Before you actually make up your mind as to what sort of service or ceremony is appropriate, take a look at the following thoughts and points - Remember, you only have one chance to get this right.
a.....Did the deceased want Burial (Maybe Green/Woodland Burial/Even in own garden!) or Cremation?
b.....Did the deceased leave any wish or request as to what sort of service or ceremony they wanted?
c.....Were they religious or have any kind of belief?
d.....Would a religious service be right for them or comfort you?
e.....Do you think that a non religious (Secular)ceremony would be the right course to take?
f.....Would a ceremony with a mostly non religious content but perhaps with a prayer or a hymn included be the right thing?
Please take your time in making up your mind, also involve other family members or friends. Also remember that you do not have to go to the funeral director in the area where your loved one passed away especially if you have no ties in that area anymore (apart from registering the death and other formal duties).
Arranging the funeral service from where you live with a local funeral director may be a lot easier for you especially if you wish to view your loved one frequently in the chapel of rest.
If the deceased did pass away a long distance away then there may be extra charges from the funeral director to cover these costs to remove the deceased to your local area, so check on the costs/charges first before you commit yourself.
Below, are some of your options: -
Option 1. You can conduct the ceremony yourself, perhaps with the help of other family members and friends but remember that your own feelings of grief and emotion may takeover on the day.
Option 2. You plan to do it yourself, but have an experienced Officiant standing by to ensure that all goes well.
Option 3. Secular Ceremony with experienced Officiant.
Option 4. A Religious Service with Church Minister.
Option 5. A Personal Ceremony that includes a little of everything or whatever you think is right - perhaps mostly non religious but including a prayer, hymn or a religious reading.
Option 6. A combination ceremony - with someone like myself together with a Church Minister sharing the duties. I carried out a ceremony of this nature with great success. I am lucky to have a friend who is a Church Minister and who agreed to take part in the ceremony - I performed the non religious introduction and poems and he performed the prayers and committal. It was a very warm and dignified ceremony and the family who were split in their beliefs, were very satisfied. It was a ceremony that pleased everybody.
Option 7. Is to have no service/ceremony at all, but to sit in the Crematorium Chapel for a few moments and listen to some music and then the Funeral Director or Chapel Attendant will close the Curtains around the Coffin or Casket.
Note:Family members or friends may want to play a musical instrument during the ceremony as a tribute or you may want a Soloist to sing a very special song or you may wish to release a White Dove/s at the end of the ceremony as this can symbolise many different things - love, hope, peace, freedom.
Even though you are reading this now it may not be too late to arrange a horse drawn hearse for your loved one as they may have loved horses or just wanted to be taken on their last journey in style - it is not so costly as you might think!
Click on the links below for more details including information on "Garden Burial".
