2017 found that over 50% of Americans over the age of 40 preferred cremations. In addition, experts predict that the cremation rate throughout the United States is projected to reach 57.8% by the year 2022. You might be hesitant to choose cremation based on worrying about extensive funeral costs. Fortunately, certain funeral homes offer affordable cremation services. A low cost cremation allows you to use your savings for other funeral matters.
Meeting with a Funeral Home Professional
Next, it’s time to meet with a funeral home employee. If the thought of this meeting seems like too much to handle, consider bringing someone with you for emotional support. The goal of this meeting is to learn more about your loved one. You’ll be asked whether or not your loved one has any religious preferences. In addition, it’s also great to know if your loved one had any type of specifications regarding their funeral arrangements.
Taking Care of Finer Details
After taking care of major questions, you’re now able to plan the finer details of a funeral. You’ll need to determine which type of attire the deceased party will wear during funeral proceedings. It’s also wise to consider planning which songs will play during a funeral ceremony.
It’s also important to gather photographs of your loved one. These are typically used in video slideshows. You can also display large pictures besides the casket while the funeral procession takes place. During this time, it’s wise to think about who will be speaking at your loved one’s funeral. Taking care of this ahead of time helps to ensure that speakers have time to prepare their material.
In conclusion, it’s important to learn the process behind planning a funeral for a loved one. While planning a funeral can feel understandably overwhelming, there are people ready to help. Funeral home employees help families take care of funeral proceedings throughout the year. In turn, you can rest assured that one of these professionals will offer immense help throughout this understandably difficult time.