Hi, my name is Crystal, and I love tradition and ritual, but I also love novel things and creating something special just for one person. When my mum died a few years ago, I decided that I wanted to write her funeral service – not just my eulogy, but the whole service. I wanted to tie in traditional elements as well as Bible verses and poems that she loved, but I also wanted something that was just for her and her alone. I learned a lot through that experience. If you have lost a loved one, I extend you my sympathy. I know how that feels, and I want to help with the funeral service. This blog has ideas and tips for writing your own service as well as a range of other things. I hope it helps.
Writing Your Own Funeral Service for a Loved One
Pre-Planning Your Funeral—Why and How
Minea Pesola
Usually, what prompts people to consider making a will and buying life insurance is the birth of their first child. There you are, faced with the ultimate symbol of life—a newborn baby—and you're planning for your death. Weirdly, though, it doesn't feel morbid—it feels wise and sensible, right? So, if you've planned for the physical and financial care of your child, shouldn't you go one step further and plan your funeral? Read on for why you should consider doing so and how to go about it.
Why You Should Plan Your Own Funeral
If you've ever been tasked with the job of organising a funeral for your loved one, then you'll be aware of just how much work and money is involved. You'll also know that having to worry about money and do so much work whilst gripped by grief can be incredibly hard. Planning and paying for your funeral in advance can remove the burden from your child or a loved one so the grieving process is all they have to manage.
Taking Care of Costs
Planning your funeral can be an in-depth exercise where you take care of every stage of the funeral process, or it can be as simple as putting money away to cover the costs.
Taking care of the financial side of the funeral can be done in two ways: you can open a savings account and place enough money in to cover the cost, or you can set up a funeral payment plan with one of the many companies around. With a savings account, you'll need to calculate the expected costs. This will involve working out what kind of funeral you want; burials will require a plot, so they're more expensive. The money you put away now may not cover the costs if you live to a ripe old age. However, this money will gain interest that may cover the rise in costs as the years go by. You can check on funeral costs every few years and adjust your savings accordingly. For funeral plans, you need to do your research—make sure that any plan you choose will cover the full costs of the funeral you want. You'll also want to check that you're covered for any company closure that may occur in the future.
Arranging the Whole Thing
When it comes to fully planning your funeral, you can do this yourself or hand the job over to a professional funeral planner. Their funeral planning services can provide as much or little help as you need. Of course, not knowing when the day will arise means you can't order or book anything in advance. However, you can buy a burial plot if you want to choose your own, and you can make a thorough plan that covers everything from the coffin you'd like to the food you want to be served at the wake. This plan can be stored with your will and handed to a funeral planner to exercise when the time comes.
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