Planning a meaningful service for your loved one ensures that you fulfill their wishes and honor their memory. The loss of someone close to you is difficult enough as it is, so avoid any more undue pressure by familiarizing yourself with the funeral planning process early on. Listed below is a simple checklist of things you need to fulfill when planning a service.
Form of Disposition
The very first decision you’ll need to make is choosing what type of burial your loved one would have preferred. This should be discussed with them early on. Your options include:
Burial
A traditional burial is either below ground in a cemetery plot or above ground in a mausoleum. For this method, you’ll need to purchase a casket and a cemetery plot or space in a mausoleum. You also have to purchase something to mark the grave. There are plenty of places where you can have a high-quality plaque, monument, or headstonecustomized in Salt Lake City.
There are also natural burial methods, also known as green burial, for those wanting to minimize their impact on the environment after their death. This process involves wrapping an unembalmed body in a biodegradable shroud then burying it in a natural setting.
Cremation
Cremation entails using heat to burn a body down to bone fragments or ashes. You’ll be able to keep the cremated remains of your loved ones and choose what to do with it. Some people scatter the remains, keep the remains in an urn or columbarium, or bury the contained ashes underground.
Alkaline Hydrolysis
This is a fairly new form of final disposition which involves using pressure and low heat to reduce a body to an inert liquid and bone fragments. This process is also sometimes known as flameless cremation.
Funeral Services
Once you’ve figured out what disposition method to go with, you can now plan what happens during the ceremony preceding, the actual burial, or cremation. This includes deciding whether you want a memorial service before a graveside service or a simple funeral service that takes place within your home. You could also plan a wake before the funeral. You’ll also have to figure out things like which officiant will lead the service, who will write and deliver a eulogy about the deceased, readings to be done and who will deliver them, as well as food and beverages for guests.
Location
If you go with a traditional burial or cremation method, then you need to figure out which cemetery their remains will be buried. Alternatively, you can choose to scatter cremated remains in a scatter garden or in a location that is significant to your loved one.
Payment Options
Costs differ depending on what service you choose and there are plenty of different ways to finance this. The most popular payment methods include the following:
- Insurance
- Credit cards
- Personal savings
A Payable-on-Death (POD) account available at a financial institution
You may also arrange your services in advance with a funeral provider. This allows you to pay ahead of time, either through installments or all at once.
While you still have time, it would be helpful to talk about these details with your loved ones and pre-plan funeral arrangements. This will lessen the burden on everyone involved as well as ensure that your loved ones’ final wishes are fulfilled.
