If you don’t have any family, then you may be unsure what will happen when you die. Who will organise your funeral? How can you make sure that you get the service you want?

While you may not have close family around to take on this job, you do have other options that could put your mind at rest. Who can you turn to?

Continue reading “Planning Your Funeral When You Don’t Have Any Family”

When a family member’s serious illness has become terminal, you’ll experience many difficulties. It could be that their cancer has progressed to the point where remission is no longer possible, meaning that treatment will stop, and your loved one will transition to palliative (end-of-life) care.

Continue reading “Terminal Illness and Funeral Planning”

While some people prefer not to think about their funeral while they are still alive, many people find it useful to plan their service in advance. For some, this is all about reducing financial strain on the people they leave behind. For others, this is about getting the send-off they want.

However, this isn’t a job you have to do alone. You may find that it helps to involve your family in the decisions you make at this stage in your life. Learn more about why you should involve your family in planning your funeral. Continue reading “Why Involve Your Family in Planning Your Funeral?”

A grandparent’s death is often the first death that a child experiences and the first funeral they attend. Funerals can be bewildering for children, especially if they don’t know what to expect and don’t know how to act.

One of the kindest things you can do for your child at this difficult time is to make sure that they feel included, and that they are part of things. This short guide explains three simple ways to help a child feel involved with a grandparent’s funeral. Continue reading “How to Make Your Children Feel Involved in a Grandparent’s Funeral”

A reading, whether it be from film, literature, or music, at your loved one’s funeral can be a wonderful idea. The gesture not only shows how you feel about your loved one but also how their loss has touched you. Continue reading “How to Choose a Personal Funeral Reading for a Loved One”

Choosing flowers for the casket of a loved one can feel like a difficult task, especially with so many other aspects of a funeral to plan. However, flowers can really add something to the overall look of a funeral, and they offer you an extra way to express the personality of your loved one as well as how you feel about them. Below, we explain three different factors to consider as you make your choice. Continue reading “3 Things to Consider When Choosing Flowers for a Loved One’s Casket”

In the past, people tended to stay in the same area as their families, but now, many families live far away from each other. And due to moving frequently or travelling, many people have close friends in far flung locations as well.

Unfortunately, this means some people may not be able to attend your loved one’s memorial. To include as many people as possible, some people are opting to hold “live” funerals. Considering livestreaming your loved one’s memorial? Here is a look at the details to help you decide. Continue reading “Livestream a Loved One’s Memorial Service”

Cremation pre-planning is part of the end of life planning choices many adults make. You will speak to your funeral director, discuss cremation and look at various packages and prices available. Though many of the choices can be made easily, there are some you may not think of. Here are a few of those choices, what to know about them and what personalizations you can make to these choices.

Continue reading “Choices You Have for Cremation Pre-Planning”

You may feel a little nervous or daunted if you have to deliver the eulogy at a loved one’s funeral. After all, you want to pay your respects in an appropriate way and to do your relative or friend proud.

However, if you’ve never made this kind of speech before, you may not know how to create the perfect tribute. The following points will help you create a suitable structure and craft respectful and personalised content. Continue reading “How to Craft a Meaningful Eulogy”

When someone you love passes away, you’ll probably want to commemorate their memory. Traditionally, many people use flowers to commemorate the passing of someone they care about. They often send flowers to the family with condolences, or they bring flowers to the service themselves in remembrance of the individual. Continue reading “Alternatives to Sympathy Flowers at Your Loved One’s Funeral”

Are you looking for something unique to do with your loved one’s ashes? If storing ashes in an urn at home doesn’t appeal to you, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of alternatives.

You could use the ashes to plant a tree, create a beautiful piece of jewellery, or even press into an old-fashioned vinyl record. Keep reading for details on four touching ways to preserve the remains of your loved one. Continue reading “4 Unique Things to Do With a Loved One’s Ashes”

If you are the oldest sibling when your parent dies, one of the tasks that may fall to you is the funeral planning. This includes the cremation service if that was a request. Most of the information you need will probably already be planned or written down, including the specific cremation process, urn or other related information. However, this information may not include information regarding separating the cremation remains between family. Continue reading “What to Know about Separating Cremation Remains Between Family Members”

Choosing the right music for your loved one’s funeral can feel impossible. You might have so many options that you don’t know which to pick, or you could struggle to find even one song that feels appropriate. Continue reading “How to Choose the Perfect Funeral Music to Remember Your Loved One”

People often say that a funeral is a time of remembrance—a day to celebrate the life of your loved one as well as mourn your loss. However, remembering the good times and high points of a lost friend or family member’s life is often easier said than done when you’re caught up in the funeral process.

 

 

Continue reading “Making Your Loved One’s Funeral a Trip Down Memory Lane”

When planning a funeral for a loved one who once served in Australia’s military forces, you’ll want to give them a send-off that reflects the special role they dedicated their life to.

Thankfully, you can easily ensure your friend or family member’s funeral ceremony embodies all the prestige and reverence of their service.

Here are three of our best suggestions that will help you put together a funeral where you can honour the life of your beloved veteran in a meaningful and comforting way.

Continue reading “How to Make a Veteran’s Funeral Special”

Traditionally, many families put out guest books at their loved ones’ funerals. Many funeral homes include this guest book in their service package for no extra charge. These books can simply be a place for attendees to note their presence and sign their name, but you can also take this concept further and turn the guest book into a keepsake that can be enjoyed for years to come. Here are two ideas to help you. Continue reading “Make Your Funeral Guest Book Into a Treasured Keepsake”

While organising any cremation service is stressful, an unattended cremation reduces the number of difficult decisions you need to make. All you have to do is arrange for a funeral director to pick up the deceased’s body and to have it cremated privately. You are then given the ashes if you want them. Continue reading “How to Remember a Loved One After an Unattended Cremation”

The death of a close friend or relative can release feelings of loss and intense sadness. While adults may struggle to deal with these feelings, children can have an even harder time coping.

If you have recently lost a loved one, you may be concerned about how their death may impact the children in the family. Children can often struggle to understand death, so adults must be there to offer the support and guidance the child needs to overcome their loss. Below is a guide to some of the things you can do if you know a child who has lost a loved one.

Continue reading “3 Ways to Help Children Cope With Death”

Funeral preplanning is when you plan your own funeral before your death. You work directly with the funeral home to plan your final arrangements, and you pay for the services upfront. This option has grown in popularity, so you may want to consider funeral preplanning for the following reasons.

Continue reading “What Is Funeral Preplanning and Why Should You Consider It?”

There are many reasons why families choose to keep a cremation urn outside. You may be considering it because your loved one was an outdoor enthusiast, or perhaps you just feel more comfortable keeping ashes out of the home.

Whatever your reason for purchasing an outdoor urn, it’s important that you buy one made from the right material. Wood urns may be a timeless and beautiful option for storing cremains, but wood is very sensitive to changes in moisture and temperature. This makes wooden urns unsuitable for outdoor placement. Thankfully, there are many other options available that are perfect for use outside.

Continue reading “3 Cremation Urn Options for an Outdoor Memorial”