How to Organise a Beautiful Ceremony without Unnecessary Funeral Costs

Nobody likes to think about death, yet, unfortunately, it’s something that’s completely unavoidable. For most people, it can feel really morbid to talk about funerals before death has even occurred in the family.

Even the data backs this up. According to a survey by the National Funeral Directors Associations, only 21% of Americans have discussed their funeral with a loved one. The truth is that the family left behind often has to put their grief on hold to handle the logistics of the funeral.

It’s important to be composed at this time. Funeral costs can be quite high, particularly if you’re not careful about what you’re paying for. Here are some tips for avoiding unnecessary costs while still planning a beautiful service.

1. Understand the Process

If you want to plan a beautiful funeral service, then you’ll need to understand what goes into it. You need to focus on three important processes: preparing the corpse, organizing the ceremony, and handling the burial. Sometimes, the deceased may have left specific instructions for one of the stages, such as being cremated instead of buried, which you should respect. If they haven’t, the family can decide how to proceed.

2. Buy Only What You Want (or Need)

Funeral homes generally offer packages with a variety of services. However, it’s important to look exactly at what those services entail, because it’s very likely not to need everything.

You don’t even have to buy everything from them, either. Wojcik's Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, can offer to take care of any floral arrangement you may need, but that may end up costing more than simply buying the flowers yourself from a different vendor.

3. Do Your Research

When planning a funeral, you are, of course, pressed for time, but it doesn’t mean you have to accept the first offer you get. The average funeral costs can be somewhere between $7,000 and $10,000. And like any other large purchase you may make in your life, you need to see who can offer the best price for the best service.

So you should call around multiple funeral homes to ask for rates. They may be reluctant to do so, but the Federal Trade Commission requires them to offer a quote even by phone or email, so insist.

4. Create a Budget

You should plan around the amount you can afford to spend. Write down all the rates you acquire for the services and add them up to see the final sum you’ll need to pay for everything. That will help you have a general overview of the service and the costs.

Then, you can start eliminating any unnecessary costs or look for alternative vendors that may offer better deals. The deceased may have had some specific requests regarding their service. While you should do your best to make them happen, don’t beat yourself up if you can’t.

5. Talk it over with Your Family

You should really have this conversation with your loved ones, even though it may be uncomfortable. It’s not that you will plan your funeral years in advance, but think of some elements you may desire for your service and discuss them with the family.

You don’t even need to go into very specific things, but you should decide at least on the basics:

1. Type of service;
2. Type of wake;
3. Burial or cremation.

That can provide them with some comfort during the preparation process. Even though they lost you, they can at least make sure your last wishes come true.

Back to You

It’s an unfortunate time full of pain and tears for those left behind after a loved one’s departed. Planning a funeral service can be a moment of catharsis for people, but they should never get lost in the desire to give their loved one a big, flashing ceremony.

Sometimes, the most beautiful services are also the modest ones. The most important things here are to be surrounded by family and celebrate the life of the departed, not how many flower arrangements there are at the wake.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.