How to Plan A Funeral Step by Step

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult parts of life, and planning a funeral for a loved one can be extremely stressful. On top of dealing with grief, funeral planning can be anxiety inducing for both first-time and longtime funeral planners. Whether you’re planning a funeral for a close friend or a family member, it’s likely that at some point you will have to plan a funeral for someone you know, and it’s important that you know what goes into that. 

Generally speaking, there are 3 major parts to planning a funeral: preparing the body, planning the ceremony, and making interment plans. But what does that entail exactly, and what kind of planning goes into that? Here are some of the most important steps you need to take when making funeral arrangements: 

  • Pre-Arrangements. Before you start making any decisions yourself, you should see if the deceased made any pre-arrangements for their funeral. This could include what they want to happen to their body, their final resting place, a sum of money to cover funeral costs, etc. It’s likely that they made arrangements so that it is easier for you to plan their funeral. You may have to contact their legal representative for this information, but it’s important you do your best to locate any arrangements they may have made so you can honor their final wishes. 

  • Funeral Home. Once you have determined if there are any pre-arrangements made, decide on a funeral home to host the funeral and schedule a meeting with the funeral director. This step is tremendously important and helpful to you, as the funeral home can help you make big decisions regarding the service and do the majority of the planning and logistical details for you. 

  • Disposition. Although this may be difficult, it’s important that you choose how you want the body to be prepared. The most common ways are traditional burial or cremation. Depending on what you choose, you will also need to make a decision about embalming, and then purchase a casket or an urn. 

  • Service. Figure out the details of the service to honor the deceased. This includes the type of service you would like/need (religious, military, etc.), as well as any photos, videos, or other memorabilia you would like displayed, songs, poems, or psalms you would like performed, who will be reading eulogies in the service, and when the funeral will take place. Make sure you add any personal touches to the service that reflect the life of the deceased. These elements will help with the grieving process and celebrate the life of your loved one. 

  • Final Resting Place. Choose a final resting place for the body. This could be in a burial plot with a headstone or in a mausoleum, or if you have the body cremated, you could choose to scatter the ashes somewhere. This is an extremely personal decision, and there are a lot of options to choose from when picking out a final resting place. Talk with your funeral director about the different options so you can choose what’s right for you and your loved ones. 

  • Payment. Funerals are not the cheapest expense, so it’s important that you know the method of payment you will be using to pay for the funeral. The deceased may have left money to go towards the funeral cost, or there may be a life insurance plan to cover the expenses. Just make sure you have a plan to pay for the funeral, and that you’re discussing your budget with the funeral home throughout the planning process. You should also never pre-pay for the funeral, and always wait until the funeral is over to pay for services. 


Trinity Memorial Gardens has been providing healing experiences for those in the Trinity, Florida area for decades. With our beautiful and peaceful grounds, we can help you host and plan a funeral service that honors the deceased by bringing their loved ones together in a warm, welcoming, and supportive setting. We pride ourselves in our attention to detail and ability to plan and carry out the event. Visit our website to send us a note or give us a call at (727) 376-7824.

Sources:
https://www.gwic.com/Education-Center/Funeral-Planning/How-to-plan-a-funeral-step-by-step 

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/funeral-planning-tips.html 

https://www.funeralbasics.org/5-basic-steps-funeral-planning/ 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/community-hub/funeral-planning/2020/03/24/step-step-guide-planning-funeral/4933345002/ 

https://www.funeralwise.com/plan/how_to/ 
Location: Trinity, FL, USA

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